A Single Man, 12A, 99 mins
Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, Paulette Lamori Director: Tom Ford Genre: drama Rating: ***** (out of five)
IF the Oscars were truly awarded on merit rather than the baubles of a popularity contest then Colin Firth would have collected a golden statuette as best actor in a leading role on Sunday.
However, the British star's mesmerising portrayal of a gay professor torn apart by grief was inevitably overshadowed by Jeff Bridges' showy portrayal of an alcoholic country and western singer.
Nuance and subtlety are apparently overrated, and the aching emotion conveyed in a single silent gaze was completely overlooked by audiences and voters, who need to be instructed how to feel every step of the way.
Firth's stunning performance is just one of the many pleasures of fashion doyen Tom Ford's directorial debut, based on Christopher Isherwood's novel.
A Single Man is a haunting drama about a 50-something scholar who secretly says farewell to the people he loves as he contemplates suicide.
English professor George (Firth) moulds sharp, young minds in Los Angeles in 1962, concealing the grief over the death of his lover Jim (Goode) in a freak driving accident.
Eight months of sadness have gradually worn George down, and he finally decides to end it all, placing a revolver from the desk drawer in his briefcase before bidding goodbye to his loyal maid Alva (Lamori).
"Thank you, you're wonderful," he smiles, making sure Alva doesn't suspect a thing.
Arriving at school, George is distracted by gangly third-year student Kenny (Hoult), who takes an interest in the older man, casting lingering glances across the classroom.
George is flattered but does not respond, preferring to spend his time with a boozy confidante (Moore), who clings forlornly to the hope of reigniting a fire within him.
Crafted with the same attention to detail that Ford brings to his menswear collections, A Single Man is a deeply moving portrait of love and death, anchored by Firth's fearless central turn.
Moore is dazzling as ever in a booze-soaked supporting role and Hoult impresses with an American accent, hoping to drop more than his grades for his professor.
Artfully composed flashbacks of George and Jim in monochrome and colour build up a portrait of soulmates torn apart by fate, heightening the air of impending tragedy as the professor prepares his final exit.
We share the lead character's sense of loss and his despair, and we see how apparently eternal happiness can be shattered into smithereens by a telephone call containing the words: "There's been a car accident."
It's at the Futurist until Thu 18.
PA
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Scarborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
