• Director: Tom Ford
• With: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, Jon Kortajarena, Teddy Sears, Ryan Simpkins, Ginnifer Goodwin, Paulette Lamori
• Duration: 1h39
• Based upon the novel ‘A Single Man’ by Christopher Isherwood
• Music by: Abel Korzeniowski
• Rating: 9/10

Review:

In December 2020 I finally read the novel by Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man. It was a novel about love, death, longing and melancholy… also about getting older! I adored every letter, every phrase… and that ending just wrung my heart out…

Even though Tom Ford, yes thé Tom Ford of the glasses and perfume and so much more, directed this movie in 2009 already, I never got the chance to watch it… until now! And like the book, it is sheer perfection, or at least close to perfection!

The sixties, when homosexuality was still forbidden and gay men had no rights at all, even in Los Angeles!

Colin Firth as George is the perfect personification of the grieving gay man who just lost his man but doesn’t get the chance to say goodbye in a decent manner, due to the family of his lover not letting him attend the funeral at all. George is left alone and lonely in the wonderful stylish house he lived in with Jim (a deliciously great role for Matthew Goode) and shared 16 years of joy, pain and love in.

His only comfort is his best friend, Charley (the perfect role for the beautiful Julianne Moore) but she has alcohol and an unanswered love for George on her mind.

George is sick of the loneliness and the fact that he’s growing older by himself now doesn’t help either so he decides it might be time to end his life, but not unorganised and not unplanned.

Until he meets two boys: one, a gigolo on a parking lot of a liquor store, called Carlos whom he briefly meets and resists taking home with him. The other is a student of his, Kenny (played by a young and handsome Nicholas Hoult) who is fascinated and infatuated by his teacher. They both share a secret, one that has desire on the background and lust on the forefront. And a night out together could prove to become a game changer for George!

Tom Ford had a keen eye for style and for set decorations. He picked the perfect locations (that house George lives is in absolutely stunning!) and even every scene is calming and at the same time it shouts: “Look at me! See me! Love me!”

And then there’s that jazzy, calm soundtrack that sweeps you off your feet, provides an even more intimate sphere and added to it are a few sixties songs like Green Onions by Booker T. and the MG’s, a song that swings and smashes!

Underneath all the beauty lies a darker world of secrecy, of not being able to be who you truly are and a lusty desire of people, men, wanting but holding back! This is a sexy movie but with a seriously dark undertone!

Perfectly cast and stunningly executed, this may be one of the best and most beautiful films I have seen all year!