Photo Credit: FilmReelz
I’m not a big fashionista, so I don’t really know the extent of Tom Ford’s influence in the industry, but what I do know is this: Tom Ford is on the right track in shifting from fashion to film with his directorial debut, A Single Man. Based on Christopher Isherwood’s novel of the same title, the film takes place in the course of a day in the life of Southern California English professor, George Falconer, as he goes through the daily humdrum motions while dealing with the painful loss of his lover. Set in the 1960s, the film already establishes what sort of visual artistry Tom Ford can conjure up, owing to his exposure in the fashion and design worlds, and I think that works to his greatest advantage, in spite of some early feedback on how the film feels like a two-hour-long Gucci ad.
Colin Firth, whose riveting performance as the lonesome Falconer, is certainly changing the game for the Oscar race for Best Actor. The way he carries his heartache is done so poignantly, and one cannot help but feel that all-too-familiar dread of having to wake up every day without the presence of one’s beloved any longer. Adding depth to Firth’s character is the equally provocative Julianne Moore, whose portrayal of Charley, George’s longtime friend and past fling, colors the story with chic playfulness reminiscent of the era. The relationship between the two characters is, in itself, as moving as that of George and his beloved Jim (portrayed by Matthew Goode), as well as with the budding romance between George and his student, Kenny (played by a winsome Nicholas Hoult), who ultimately presents Firth’s character with a sliver of hope in a life that had lost meaning.
What struck me most is how beautifully developed the relationships are in this story, without putting too much emphasis on the politics of the homosexual nature behind them. Instead, I found myself watching a pure love story between two people who found a connection that would last beyond death. Ford, who acknowledged Isherwood’s novel as something very personal to him, definitely melded the elements cohesively, seaming a well-written screenplay with a lush aesthetic. Cue in a fantastic soundtrack, and A Single Man, as fashion magazine-esque as it may seem, may just become the start of Mr. Ford’s most outstanding collections yet.
Rating: 4/5
Written & Directed by: Tom Ford
Based on the novel A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood
Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Nicholas Hoult, Lee Pace, Jon Kortajarena, Ginnifer Goodwin
Distributor: The Weinstein Company
Genre: Drama
Release Date: December 11 (limited)
