A Single Man
A Single Man takes us back to a time when gay men were politely referred to as “light in the loafers”. As for impolite references, here not many come up other than in the faces of neighbours who live across from a suburban house which ironically is mostly glass. It’s the home of George (Colin Firth), a British émigré professor teaching English in California just as the Cuban missile crisis is erupting. He’s recently single because his sixteen year relationship with Jim (Matthew Goode) has come to an abrupt end as the result of a motor vehicle accident. George is despondent to the point of suicide which he plans with caricature gay fastidiousness but keeps getting interrupted by Charley (Julianne Moore) an ex-girlfriend who won’t let go and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) a student whose ubiquitous cashmere sweater clearly telegraphs a kindred spirit. First time director Tom Ford (who until now was a fashion designer best known for his miraculous turnaround of Gucci in the 90’s) will no doubt get some Oscar chatter for delivering a story with a beautifully ironic ending preceded by excellent performances from Firth and especially Moore.