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A Single Man

08/Mar/2010

By Ross McRae

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BRITISH actor Colin Firth gives the performance of his career in A Single Man.

Best known for his “chick flick” factor – which includes playing Mr Darcy in the hugely popular BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Mamma Mia! – Firth surprises and delights with his role as a man who is at the end of his tether.

In fact, Firth’s emotionally wrought performance as a gay university professor who is struggling with the death of his partner in an intolerant 1962, single-handedly gives the film a depth first-time director Tom Ford could only dream of.

Ford is a hugely successful fashion designer, responsible for his own mega brand as well as designing for fashion powerhouse Gucci.

His vision for incredibly beautiful aesthetics is evident right from the striking opening, which sees Firth naked floating underwater, exposed for all to see.

However, without Firth’s uninhibited performance, the film – based on the acclaimed novel by Christopher Isherwood – would almost come across as a 100-minute advert for some sophisticated retro perfume.

Set in Los Angeles, George Falconer (Firth) wakes up one day and decides that it will be his last.

Not able to get the image of his deceased partner of 16 years out of his head, Falconer thinks the only way to move on is by killing himself.

So begins the last day in the life of this now-single man.

By deciding that he won’t have to live with the consequences of his actions, Falconer is able to live as he pleases in what seems like the first time ever.

He flirts with a young male student who is thoroughly smitten with him, is randomly hit on by a gorgeous out-of-his-league foreigner and  lets loose with his closest friend Charley (a fabulous Julianne Moore), an ageing beauty and fellow British expatriate who spends her days in a glamorous martini haze.

Sean Penn in Milk, Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain and now Firth in A Single Man – once again it seems the best male acting is coming from a role in which a straight actor is playing a gay man who has a lot of issues.

It is easy to be sceptical about Firth’s role given this recent Hollywood trend, but there is no doubting his exposed emotions come from a real place that transcends sexuality labels.

A Single Man (M)

Directed by: Tom Ford

Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode

Rating: Three stars

Screening: from February 25


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