A Single Man

Tom Ford's first attempt at directing shows he is brilliant at not only fashion, marketing, and design, but also capturing beauty in film. A Single Man is based on the 1964 novel by Christopher Irshwood. A college professor, George (played by the beloved and handsome Colin Firth), is coming to grips with reality and the meaning of life after the tragic loss of his significant other. Julianne Moore is the quintessential bored, divorcee and is absolutely glorious in her role as George's confidant, Charlie. Set in 1962 in California, Ford uses imagery, color composition, music, narration, and romantic dialogue to bring this novel to life. Despite its melancholy overtones, I found this movie to be surprisingly uplifting, inspiring, and spiritual. If you're too fragile for the story, then turn the volume down and the imagery alone is worth watching for 100 minutes...although you will be missing the lovely music that perfectly parallels Firth's narration. In one word, each and every frame of this film is breathtaking.