15 Responses for "Corliss singles out A Single Man"

1. Dominik November 30th, 2009 at 5:53 am 1

   The more I hear about this one, the more I´m looking forward to see it!
   One of the few movies I really care about this year…

2. Ryan Adams November 30th, 2009 at 6:23 am 2

   A Single Man stands at 80% on RT now, with just 5 reviews. Emanuel Levy gives it an A-

   A chronicle of love and loss, life and death, “Single Man” proves that in the right hands even the most challenging and seemingly “unfilmable” text could be made into an intelligent and touching movie. While largely maintaining the novel’s spirit, Ford’s version also deviates from it in ways that make it more cinematically interesting, by adding new characters, changing existing ones, etc.

   …The sequences of men swimming under water in the nude are examples of an overly strong concern with aesthetics and beauty, not to mention the fact that all the characters in the film, especially male but female too, are gorgeously photogenic, with chiseled faces and spectacular bodies.

   Nonetheless, in its universal subject, the pain involved in mourning the loss of a loved one, intelligent approach to the material, respect for all the characters, and darkly humorous tone, “Single Man” should go beyond gay audiences to appeal to savvy and sophisticated viewers willing to experience a “different” kind of picture, one that recalls stylish films of the 1960s and 1970s.

   The screenplay, co-written Ford and David Scaearce, is mostly witty and authentic, containing many allusions to social and historical events in American society circa 1962, which is the same time period of the hit TV series “Mad Men.”

   …At its best moments, “Single Man” conveys vividly, without any pretense, the isolation that’s an inherent part of the human condition, particularly that of a sensitive gay intellectual, who loves America but is still bewildered by the rapid rise of a more crass and mass pop culture. Perhaps more importantly, Ford doesn’t neglect the essential humanism that prevails in all Isherwood’s work, the importance of the seemingly smallest and most trivial moments in life, such as random encounters.

3. Alejandro November 30th, 2009 at 6:38 am 3

   I just finished the book and I loved it. I just couldn’t find in the book some images you see in the trailer, so I gues the additions and supressions made by Ford will make the movie experience more interesting for me.

4. Joolz November 30th, 2009 at 8:46 am 4

   The more I hear about this one, the more I´m looking forward to see it!

   Same here.

5. Mike November 30th, 2009 at 11:18 am 5

   I caught this at an industry screening over the weekend that left a bunch of old curmudgeons in tears.

   The gay content may ultimately hinder its Oscar chances, but I could see this film doing especially well with say, the NBR that announces on Thursday…

   Ryan – I thought this was a near perfect screen play adaptation. The new plot device was inspired and turned what was essentially an unfilmable stream of conscious novella into a driving suspenseful narrative.

   Really fine adaptation

6. j November 30th, 2009 at 11:54 am 6

   I still desire this and Bright Star to magically co-sweep. This for BP…though unseen.

   I find it impressive that Ask Men gives it an 88, when I know AM mainly for its T99 hottest women feature. Implies the appeal is wider than just gay men.

   From Shadows on the Wall (?): Tightly wound, economic drama. There isn’t a wasted moment in the film; Eduard Grau’s cinematography and Dan Bishop’s production design are exquisite…The actors all lift their characters above this gorgeousness.” I wonder if notices for Goode & Hoult will do anything for them if this becomes the breakout I so want it to be.

   A review which has some parts that make me think the writer’s too focused on gayness but nonetheless has good parts…from Gay Blade: ““I like the color of the bottle,” she tells George. “You like what’s inside it”…most authentically detailed, period film since 2002’s Far From Heaven, which also starred Moore”

7. daveylow November 30th, 2009 at 12:06 pm 7

   Colin Firth did get the role of a lifetime as Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. That was a television role but he became a sex symbol in the UK because of that part. I do agree that his role in A Single Man is probably the best part he’s gotten in a film recently. And may lead him to even juicier assignments.

8. Ryan Adams November 30th, 2009 at 12:16 pm 8

   “I still desire this and Bright Star to magically co-sweep. This for BP…though unseen.”

   That’s almost exactly what I wrote in an email to Sasha last night, j. I meant a sweep in the nominations. Sasha saw A Single Man last night and really loved it.

9. Ryan Adams November 30th, 2009 at 12:19 pm 9

   “Ryan – I thought this was a near perfect screen play adaptation. The new plot device was inspired and turned what was essentially an unfilmable stream of conscious novella into a driving suspenseful narrative. Really fine adaptation.”

   That’s my feeling too, Mike. Thanks for articulating that impression so well.

10. AlexaC November 30th, 2009 at 1:44 pm 10

    I only discovered Pride & Prejudice 18 months ago, but have been absolutely obessed with Colin Firth ever since. I had admired him since the early 90’s when I caught ‘Valmont’ on cable….and I try to follow what he’s doing. It’s hard at times since some of his movies get released so much later in the US, or not at all.

    I had heard about this movie about a month ago, but saw the trailer for the first time yesterday and have been doing some more reading. I had no idea this film is poised to do so phenomenally. I can’t wait to see it. Literally….I am cringing at the thought of having to wait until Dec 25th and would do almost anything to see it before then. How I hope CF and this movie get huge recognition!

11. dlen November 30th, 2009 at 4:59 pm 11

    I saw both A Single Man and Bright Star last week and was, sadly, unmoved by either. While I didn’t dislike either film I wasn’t touched by them either.

    That said, Firth, Moore and Cornish all deserve awards attention.

    Q: Am I the only gay guy who didn’t know who Tom Ford was before this movie?

12. daveylow November 30th, 2009 at 8:02 pm 12

    Hmm…I just saw Bright Star on Friday and loved it. Cornish and Winshaw were sublime. The film captured the romance without overdoing anything.

    As for A Single Man, I was with Firth every minute of the film. He really lost himself in Falconer. Firth deserves award recognition for his magnetic performance but he has some stiff competition this year. He may win the Globe and BAFTA, though.

13. Pierre de Plume November 30th, 2009 at 11:10 pm 13

    Q: Am I the only gay guy who didn’t know who Tom Ford was before this movie?

    It’s not quite that bad, dlen, although no doubt there’s a subset out there who are shocked — shocked! — that Tom Ford isn’t a household name.

    I’m anxious to see this film.

14. Chris November 30th, 2009 at 11:43 pm 14

    Saw it at TIFF and it was amazing. One of the best films I’ve seen in years – visually stunning art direction, design and photography, great score, excellent actors and a truly interesting take on the story. I hope people swarm the theatres and make it the hit it deserves to be.

15. Erwin December 1st, 2009 at 1:23 am 15

    I saw the film at a screening this evening and I agree it is beautifully filmed. I am not familiar with it’s source material thus I cannot comment on the adaptation of the book to the screen. However,though there were some touching moments, the film, as a whole, simply did not hold up as a significant piece of cinema. It is too derivative to be original and too artificial to be thought provoking. I think Firth and Moore give honest performances though never raw ones. (It appears Ford or Elite model management were responsible for casting the supporting cast and extras.) The performances, the sets, the script appear not composed to tell the story but to show you, the viewer, Tom Ford’s picture book of perhaps his favorite novel. To that extent, he has a great visual eye.

    I am sure there are fashionistas and other purveyors of pop culture who will regard this on par with The Seventh Seal. I felt like I was witnessing a plotted feature length fashion commercial. At the end, it’s sort of like Chinese food. It seems filling at the time of consumption but an hour later you are wondering why you are hungry for something more substantial.