DVD--A Single Man

or: Fashion and cinema combine to make this baby.

One word to sum it up: Beautiful.

You have no idea how much I wanted to see A Single Man. The trailer, though not giving away any of the movie, just looked so beautiful and pretty much like the classic films that I love watching. Then came the praise for Colin Firth's performance, who has been one of my favourite actor's for some time. And the fact that fashion designer Tom Ford was directing it made me interested to watch it. I just love it when a film I have been looking forward to for ages exceeds my really high expectations.

George Falconer (Colin Firth) has lost his partner Jim (Matthew Goode) in a car accident. He feels he must go about another day, and when the day comes to an end, he plans to commit suicide. He meets a student, Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), who may just make his life worth living. Also, his friendship with Charley (Julianne Moore) puts things into persepctive. Is George ready to leave and return to Jim, his great love?

I have to get this out of the way first. If you are homophobic, then this is not the movie for you. If you can't sit down and appreciate cinema as an art form, then this isn't for you. However, when you are someone like me, who has watched many films and loves the beauty cinema can make, then this is definitely for you (that's one more thing: I have the brain of about a 40 year old when I watch movies). This movie is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Tom Ford's direction, true to being a fashion designer, is so intricate and basically uses some amazingly set up scenes to tell the story. In some parts it plays out like a perfume ad, but on a whole it truly captures the 1960's. The art direction and of course, the costumes, are impeccable.

This film would have been nothing without Colin Firth. Here he delivers the performance of a lifetime, which I think was much better than Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart. Firth should have one the Oscar. On that topic, this film should have been nominated for a lot more Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Julianne Moore. I have never seen anyone pull off the role of an aging and troubled drama queen so well.

A Single Man broke my heart and I was crying for a little while after watching it. I don't think I have ever been so amazed by a film's beauty. Tom Ford should really be directing more films. If they are like this one, he could reinvent the influence that fashion has on cinema. A Single Man isn't merely a film, it's what I like to call 'true cinema'.

THE VERDICT: Amazing. Well performed by Firth and Moore, with some fantastic direction from Ford. Trust me, you'll think hard about life after seeing this film.

10/10