A Single Man

I thoroughly enjoyed A Single Man. I enjoyed it almost as much as An Education. It was very carefully done and it was truthful without being sentimental. Set during the witch hunt for commies, it shows a gay man dealing with the loss of his lover. It was reminiscent of a Greek tragedy not in the subject matter, but in the fact that the main action all took place within a day (not counting various flashbacks). We get such a small glimpse into this man's life, and yet, through Colin Firth's wonderfully truthful and raw performance, we feel we've known him so much longer. The film was pretty heartbreaking; it is during a time when so many people had to keep their lives a secret. People were either hiding or hunting. Nicholas Hoult, the actor playing Kenny, a student of George's (Colin Firth's character), is, first of all, absolutely gorgeous and did an excellent job playing the perceptive, open boy. I enjoyed all the performances in this movie. Julianne Moore was spectacular as the alcoholic childhood friend of George's. It was actually her portrayal of a woman who just wants to be wanted again that affected me the most. Overall, a very well acted movie, and the cinematography was absolutely beautiful. The movie captured the feel of the 60's and I was swept away with the tense, yet free-falling feeling of the whole film. As for Oscar wins, Colin Firth may be the only man who could steal the Oscar from Jeff Bridges, in my humble opinion. It had a beautiful score, but was not nominated. Julianne Moore missed out on the nom for supporting actress, which is a shame. I'm surprised the film didn't get more attention, but it was quietly done overall, which I appreciated. I could go into it without expectations, which tend to wreck an experience. Two thumbs up from me, though, if it means anything. I'd recommend it to anyone.