A Single Man

Set in Los Angeles in 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis, this Best Picture nominee unfolds during one fateful day in the orderly, ordinary life of 52 year-old George Falconer (Oscar-nominated Colin Firth), a gentle, reserved British college professor who is contemplating suicide, as poignant, idyllic memories of his deceased lover, Jim (Matthew Goode), dominate both his waking and sleeping hours. Methodically, George lays out his meticulously folded funeral clothes, empties his safe-deposit box, and carefully arranges pertinent papers on his desk. But first, he's planning a dinner with Charley (Julianne Moore), his closest confidante/old flame, a fellow Brit who's now an alcoholic divorcee with her own loneliness issues. As the hours pass, George encounters a Spanish hustler (Jon Kortajarena), and banters with a persistently flirtatious student (Nicholas Hoult). Inspired by a 1964 stream-of-consciousness novella by Christopher Isherwood, writer-director Tom Ford's (who built a formidable reputation in the fashion industry as Gucci's creative director) non-linear, vignette-studded story suffers a bit from several surreal, sensual sequences of chiseled nude men floating under water that are more distracting than integral to the storyline. But, overall, this is a sleek, sensitive, and soulful film, saved from Ford's overtly stylistic elegance by Firth's subtly engaging portrayal. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Tom Ford, a “making-of” featurette (16 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “movieIQ” trivia track and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a decent extras package for this fine Best Picture nominee.] (S. Granger)