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Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, Jon Kortajarena ... see more see more... , Paulette Lamori , Ryan Simpkins , Ginnifer Goodwin , Teddy Sears , Paul Butler , Aaron Sanders , Keri Lynn Pratt , Jenna Gavigan , Alicia Carr , Lee Pace , Adam Shapiro , Marlene Martinez , Ridge Canipe , Elisabeth Harnois , Erin Daniels , Nicole Steinwedell , Tricia Munford

George Falconer (Colin Firth) feels lost. Not only is he still grieving the death of his longtime companion, Jim (Matthew Goode), but he's also a Brit teaching English at a California college. He's so... read more read more... distraught with heartbreak that he's decided to kill himself, and proceeds to get all his affairs in order while carrying on with what otherwise would be a normal day. He gives an unusually forceful lecture to his class, revealing enough that a perceptive student, Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), senses something is wrong with the professor; collects his important financial papers from his bank; buys bullets for a handgun he owns; and makes a visit to his best friend (Julianne Moore). But throughout these methodical preparations, George keeps running into people -- a colleague's daughter, a attractive gay hustler, and the sympathetic Kenny -- who offer him glimpses of why he should stay alive. A Single Man is the directorial debut of legendary fashion designer Tom Ford. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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78% liked it

52,869 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

175 critics

R, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Tom Ford

Release Date: December 11, 2009

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DVD Release Date: July 6, 2010

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Stats: 4,203 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,203)

  • blacksheepboy
    January 7, 2012
    blacksheepboy
    This film is beautiful!, in every way possible: dazzling cinematography, impeccable costumes and art direction, a wonderful score and one remarkable debut direction by fashion designer Tom Ford. Still, what stands out most is certainly Colin Firth's amazing leading performance.
  • kenstachnik
    November 13, 2011
    kenstachnik
    One of the best of the year. Absolutely beautiful on every level. Stunning performances.
    I heart Tom Ford.
  • cosmo313
    October 8, 2011
    cosmo313
    Based on a novel, this is the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford. And, you know what, if he wanted to, the man could make a second career for himself in film because as far as debuts go, it's pretty good.

    The story concerns a British professor named Georgewho teaches... read more English at a California university. It's November 1962, and the Cuban Missle Crisis has had people on edge for a month. For 8 months now, George has been mourning the loss of his long time partner Jim, whom he was with for 16 years. It hasn't been easy for George, but somehow, he has managed. Yet, that is not enough, and he's reached the point where he's decided that he'd be better off if he'd commit suicide and put an end to his suffering.

    The fim follows George over the course of what he is trying to make his final day. Most thigns happen as usual, but then there are of course the moments where he takes care of final bits of business and gets some loose ends tied up. Along the way, he has encounters with various people that have him thinking that mayeb he does still have a life that's worth livign after all. Interspersed throughout this narrative are various flashbacks from George's life together with Jim.

    Despite being a serious character driven drama filled with sadness and pain, there are also a number of moments of hope, humor, and love. Underscoring the film is also a great sense of beauty. Even the darker moments have a kind of sad beauty to them, making the film very moving and touching.

    This is a smart film filled with an excellent lead performance by Colin Firth, and some terrific supporting ones by Julianne moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, and Jon Kortajarena. The music is quite emotional and moving, and, as one moght expect (given Ford's background), this is a gorgeous looking film with some top notch art direction, set design, and costumes.

    As good as the film is though, it's not perfect. I can probably forgive him for this since it's debut and he's morwe used to fashion, but I think Ford overdirects this film at times. I don't think there needed to be as much slow-mo, or the filter shifts from color to b&w. I think he was maybe just nervous or directed the film self consciously, trying too hard to make a good first impresion. In all honesty, I think it would have been better had he just trusted his actors and let them do the heavy lifting until he strengthened his chops.

    Aside from that though, I don't have any real complaints. I think the film is well done, not boring, and mostly finds the right tone. It occasionally feels a bit heavy handed, but again, I think it's forgivable. It does handle the material in a sensible manner though, and I appreciate that. You should give this a watch, because it's pretty good.
  • FrizzDrop
    July 9, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    It's always enjoyable to see the critics split over certain subject material, bringing out true colors where none shown before. In this instance, most sided that this was too bleak for their tastes, a maudlin film with inventive camera work and a performance from Firth that was b... read moreoth clinical and risqué. What sets this film apart from most people's views of stylized or lackluster, is not just the dramatic angles and dream sequences, but what Firth brings to the table; basically the entire causality of events. Firth makes this film, his grief over his lover contained within his frosty exterior, each scene revealing another layer to his onion. As Firth bounces from flashback, to a moment of clarity, back to his dire present, the range of emotion flits across his face, hope never diminishing because it was never there to begin with. Most people were thrown by the random scenes with Firth and several people which were not particularly necessary for the plot, but if you watch each scene, truly grasping the difficulty of keeping clandestine affairs a secret while also mourning true love without giving away that you were intertwined in the first place, it brings the movie home. Better than the King's Speech and worthy of as much praise as possible, this is Firth's best performance to date and one of my personal favorites.
  • MrMarakai
    June 27, 2011
    MrMarakai
    In the words of Colin Firth's character: "If there's going to be a world where there's no time for sentiment, then that's a world I don't want to live in". What with the subject matter and characterisation, 'sentiment' is exactly what's required to fully enjoy this near masterpie... read morece.
    George Falconer (Colin Firth) is a closested homosexual English college professor now living and teaching in Los Angeles in 1962. At the height of the Cuban missile crisis George is only concerned and haunted by the death of Jim (Matthew Goode), his soulmate of 16 years, in a car crash. Over the course of a day, he fastidiously plans his own death as he cannot stop dwelling on the past and is unable to see his future despite advances from his long time friend Charley (Julianne Moore) and student Kenny (Nicholas Hoult).
    Sometimes a film comes along that doesn't grap your attention straight away. It's only through time that the critical acclaim it recieved can be ignored no longer. This is that type of film for me. I'm also not Colin Firth's biggest fan either. However, on both judgmental accounts, I have been very very wrong. This flawlessly detailed character study of a desperate, tormented and heart-broken man is one of the finest films and central performances of 2009. I have no idea why I consistantly allow the Oscars to sursprise me but this film recieved ONE nomination from that year. Deservedly, that one was for Colin Firth but how can the rest possibly be ignored? What about the screenplay, the cinematography and Tom Ford's direction? I'm astonished it didn't recieve more. Everything about this film oozes class; the 60's setting is beautifully captured with it's attention to detail and strikingly rich photography by Eduard Grau; the slow motion scenes with overbearing sound effects; the subtle changes of colour saturation providing an excellent technique in developing the mood and feeling of Firth's character and a fitting soundtrack to accompany the lush imagery. Anchoring all of this artistry is Colin Firth with his stoic exterior and crumbling interior. He's absolutely marvellous and delivers a far superior performance than his Oscar winning role in "The Kings Speech". I'm starting to think the Academy gave him it a year later after realising that Firth really shouldn't have lost out for this. If Jeff Bridges wasn't so good in "Crazy Heart", the award had Firth's name all over it. What's also hard to believe is that this is Tom Ford's directorial debut. He handles the material skillfully and assuredly, delivering one of the most accomplished films in recent times and surely the only direction he can go after this, is down.
    This is the film that the multi-award winning "The King's Speech" wishes it was. It may be a bit bleak or risque for some tastes but this is sensitive, mature filmmaking of the highest order. An exuberant, unflinching masterclass from everyone involved.
  • shawnewing92
    May 6, 2011
    shawnewing92
    A Single Man is an artistic film, rich with philosophy, style, beauty, and heart. Colin Firth's performance is outstanding and really pulls this film together. Even to someone who is unfamiliar with the artistic film genre, the visuals in this film are incredible!
  • deano
    April 17, 2011
    deano
    Tom Ford's debut as a director tells, in exquisite images, a very personal story, based on a short story by Christopher Isherwood. What makes everything fly so high is a fantastic performance by Colin Firth.
    I'm not saying that A Single Man is bad; rather, it's a platform... read more for the aforementioned leading actor to convey sadness in his character, George. Julianne Moore pops up as the constantly drunk Charly to help her longtime friend George out. She also makes wonderful performance.
    Along with the vividly beautiful and unique cinematography that correlates to George's emotions, a great score keeps the mood mysterious and poignant. Good filmmaking.
  • fb701560354
    April 2, 2011
    fb701560354
    This debut film from fashion designer Tom Ford is one of heart-stopping beauty, visual dazzle and emotional resonance featuring beautiful costumes, stunning art direction, a breathtaking score and a masterful, oscar-worth performance by Colin Firth.
  • SirPant
    February 28, 2011
    SirPant
    Wow. Maybe more fashion designers should think about directing films as this is a stunning debut from Tom Ford. Not that I'm that bothered about awards- but how was his directional achievement so overlooked here? He should have at least been nominated, I've not seen such a stylis... read moreh a film like this for a very long time. To be honest, for me A Single Man is faultless, I'm not the biggest Nicholas Hoult fan I have to say but this film is perfect and a new favourite of mine. Highly recommended, as cinema goes, this is pure luxury.
  • fernandorafael
    February 20, 2011
    fernandorafael
    I bet every review out there probably says the same thing, but this film is really good-looking. I mean, it's just ridiculously stylish. Tom Ford's expertise in the realm of fashion translates beautifully into film. Underrated drama features some sharp editing and score, which go... read more perfectly with the film's fashion-campaign looks. Colin Firth in the main role is stunning, and should've won the Oscar last year too (as I'm sure as hell he will this year).

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Critic Reviews

Andrea Gronvall
January 15, 2010
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

Ford's eye for period detail is exact; brief cutaways, incisive dialogue, and charged glances telegraph the cold-war paranoia and sexual alienation of the early 60s. Full Review

Tom Long
January 15, 2010
Tom Long, Detroit News

A Single Man still stands as a vivid portrait of life behind a veil, and Firth certainly delivers one of the best performances of the year. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 13, 2010
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

His first time out, Ford has made one of the best films of the year. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
December 28, 2009
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

In this beautifully tailored drama, content and style have as vital a relationship as George and Jim did. The one would be lost without the other. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
December 26, 2009
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

One of the year's more satisfying films. Full Review

Ty Burr
December 25, 2009
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Firth plays a drowning man who can't yell for help, and it's an awful thing to see. Full Review

Colin Covert
December 25, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

It is as gorgeous as you would expect, and surprisingly large-hearted. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
December 25, 2009
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

How fitting that Firth should carry A Single Man, a movie of quiet but potent emotional power, perfectly suited to his singular gifts. Full Review

Steven Rea
December 25, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Ford doesn't know when to quit: A Single Man is too beautiful by half... Full Review

Sam Adams
December 24, 2009
Sam Adams, Los Angeles Times

Ford luxuriates in the details of his period setting, but the movie rarely gets below the surfaces he has worked so hard to construct. Full Review

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    • George Falconer: Looking in the mirror staring back at me isn't so much a face as the expression of a predicament.
    • George Falconer: A few times in my life I've had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh. I can never make these moments last. I cling to them, but like everything, they fade. I have lived my life on these moments. They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be.
    • Carlos: Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty.
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A Single Man Trivia

  • This actress has gone against her father's will to date a man that later saved the world, donned pointed ears as a princess and fallen in love with the widowed man of a single child. Who is she?  Answer »
  • In the movie Inside Man, the bank robbers called each other a variaton of a single name. What was that name?  Answer »
  • "A mysterious man appears into the lives of a single widowed woman and her two young sons. The younger son has cancer. Their father has been MIA from WWII for some time and the family assumes him dead." Is a plotline from which film?  Answer »
  • Which movie (and book) has this opening line? "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of good fortune must be in want of a wife."  Answer »
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