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Let me be clear, A Single Man is not a movie for choc top eating or popcorn munching. Any noise emanating from the audience is a distraction. Not only because this film is very quiet (literally), but this film requires focus in order to fully appreciate the beauty and the detail. Director (and former fashion designer) Tom Ford has been criticised for overdesigning the film, but the highly stylised visuals works in its favour. Going into the film I did expect it to look good (what else can you expect from the man who single-handedly revived Gucci?), but what I did expect was for Ford to be a decent storyteller. Every frame has been carefully constructed to let you a little bit more into George’s world: to show what it’s like for a man struggling to get through the day as normally as possible. I felt as though I was watching film as art as opposed to film just telling a story.



The film tends to lose a little bit of pace in the final act. The minimal dialogue wears a little thin and the film has a little bit of a struggle to keep itself moving all the way to the end.

Thankfully we have Colin Firth in the leading role to distract us from the pacing problems. He gives a wonderfully un-Colin-Firth-like performance as George, the man at the centre of the story.

Without Firth’s skill, without his ability to withhold and yet display so much, George would disappear, swallowed by the heightened visuals. But Firth holds his ground. You only need to watch Firth's face as he is told of his lover's death. The camera presses slowly in. You see his disbelief, his struggle to maintain control, his anger that he cannot attend the funeral. It’s truly a marvellous scene, for which Firth deserved the actual Oscar, not just the nomination.



As for the supporting cast: Matthew Goode plays George’s lover Jim, seen through flashbacks, gives a performance that I actually for once, like. But I felt his character lacked definition. But then I suppose its George’s idea of Jim that’s important. George cannot live without him, whatever type of man he might be.

Julianne Moore’s role as George’s perpetually drunk friend Charley, is a little more than an extended cameo.

Nicholas Hoult is good, as college student Kenny, who takes an interest in George, but not quite up to par with Firth. I see a lot of potential in him, but maybe I was distracted by the amount of make up or fake tan that he was wearing. I’m pretty sure he had more make up on his face that the rest of the cast combined (females included).



However, I did find the relationship between George and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) to be a little disconcerting: mainly because of the whole teacher/ student thing. I also am uncomfortable with George replacing Jim with Kenny. People tell me that George want replacing Jim, he just found something to live for…. But I disagree. So much is made of the age difference between George and Jim and George and Kenny that the film seems to be drawing an intentional parallel between Jim and Kenny. Is there really that much difference between one you can’t live without and the one that you can live for?

This is not for the 'I just want to be entertained' viewer. But, if you have the patience, then you will be rewarded.

A Single Man Official Site here.

LEIGH ANNE'S FRIEND: You're changing that boy's life.

LEIGH ANNE: No, he's changing mine

without making the audience cringe? Bullock's fast talking, sometimes brash, but always incredibly generous Southern matriarch Leigh Anne Touhy is a breath of fresh air.

Bullock runs rings around her co-stars, who try in vain to match her. Tim McGraw as her doormat husband fails miserably. Only Kathy Bates as Michael's Democrat tutor comes close.

Having seen the film, I am still surprised at Bullock's Academy Award win. Yes, she was good, but I am so over people winning awards because “it’s their turn.” Maybe everyone was just so surprised that Bullock could do much more than her usual from com fare that they jumped at the chance to recognise it?

To conclude: Bullock is great, everyone else is so- so, but the film, dare I say, it is exactly what you would expect: designed to leave you feeling all warm and gooey inside at the end.

Well, you probably have already seen it, so you know that Avatar is an overhyped, overblown, glorified cartoon. And that’s me being generous.

Let me say that Imelda Staunton is one of the most wonderful, yet underrated actresses around.
As Elliot's mother Sonia, Staunton gives the best performance of the film. She balances the light and the dark perfectly. What always impresses me about Staughton is her power of transformation. From the way she sits dead pan in front of the television, to the way she rips the sheets of the bed, she IS Sonia.

The use of the split screen in the big crowd scenes or when Elliot makes his way into Woodstock HQ is incredibly effective. It creates a chaos that at first overwhelms, but then manages to absorb the audience with a sense of wonder and excitement. And there is a remarkable tracking shot as Elliot makes his way to the festival. But visually, the rest of the film in not all that interesting. There is a distinct lack of the beauty that we have come to expect from an Ang Lee film.

Or maybe it's the aftermath of this intelligent blockbuster that you remember most? Now you know who Emily Blunt is, and you watch The Mentalist every week and you secretly hope Stanley Tucci will walk away with the Academy Award in a few weeks time.

What ever you liked or didn't like about it, you can't help but notice that after this film the careers of the leading cast members took a turn for the better.

I call it 'The Devil Wears Prada Effect.' Symptoms include increased publicity, more widespread roles, becoming a 'bankable' name, and having greater attention focused on the actor's career. Side effects may include, but are not limited to, above the title billing, increased interest in the actor's personal life and an increase in nominations and awards.

I am in no way suggesting that these actors were nobodies before this film, but rather we can plot a definate upwards trajectory in their careers that got it's boost from The Devil Wears Prada.