A Single Man (2009) Director: Tom Ford

Tom Ford is a really talented man. REALLY. Not only a top fashion designer, he's now proved himself as a supremo film director, screenwriter and producer with A Single Man, a moving tale of love, loss, friendship and hope. Watching it, my first thoughts were that the film was all style and no substance but it quickly won me over by its moving story and an emotive performance by Colin Firth as depressed English university professor George Falconer.

A Single Man looks glorious. You can almost smell a signature Tom Ford scent coming out of the screen. It's visually astounding and beautiful. George, who has lost his lover Jim (Matthew Goode) and his treasured dogs in a car crash, can see no way out of his depression and wants to end his life. The film follows him over the course of a day as he sets out finalising his affairs and getting ready to kill himself, with a shot to the head. His life is played out literally almost in a sepia tone - a bleak existence - but as he meets people throughout his final day that give him a reason to exist and bring 'light' into his life, the screen does just that; colour comes back into the film and it's interesting to see who brings colour into him and what emotions bring back colour for George. Giving him hope are his friend Charley, brilliantly portrayed by Julianne Moore, who loves gin as much as she loves George, and young university student Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) who really lends a helping hand to George's life, making him feel that he could, possibly, love again.

The ending is heart-breaking. Absolutely heart-breaking. Suffice to say, there are hints throughout the whole film but I didn't see it coming. It leaves a profound feeling in your own heart to grab onto the ones you love. Despite the subject matter, there are also great moments of humour - Colin Firth is FANTASTIC and everyone looks bloody gorgeous. Live in colour. Not in sepia.
4/5