A Single Man

Dec 13

Dec 6

Dec 20

Dec 13

Dec 6

Dec 13

Dec 6

A Single Man

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
USA • 2009 • in English • 99 min • Not Rated

Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, A SINGLE MAN is the story of George Falconer, a 52 year old British college professor who is struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long time partner, Jim. George dwells on the past and cannot see his future as we follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters, ultimately leads him to decide if there is a meaning to life after Jim. George is consoled by his closest friend Charley, a 48 year old beauty who is wrestling with her own questions about the future. A young student of George’s, Kenny, who is coming to terms with his true nature, stalks George as he feels in him a kindred spirit.

A SINGLE MAN is a romantic tale of love interrupted, the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition, and ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life.

Club reactions by city:

Dec 13

CINEMETER	93%

90 out of 97 participating members called it excellent or good
96.9% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Matthew Bernstein

An acting tour de force by Colin Firth. Maybe he can finally kiss goodbye to Darcy and be recognized as the terrific actor he is.

Best film I've seen in 2009. Academy Award to Colin Firth. Art direction was outstanding too. The premise is clear from the film's beginning and you know where George is going but you can't tell where it'll end up until the very end. It's like a road movie, but it's a journey of understanding rather than a geographical journey.

A real knockout. A film of great beauty and great compassion for the human spirit. Colin Firth handles his character with such skill, inserting a wide range of emotions with great subtly and nuance. It's the performance of the year. In his first directional outing, Ford paints the canvas of his film with a variety of textures and techniques: bleak, cold, warm, stark black and white, slow motion, polished and grainy. Ford throws all these in and they help to color the emotional weight of the film.

Dec 6

CINEMETER	76%

77 out of 101 participating members called it excellent or good
86% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Brittain Smith

Such a deliberate and perfect color palatte.

Excellent movie with great acting.

Music very prominent and effective in creating mood.

Dec 20

CINEMETER	75%

58 out of 77 participating members called it excellent or good
79.2% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Mike Budd

The most romantic and maturely depicted movie about homosexuality that I've ever viewed.

It very well addresses the loss of a loved one and the feelings of the survivor. It is not a homosexual movie but a universal one.

Super art direction. Every detail was perfect. The performances were magniificent.

Dec 13

CINEMETER	83%

81 out of 98 participating members called it excellent or good
89.8% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Patrice Petro and Gilberto Blasini

A wonderful timely love story--how disappointing that 40 year old stereotypes are still alive and well but the point that love comes when it does with whom it does is still missed and feared. Very moving.

Just amazing! Honesty I'd recommend it to just about anyone, short of my parents who might not get past the subject content.

The acting was superb but it was too slow--a little bit of trying too hard to be artistic.

Dec 6

CINEMETER	74%

107 out of 145 participating members called it excellent or good
75.9% would recommend it • most praised for its Cinematography

moderated by John MacKay

Incredible performance from Colin Firth. Imprint of Tom Ford as an artist in the way it was filmed.

Good acting, excellent cinematography, set design, and excellent use of color all make this an exceptional film. The pacing and cuts back and forth in time worked, and the score, including the use of silence, really carried the story through.

Thoughtful, with a slow pace appropriate for the story - though I fear that someone in the group will call it 'Schultze meets his gay lover.' (I liked Schultze.)

Dec 6

CINEMETER	91%

100 out of 110 participating members called it excellent or good
96.6% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Rod Armstrong

This film tore my heart out! Gay or not, it's a story of great loss - which we all face.

The isolation and loneliness of grief was exquisitely portrayed by Firth. A moving, memorable film reminding us all of the bittersweet beauty of the small moments in life. Beautiful period detail!

An art film in the best sense of the term. Beautifully shot and visually conceptualized/communicated. Made me realize how rarely films take advantage of what can be done visually.

Dec 13

CINEMETER	71%

51 out of 72 participating members called it excellent or good
87.5% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Harper Barnes

Academy Award performance by Colin Firth, who has finally broken out of the period pieces. A very difficult film to watch. I cried as I felt George's pain.

Beautifully filmed and edited... the pain of what was not said was compelling.

Seamless... attention to detail superb. Great writing, editing, use of slow motion and sound.

Dec 6

CINEMETER	82%

107 out of 130 participating members called it excellent or good
95.1% would recommend it • most praised for its Acting

moderated by Peter Brunette

A poetic, cinematic triumph.

An artsy film! Shots are reminiscent of many fashion advertising campaigns. Interesting use of sepia tones to show depressed mind and color to show connection to the world around you. Colin Firth manages to bring a lump to your throat by bringing a few tears to his eyes.

Colin Firth was simply amazing and I loved his character. I hope people don't get hung up on his sexuality for all the wrong reasons.