Monday 8 March 2010

A Single Man

The only Christopher Isherwood work I've ever read was Down There on a Visit. And I can remember only a couple of things about that book, the standout being men copulating with chickens. 

Sadly, there is no such interspecies mating in A Single Man, Tom Ford's adaptation of Isherwood's novel of the same name. However, it does feature a superb performance from Colin Firth as the bachelor in question. The film is set over a single day in his character George's life, a few months after the death of his longtime male lover in a car accident but including flashbacks to key moments in their relationship. The scene in which George hears of his loss stands out as a superb portrayal of a man overcome by shock, grief and the knowledge that nothing will ever be the same again, yet forced to converse politely and pragmatically with the tragic news' messenger.

However, to pick out specific scenes from the film is, in a way, to do it an injustice. It is a brilliantly tight, coherently structured film that yet allows for an unhurried and revealing look at the character and state of mind of its hero. Within minutes of the film starting, I was confident that everything to follow would be worthwhile. The experience is like reading some of the later David Lodge novels: it inspires complete trust in the storyteller. This is an incredible accomplishment for a directorial debut.

With this in mind, I recommend going to see A Single Man knowing as little as possible about it (beyond the premise outlined above, which you learn in the first few minutes anyway), sitting back, and appreciating the ride through the day, the character and the story.

1 comment:

  1. I've seen a film where a bloke shags a chicken (an arty one, not one of those ones) but can't for the life of me remember what it's called. I'll get back to you, it's quite something.

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