I would like to share some personal thoughts on "A Single Man". As most of the reviewers say the acting from both Colin Firth and Julianne Moore are magnificent. Colin Firth shows his great range of acting in a demanding role of a man suffering from terrible grief and loss; while Moore gives another magnificent performance to her already considerable list of great performances. She plays her role with great understanding of what it would be like for a woman in love with a man who is unavailable to her. She is also wonderful as a great lush who is feels very sorry for herself and her predicament. I do think that for gays this is a period piece. This was a time before the gay liberation of 1969 when most of us were in the closet. How heartbreaking it is for Firth to learn that he is not invited to the funeral. How typical of the time to bury their sons' homosexuality. To the movie's credit this disappointment and mean spiritedness is downplayed. After all, this was then and not now. A further example of the films' attachment to the period was the seduction going on toward the conclusion of the film between Firth and his young student. As a viewer I was hoping the two of them would get together both physically and emotionally. This would help Firth with his pain. As far as we know this did not happen. Instead there was open flirtation and nudity between them but no act of consummation. Disappointing for the viewer but BRAVO for the film.
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Hi Ralph . . . it's too early in the morning for me to think very clearly, but I did want to let you know that I had read some of your blogs and this one comes closest to striking a chord for me, since I also saw and enjoyed the film. I don't think the oppression is nearly as severe as it was "back then," but when I see and experience the kind of resistence that there is to gay marriage, laws past to be fully human beings, I wonder if things have changed that much. Thanks for commenting on this thoughtful and interesting film. The only criticism that I might have toward it would be the tendancy for the main characters to be so beautiful and "perfect," but hey, it's Hollywood!
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