A Single Man (2009)

An English professor, one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend, is unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles.

Director:

Tom Ford

Writers:

Christopher Isherwood (novel), Tom Ford (written for the screen by),

Stars:

Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colin Firth	...	George
Julianne Moore	...	Charley
Nicholas Hoult	...	Kenny
Matthew Goode	...	Jim
Jon Kortajarena	...	Carlos
Paulette Lamori	...	Alva
Ryan Simpkins	...	Jennifer Strunk
Ginnifer Goodwin	...	Mrs. Strunk
Teddy Sears	...	Mr. Strunk
Paul Butler	...	Christopher Strunk
Aaron Sanders	...	Tom Strunk
Aline Weber	...	Lois
Keri Lynn Pratt	...	Blonde Secretary
Jenna Gavigan	...	Other Secretary #1
Alicia Carr	...	Other Secretary #2

Storyline

It's November 30, 1962. Native Brit George Falconer, an English professor at a Los Angeles area college, is finding it difficult to cope with life. Jim, his personal partner of sixteen years, died in a car accident eight months earlier when he was visiting with family. Jim's family were not going to tell George of the death or accident, let alone allow him to attend the funeral. This day, George has decided to get his affairs in order before he will commit suicide that evening. As he routinely and fastidiously prepares for the suicide and post suicide, George reminisces about his life with Jim. But George spends this day with various people, who see a man sadder than usual and who affect his own thoughts about what he is going to do. Those people include Carlos, a Spanish immigrant/aspiring actor/gigolo recently arrived in Los Angeles; Charley, his best friend who he knew from England, she who is a drama queen of a woman who romantically desires her best friend despite his sexual ...

---

Plot Keywords:

professor | friend | student | suicide | accident | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some disturbing images and nudity/sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

17 December 2009 (Israel)

Also Known As:

Samac

Filming Locations:

300 W Green St, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£502,009 (UK) (12 February 2010)

Gross:

$9,166,863 (USA) (16 April 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fade to Black Productions, Depth of Field, Artina Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Buckley:  Tom Ford's longtime partner, fashion journalist , appears in the waiting room scene at the college.

---

Goofs

When George is peeking at his neighbors from the toilet, his neighbors house is on the right side of his house. But when he's leaving for work, he drives from the right side of his neighbors house, which suggests his neighbors are on left side of his house.

---

Quotes

Jennifer Strunk: Would you like to meet Charlton Heston? He's our scorpion. Every night we throw in something new to him and watch him kill it. Daddy says it's like a Coliseum. Daddy says he wants to throw you into the Coliseum.
George: No kidding. Why?
Jennifer Strunk: Well, he says you're light in your loafers. But you're not even wearing any loafers.

---

Connections

Referenced in Almost Perfect (2012)

---

Soundtracks

"Carlos"
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Shigeru Umebayashi

User Reviews

Isherwood, Ford and Firth, not necessarily in that order

A startling surprise. Tom Ford's debut as a director tells, in exquisite images, a very personal story, based on a short story by Christopher Isherwood. What makes everything fly so high is a fantastic performance by Colin Firth. I've followed Colin Firth career from the very beginning "Tumbledown", "Another Country", "Apartment Zero" where he creates a character never seen on the screen before or since, "Pride and Prejudice" where he reinvented D'Arcy's character, "Fever Pitch" where he showed a new face in riveting tragicomic strokes. So I should have been prepared for something new and special and maybe I was but the effect his performance in "A Single Man" had on me was (is) totally unexpected. It changed my perception of things, it made me look inwards and think of things I had put aside. I can't wait to see it again. I saw the look of love and that look remains knocking in my mind as if to keep me awake and aware. Tom Ford takes enormous visual risks in the telling of his story. It may work for some, some others will certainly dismiss or ridicule. I, for one, stand up and applaud.