I am taking my time to get over some raw earthy, hard core offiice politics.
But apart from that, and a nagging monsoon health problem, I have little to explain my lethargy with watching films.
I found my break through with a simple, visually surrealistic film- A Single Man. Tom Ford , the iconic designer, has adapted it to screen & has directed this Colin Firth starrer. While it's simply inexplicable why the Best Actor Oscar didn't come his way, it's also inexcusable that I have taken so long to watch this slice of beauty.
A Single Man, I warn at the onset, is Not for the homophobic, closet or otherwise. It deals with one day in the life of a middle aged English professor, who has to learn to live without his partner of 16 years. Based in the 1960s Los Angeles, America, the film depicts how being gay wasn't so public or easy then.
Nothing in the film though goes beyond a subtle sub text of the social prejudices that Colin Firth's character faces. Instead, A Single Man focuses on a simple narration, of loneliness that the protagonist can't bridge. From the mundane tasks of teaching, to the extraordinary bond that he shares with a female best friend (played by Julianne Moore), to missing their dogs, to almost slipping up with a student, A Single Man echoes with real grief.
While Colin Firth's character grapples with his loss, he is forbidden from attending his partner's funeral by the family. His best friend too considers his relationship of 16 years something of a go between, incomplete bond. Firth's character walking against the mass of students in college, the immaculate precision of his day's preparations, each of these moments point symbolically to the single man's existence.
It's also a difficult task to portray two men showing open affection, and companionship, and not make it look sleazy. This is a task that many seasoned filmmakers have failed at.
Tom Ford's gentle camera though has worked the celluloid magic to create a beautiful love story in this film. Besides, the central theme of A Single Man points at reaching out. Reaching out for each other without prejudice, a task that a majority of us fail at.
I know many gay men who live with a perennial sense of caution, and more often than it should be, with a sense of guilt. And I vouch for the fact that some of these men have proved to be the best listeners, most caring companions & very good fun.
I also realise that me saying it to anyone, that don't get squeamish about homosexuals. But if you are the kind who has the mental space to watch a beautiful film sustained by a superb performance, A Single Man is a must Watch... Even if you do it singularly, fearing unimportant prejudices.
But apart from that, and a nagging monsoon health problem, I have little to explain my lethargy with watching films.
I found my break through with a simple, visually surrealistic film- A Single Man. Tom Ford , the iconic designer, has adapted it to screen & has directed this Colin Firth starrer. While it's simply inexplicable why the Best Actor Oscar didn't come his way, it's also inexcusable that I have taken so long to watch this slice of beauty.
A Single Man, I warn at the onset, is Not for the homophobic, closet or otherwise. It deals with one day in the life of a middle aged English professor, who has to learn to live without his partner of 16 years. Based in the 1960s Los Angeles, America, the film depicts how being gay wasn't so public or easy then.
Nothing in the film though goes beyond a subtle sub text of the social prejudices that Colin Firth's character faces. Instead, A Single Man focuses on a simple narration, of loneliness that the protagonist can't bridge. From the mundane tasks of teaching, to the extraordinary bond that he shares with a female best friend (played by Julianne Moore), to missing their dogs, to almost slipping up with a student, A Single Man echoes with real grief.
While Colin Firth's character grapples with his loss, he is forbidden from attending his partner's funeral by the family. His best friend too considers his relationship of 16 years something of a go between, incomplete bond. Firth's character walking against the mass of students in college, the immaculate precision of his day's preparations, each of these moments point symbolically to the single man's existence.
It's also a difficult task to portray two men showing open affection, and companionship, and not make it look sleazy. This is a task that many seasoned filmmakers have failed at.
Tom Ford's gentle camera though has worked the celluloid magic to create a beautiful love story in this film. Besides, the central theme of A Single Man points at reaching out. Reaching out for each other without prejudice, a task that a majority of us fail at.
I know many gay men who live with a perennial sense of caution, and more often than it should be, with a sense of guilt. And I vouch for the fact that some of these men have proved to be the best listeners, most caring companions & very good fun.
I also realise that me saying it to anyone, that don't get squeamish about homosexuals. But if you are the kind who has the mental space to watch a beautiful film sustained by a superb performance, A Single Man is a must Watch... Even if you do it singularly, fearing unimportant prejudices.
Hey all well, arch? call me, I'm in India till July 13
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ReplyDeletelinu ba, brilliant review, the flow of experiences expressed in ur words..haven't caught the flick yet, but now gonna..thanks
ReplyDeleteI have heard good things about this already .. Guess its time to watch it ..thanks for a subtle review
ReplyDeleteHaven't yet caught the movie. The review is good, though.
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