Sticky Fingers BCN

What has to be done? What candles do I have to light to which saints? Is there any way possible to assure that Colin Firth gets the Oscar for his role as George Falconer in A Single Man? For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to check it out. To those of you that have seen it, well, I’d love to hear your comments. I’m going to give a pretty biased review, as I thought it was beautiful.

This is not a life-changing movie but it is a complete visual intoxication of the senses. The eponymous Tom Ford is the director; this is his first long-length feature film. Can this man do no wrong? Ford is not one of my favourite designers; his sexually-charged manner of designing for women doesn’t much float my boat, but I do recognize that he has the golden touch. Mr. Ford reaches stratospheric success in basically any venture that he turns his hand to.

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. I haven’t read the book, so I really can’t say if it’s true to form. (I’ll have to get my hands on it). This is the story of George Falconer, university professor, plunged into the depth of despair after the death of his cohort in life, Jim, (played by Matthew Goode). George has lost of sense of enjoyment and meaning to his life and desperately tries to get through each new day. The story unfolds during the course of one day, where the protagonist goes about his daily affairs while planning his imminent suicide.

That’s enough about the story, mustn’t give too much away! What causes this movie to be so completely stunning is the manner in which the story is told, the camera shots and angles, the studied attention to detail, the contrasts and grainy quality of the picture. I’m finding it extremely difficult to translate into words the passion I felt when watching this film! The music is a smooth accomplice, setting the perfect mood to the different scenes. The similes and contrasts, at times subtle, other times obvious are positively delicious. This is like eating the perfect piece of chocolate cake, while listening to the most sublime music and viewing a perfect study of detail, colour, saturation and form.

Julianne Moore, exquisite as always, makes the perfect, distraught, drunk companion and friend, Charly, to the outwardly, austere George. Moore’s drunken acting is darkly humorous, offset by the most perfect surroundings and clothes. I love the fact the George and Charly are constantly surrounded by absolute perfection, (house interiors, clothes, teenagers), yet they themselves are far from perfect. Colin Firth, always the perfect, English gentleman, looks run down and Julianne Moore, during certain make-up moments, looks positively and decadently ravished and dishevelled. Age is beginning to map out its’ territory upon the two characters who cling with ferocity to their respective pasts.

This is the end of 50s, the beginning of the 60s, Cuba is a threat and people are worried. Yet it is LA and those same people are possibly more interested in looking and seeming perfect at all times. I found Tom Ford’s personal stamp was very obvious in the attention to detail, the focus on fabrics and the clothes. I myself am often completely unable to see the “big picture” and I readily embrace the sensation of becoming lost in details. All my photos while on holidays are mostly of details. I love the close-up shots of George buffing his already, mirror-shine, black shoes. A closed angle shot of the sleeping, young student Kenny, where the focus seems to be more on the cloth of the sofa than on his face.

George’s house is a masterpiece of architectural delight. The structure is made almost entirely of glass; various times throughout the movie, being gay is equated to being invisible. Here is a destroyed man, a gay man, living in a glass house! Water also plays a very important part in the movie, I’d love to hear your views on what that could possibly mean. The ever-present Jim plays a beautiful memory to tortured George. He closes his eyes and relives moments, experiences, entire conversations, spine-tingling sensations. There are moments of enlightening, dark humour, such as when George lays out everything in preparation for his suicide and even ends up getting inside a sleeping bag so as to avoid making a mess.

I find that the gay relationship was portrayed with great depth and emotion. There is a sexual tension running throughout, a charged undercurrent, yet it is not blatant, in-your-face. The Spanish model of the moment, Jon Kortajarena, makes a brief appearance during the movie, with very wonky English.  Wonder how he managed to bag that role? I think he should stick with being a model for the moment…

Tom Ford, a man that is portrayed as infallible, bronzed, buffed and slightly ludicrous has managed to carry off his first film to perfection. Sophisticated, neat, elegant, vulnerable, hesitant, hopeless and romantic, I loved every minute of it. The grainy quality of the picture adds a lust-worthy, aged nuance to the proceedings. I found myself anxious for each turn of scene to loose myself in another set of details. I can’t wait to have this on DVD and be able to stop and start at my hearts’ content.

I have the suspicion that many were hoping for Mr. Ford to finally fail, but that’s not going to happen folks. Will this fire a new trend of fashion designers making movies? If that’s so, Tim Walker, although a fashion photographer, could a get a move on and make a film. Or Miuccia Prada…

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a single man, Christopher Isherwood, colin firth, feature film, jon kortajarena, julianne moore, LA, matthew goode, miuccia prada, oscars, protagonist, tim walker, tom ford, university professor

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