The Film
A day in the life of a man intending to commit suicide gives the audience a greater look at the human condition in A Single Man. British professor George Falconer (Colin Firth) questions his life's meaning after his long time lover Jim (Matthew Goode) dies in a car accident. What should be an emotionally-charged situation showing us George's potentially final day, watching him set his life in order, contrasted by flashbacks of earlier times with Jim, never quite manages to draw us in as viewers.
For a second look at A Single Man check out David Kempler's review.
The Picture
A Single Man begins with an almost dark picture. George's wood and glass house feels cold illustrating his mindset as he sets out on his last day of life. As the film progresses the picture fills with the sun-kissed Los Angeles sun to an almost over saturating degree in this 2.40:1 transfer. At moments you can see life returning to the British expat. A changing color palette illustrates the film's transitions and fills the picture with incredible detail of settings in 1962 Los Angeles.
The Sound
An original score contrasted with the silence of background noise portrays the isolation this British expat feels after the loss of his love. Music is used fairly sparingly though effectively, with the score enhanced by a handful of period songs, including a number from Dusty Springfield, as well as "Green Onions" from Booker T & The MGs. The ambient noises of ocean waves, chatting students and kids playing in the neighborhood take advantage of the 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio track, helping to establish an immersive reality for our tale of lost love.
The Extras
Special features are almost non-existent on the Blu-ray of A Single Man. A director's commentary featurette has interviews with Tom Ford as well as actors Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult and Matthew Goode. That is the most action you'll see on the extras part of this Blu-ray's menu. Sony also included its movieIQ, which lets you learn more about the actors and what they're currently working on as well as trivia.
Final Thoughts
With a backdrop of the Cuban missile crisis, A Single Man only mentions the event a few times in passing. While the film falls a bit short in bringing the audience into the sad hero's plight, it does succeed in portraying the stylized look of 1962 Los Angeles and skirts on issues of social mores of the time. Strong high definition picture and sound help to make this a worthwhile and enjoyable viewing experience on Blu-ray Disc.
Product Details
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