Going into this film, I was looking for one thing and one thing only; an Oscar-worthy performance by Colin Firth. Well, I got it. And so did all of us. I sure hope he gets that nutless golden man, because he deserves all of it. Sure, Jeff Bridges did a nice job, but the film surrounding him was weak compared to A Single Man. Why not have back-to-back homosexual characters winning an Oscar for Best Actor? It should happen. But luckily, the film doesn't have to rely heavily on...a single man...to succeed.

A Single Man explores the life of George, whose lover dies in a car accident, leaving him relatively alone. It's not like he wasn't singled out enough as it was being a gay man in the early 60s. I struggled early with which meaning of the word "single" applied to this film. Was he single and looking? Was he just one man? It's actually an interesting question to ask yourself throughout the film. There is a great grasp for the time period it takes place during. While it is disguised as a character study, this movie is as much a time capsule as anything. It really takes you to the time.

But A Single Man succeeds on more levels than just the brilliance in acting. The cinematography is breathtaking. And it's a different form this time. No massive landscapes or pretty buildings. Instead, the filmmaker decided to get up close and personal with the characters. We get to experience the way George views the people around him. He investigates their every wrinkle. I can't even remember how many close-up eyeball shots there were. The colors switch from vivid memories of a love lost to the dark tones of a dreary life alone.

The other aspect of the film that drew me in was the original score. Abel Korzeniowski designed a magnificent orchestral accompaniment to this emotionally gripping film. The final minutes of the movie nearly brought me to tears. In fact, I actually had a physical knot in my stomach for a while outside the theater. And I owe a lot of that to the music. At times it takes the 60s and tosses it in your face. Other times, it is totally original, with a faint resemblance to the powerful score from The Fountain (Darren Aronofsky).

The performances did drive this film, except for some unfortunately weak acting by Nicholas Hoult as the young college boy, Kenny. Matthew Goode (Ozymandius in Watchmen) actually proves to be a decent actor, thankfully erasing his awfulness from Watchmen. Julianne Moore nails her small role and deserves at least a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. But Colin Firth really embodies George and gave a tremendously homosexual man resonance with people like myself, who don't know the slightest thing about living in that universe. Bravo to everybody involved in this film and good luck at the Oscars.

Grade: A-