A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

86% Tomatometer 196 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings

George (Colin Firth) is a college professor who recently lost his lover, Jim, in a car accident. Terribly grief-stricken, George plans to commit suicide. As he goes about his daily routine and puts his affairs in order, his encounters with colleagues, students and an old friend (Julianne Moore) lead him to make a final decision as to whether life is worth living without Jim.

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A Single Man

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Critics Consensus

Though the costumes are beautiful and the art direction impeccable, what stands out most from this debut by fashion designer Tom Ford is the leading performance by Colin Firth.

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A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Deborah Ross The Spectator This is an impressive debut from which I am still reeling a little, and Firth's performance is astounding. Aug 30, 2018 Full Review A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Anna Smith metro.co.uk Fashion designer Tom Ford proves he's no one-trick pony with this astonishing directorial debut. Rated: 5/5 Aug 23, 2018 Full Review A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Ed Koch The Atlantic This is an important homosexual film based on a first-rate novel with a first-rate cast and probably a harbinger of similar movies to come. Many viewers will be disappointed that the movie only hints at intimacy rather than showcasing it. Jan 16, 2018 Full Review A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review The film was not so much directed as it was designed. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 18, 2023 Full Review A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (5) James Croot Stuff.co.nz Visually arresting and incredibly moving, the now 14-year-old Single is still quite simply one of the best movies of the 21st century so far. Rated: 5/5 May 24, 2023 Full Review A Single Man | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Michael Cuby them. In addition to being one of the greatest American designers of the last century, Tom Ford is also, it turns out, an incredible film director. Oct 12, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lu B That is a good one if you want to feel both gutted and peaceful. The aestethics are absolutely stunning. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/05/24 Full Review Ricardo W Comienzo por admitir que hay un problema de expectativas aquí: esperé tanto, tanto tiempo por ver esta película - y por hacerlo en gran formato, porque ya circulaba en DVD -, que luego de verla lo que siento es una enorme decepción. No digan que no lo advertí. Cuando deba hacer referencia al sempiterno duelo entre forma y fondo, ya tengo un ejemplo perfecto para ilustrar el dominio de la estética sobre el contenido. Visualmente, el film es maravilloso. Una estética cultivada con esmero, muy bien hecha, estupendamente fotografiada y editada, estudiada hasta el más mínimo detalle. Exquisita. Sublime. Vacía.El guión es demasiado pobre, mostrando a un personaje en medio de una crisis existencial que, en realidad, parece bastante superficial - y con tal superficialidad se resuelve. Una depresión plenamente justificada, pero vagamente explorada o aprovechada, y un desenlace tan casual que resulta casi pueril. Faltó construir ese desenlace, llevar el film al punto en que el desenlace tuviese mayor sentido. El regodeo estético restó tiempo crucial para hacerlo.La riqueza de recursos que podían haberse explotado al situar el film en el período histórico en que se encuentra es descaradamente desperdiciada, sólo utilizándose como pretexto para una producción muy pulida y elegante. Sin embargo, la época no tiene peso alguno en el guión, y creo que esa es una de las fallas más graves.Si bien Colin Firth logra dar algo de carácter al personaje, el esfuerzo se diluye en escenas que terminan resultando rígidas y excesivamente cuidadas a nivel de imagen. A pesar del desmesurado esfuerzo de crear una atmósfera de tensión sexual permanente, el film se siente gélido, no toca fibra o sensibilidad alguna. Tal vez sea el costo de la perfección estética, o tal vez sólo se trate de un director incapaz de mostrar emoción. Sea como sea, la sensación que me ha quedado es la de haber visto un comercial de Tom Ford de hora y media de duración, algo tan vacío y sin esencia que me recuerda el discurso hueco de algunos personajes de la deprimida y triste escena caraqueña: todo belleza, todo modernidad, todo pulcro, nada de pasión, nada de contenido, nada de cerebro.En general, muchos de mis filmes favoritos son los que plantean premisas sencillas y las exploran hasta sus últimas consecuencias. Este caso es exactamente lo contrario: un tema potencialmente complejo y rico íntegramente desaprovechado. Una pena. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review Moon F Beautiful movie a must seen film outstanding achting from Colin. Love it Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/04/24 Full Review Simon B Having read Isherwood’s book, Ford’s version is a distortion. In the novel, George is not planning to kill himself. That is a melodramatic betrayal of George’s character. And the encounter with the Spanish hustler is an invention and also out of keeping with George. The film is preoccupied with beauty and appearance. Probably not surprising given Ford’s background. Read the novel. It’s wonderful. So much more interesting than the movie, for all the fine acting by Colin Firth and Nicholas Hoult. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/15/24 Full Review Lisa G ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Colin Firth⭐️⭐️ for Tom Ford Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/05/24 Full Review Capt N Moving, excellent performances by Firth and Moore. One of the top 10 movies of this generation. Brilliant and beautiful. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/28/24 Full Review Read all reviews

A Single Man

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Cast & Crew

Tom Ford Director Colin Firth George Julianne Moore Charley Nicholas Hoult Kenny Matthew Goode Jim Jon Kortajarena Carlos
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A Single Man

A Single Man: Official Clip - People Like Us A Single Man: Official Clip - People Like Us 2:13 A Single Man: Official Clip - The Way It Was Meant to Be A Single Man: Official Clip - The Way It Was Meant to Be 2:08 A Single Man: Official Clip - Light in Your Loafers A Single Man: Official Clip - Light in Your Loafers 2:11 A Single Man: Official Clip - Some Bad News A Single Man: Official Clip - Some Bad News 2:50 A Single Man: Official Clip - Never Seen a Sky Like This A Single Man: Official Clip - Never Seen a Sky Like This 2:12 A Single Man: Official Clip - A Substitute for Real Love A Single Man: Official Clip - A Substitute for Real Love 2:13 A Single Man: Official Clip - Skinny Dipping A Single Man: Official Clip - Skinny Dipping 1:43 A Single Man: Official Clip - Waking Up A Single Man: Official Clip - Waking Up 2:08 A Single Man: Official Clip - Live in the Moment A Single Man: Official Clip - Live in the Moment 1:48 A Single Man: Official Clip - Look Closely A Single Man: Official Clip - Look Closely 2:12 View more videos

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A Single Man

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Synopsis George (Colin Firth) is a college professor who recently lost his lover, Jim, in a car accident. Terribly grief-stricken, George plans to commit suicide. As he goes about his daily routine and puts his affairs in order, his encounters with colleagues, students and an old friend (Julianne Moore) lead him to make a final decision as to whether life is worth living without Jim.

Director
Tom Ford

Producer
Tom Ford, Chris Weitz, Andrew Miano, Robert Salerno

Screenwriter
Tom Ford, David Scearce

Distributor
Weinstein Co.

Production Co
Fade to Black Productions, Artina Films, Depth of Field

Rating
R (Sexual Content|Nudity|Some Disturbing Images)

Genre
Drama, LGBTQ+

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 11, 2009, Limited

Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 10, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.2M

Runtime
1h 39m

Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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