A Single Man (2009) Directed by Tom Ford, from the novel by Christopher Isherwood.

"Looking in the mirror staring back at me isn't so much a face as the expression of a predicament." -George Falconer

And what a predicament George (Colin Firth) is in.  It is 1962, he is a professor at a small college, and his husband of 16 years has died.  His world has been torn asunder, and he can't even tell anyone.  He can't take time off work, he isn't even allowed to attend the funeral; it's for family only.  He would not have even been told if his lover's cousin had not called him secretly over the family's wishes.
There is a Jim (Matthew Goode) shaped hole in his heart.  The only person he can tell is his friend Charley (Julianne Moore) a former lover, now longtime gal pal.

For months he has to carry on without even the solace of tears, unable even to explain why he is different.  The only tools at his disposal, his British reserve, and years of practice at concealing his feelings.  But now, it has all gotten to be too much, and George starts putting his affairs in order.

One of his affairs that is far from orderly is one of his students, Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) who is bright, young, and interested in his class.  Well, maybe not so much his class as in him.

Nor is Kenny alone in his interest.  Even something as casual as buying booze can result in a very promising cruise.  Carlos (Jon Kortajarena) is exquisitely beautiful, which usually means only for a price.  But he looks like he would be willing to spend some time with George Pro Bono.  But even with a sultry Spaniard throwing himself at George, George can not take advantage of the offer, just a distant disconnected pleasure at the possibility.

And that is the upshot of his life now.  He can't even kill himself for worrying about the mess and for distractions.  Charley seems to be psychic, calling when he is just about settled into the process of ending it all.

But one thing about saying goodbye to the world, you tend to examine it closely.  And there is so much beauty in the world, so much promise.  Sometimes, it is enough to live for.

This is designer Tom Ford's first tour behind the camera.  You can tell at a glance he is a designer.  The sets, the costuming, even the lighting, all is perfect; like Martha Stewart perfect.  Perhaps it is a little too perfect, and he keeps Colin Firth a little too subdued.  But that is my only complaint.

Colin Firth is the quietly breaking heart of the picture.  It all hinges on his ability to make you believe he is almost perfectly covering an infinite well of sorrow.  And he does it.  Julianne Moore is perfect as that friend of a certain age, devoid of men, and looking to solace her friend, possibly into a relationship.  There is nothing more dangerous to a gay man than a woman who believes the right girl could "cure" him, particularly if she thinks she might be the right girl.

If you take anything from this movie, take what being gay meant about sharing your life.  Think of never mentioning you partner at work.  Think of the casual disdain, so typified by his conversation with the neighbor's little girl:

Jennifer Strunk: Would you like to meet Charlton Heston? He's our scorpion. Every night we throw in something new to him and watch him kill it. Daddy says it's like a Coliseum. Daddy says he wants to throw you into the Coliseum.
George: No kidding. Why?
Jennifer Strunk: Well, he says you're light in your loafers. But you're not even wearing any loafers.

Complex, subtle, and deeply moving, this is one of the best movies you have never heard of.  It shows the hidden price of homophobia with startling vision and great compassion.  I highly recommend it.

Lean-N-Mean.

Gay Movies:

La Mission***Burnt Money***8: The Mormon Propo$ition***In The Flesh***The Sensei***The 24th Day***Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon***ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction***East Side Story***Dorian Blues***Creatures From the Pink Lagoon***Satyricon***Ice Men***Richard O'Briens Rocky Horror Tribute Show***Prom Queen***The Kids are All Right***Between Love and Goodbye***The Mudge Boy***That Man: Peter Berlin***A Single Man***Almost Normal***Outing Riley***Outrage!***Law of Desire***Love is the Devil***Cowboy Junction***Horror in the Wind***Bedrooms and Hallways***Cut Sleeve Boys***Big Eden***For A Lost Soldier***Midnight Cowboy***Redwoods***The Massuer***Boy Culture***Breakfast With Scot***The Fluffer***Flesh***Little Ashes***L.I.E. ***Dorian Gray***9 Dead Gay Guys***Shank***I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry***Beautiful Boxer***Bangkok Love Story***Schoolboy Crush***Shelter***Back Soon***Dog Tags***Theft***The Mulligans***The Velvet Goldmine***Swashbuckler***Smoke Signals
***C'Thulhu***Milk***The Picture of Dorian Gray***Brideshead Revisited***Notes on a Scandal***RocknRolla***Mamma Mia!
***Priscillia: Queen of the Desert***The History Boys***Brokeback Mountain***The Broken Hearts Club*** Yaji and Kita: Midnight Pilgrims ***Surge of Power ***In & Out ***Mambo Italiano ***Touch of Pink ***To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar ***Wolves of Kromer ***Rocky Horror Picture Show ***Taboo ***Deathtrap 


Gay Themed Series:

Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Dante's Cove
Hex
Carnivale Season One
Carnivale Season Two
Rome Season One
Rome Season Two
True Blood
True Blood: Season Two
The Book of Daniel: The Complete Series
Torchwood: Children of Earth
Torchwood: Season One


Gay Animation:

Pirate's Booty***Sensitive Pornograph***Loveless: The Complete Series***Loveless: Hope on the Run***Loveless: Soul of Chains***Loveless: Lost and Found***Embracing Love: A Cicada in Winter***Embracing Love: Cherished Spring ***Stonewall & Riot***Drawn Together Movie: The Movie***Drawn Together: Season 2***Drawn Together: Season 3

Recommended: Yes