A Single Man (2009) | agoodmovietowatch

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A Single Man 6.9 2009 Movie

A Single Man

Dir. Tom Ford · United States of America · English, Spanish

Our take by The Staff

Shot as a single day, it tells the story of college professor George (Colin Firth) who, unable to cope with the death of his partner months prior, resolves to commit suicide. The movie is not all dark, however, there are moving, deeply human encounters as George moves through his last day. Fashion designer Tom Ford’s directorial debut and set in 1960s Los Angeles, it speaks powerfully of the colour-stripping effects of grief and loneliness. Fantastic performance also by Julianne Moore as Charley, an equally lonely and desperate character, but with a markedly different story. A Single Man is a gorgeous film in every sense of the word.

What happens

Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, is the story of a British college professor who dwells on the past and cannot see his future. We follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters ultimately lead him to decide if there is a meaning to life after the death of his long time partner, Jim.

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"Two characters trying and failing to drown their hopes and regrets, and two strong actors refusing to be tight-laced by a director's exercise in style: here is a mood piece looking for a fight."

— Anthony Lane

"A rare thing-a mainstream, melancholy love story, haunted by the past."

— Amy Taubin

Awards

Oscars

1 nom

Nominated: Best Actor

Venice

2 wins

Won: Best ActorWon: Queer Lion

Golden Globes

3 noms

Nominated: Best ActorNominated: Best ScoreNominated: Best Supporting Actress

BAFTA

1 win · 1 nom

Won: Best Leading ActorNominated: Best Costume Design

SAG Awards

1 nom

Nominated: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Spirit Awards

3 noms

Nominated: Best First FeatureNominated: Best First ScreenplayNominated: Best Male Lead

LAFCA

1 nom

Nominated: Best Actor

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About the author

The Staff

The Staff is the editorial team at A Good Movie to Watch, contributing reviews, recommendations, and streaming guides across film and television. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, we track over 100 streaming services in the US. Founded in 2014 by Bilal Zouheir, the team is built around human curation rather than algorithmic recommendations.