A Single Man

What it's about:

Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, this is the story of a British college professor who's struggling to find meaning to his life after the death of his long-time partner. The story is a romantic tale of love interrupted, the isolation that is an inherent part of the human condition, and, ultimately the importance of the seemingly smaller moments in life.

Based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood.

What the critics thought:

"It sounds like a downer but A Single Man is exciting, emotionally alive filmmaking, a potent cocktail of style and substance. And Firth thoroughly deserves the Oscar."
- Ian Freer, Empire Magazine

"Delicately, and rather brilliantly, Firth suggests how his quiet heroism is ­mingled with notes of irony and self-deprecation. It is a poignant, deeply compassionate portrait."
- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

"This is a self-conscious, superbly crafted, deeply felt movie. It's not a gay film but the story of a gay man, a single man in several senses, but also everyman in the way we respond to him."
- Philip French, Observer [UK]

"We're always looking for those performances that truly define an actor, where we can sit back and simply watch the talent soar. For Colin Firth, A Single Man is that film."
- Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times