Comments on: A Not So Singular “Single Man”

By: John DiLeo

John DiLeo — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 04:14:01 +0000

Thanks for letting me know what you thought! Yes, here’s hoping Ewan and Jim are worth seeing.

By: Mark Kirby

Mark Kirby — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:08:05 +0000

I liked it much better than you, John. But the ending had me going “HUH?!?” Surprisingly I wasn’t awash in tears when it was over–maybe I was too dumbfounded. But I cried a few times during the film. I thought Firth did a wonderful job; I didn’t think his casting, as you implied, was pat. I honestly can’t see Hugh Grant in the part. The movie nowhere affected me nearly as much BROKEBACK did/still does but A SINGLE MAN was believeable in showing a person struggling to just “get through the G**damned day”–a feeling I had often after the death of my mother and one or two other loved ones. I didn’t think it was unbelieveable for George not to respond to Kenny or the hustler sexually–he was simply drained of feelings, sexual included. Anyway, as always your review has many valid points; I just liked the film much more than you.
(And I too hope we can start having some set-in-the-present-day happy gay love stories on the screen. One hopes the upcoming Jim Carrey-Ewan McGregor I LOVE YOU, PHILIP MORRIS will be an example of one.)

By: John DiLeo

John DiLeo — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:35:54 +0000

Let me know what you think when you see it!

By: Mark Kirby

Mark Kirby — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:32:19 +0000

Terrific piece, John, especially that last paragraph! I haven’t seen A SINGLE MAN yet (ironically I plan to this weekend, when it finally opens nearby) and will be interested in seeing if I feel the same about it as you do. I agree, BROKEBACK will for many of us be the last word in the sad-gay-man genre. What film can top it? I say you can’t, and let’s have some happy gay romance films–and yes, contemporary (but not any of the I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU CHUCK AND LARRY ilk!).