Blog Post #2 - A Single Man

In Sontag's "Against Interpretation", one of her main tenants in describing successful criticism is the ability to "reveal the sensuous surface of art without mucking about in it." In reading Roger Ebert's review of A Single Man, it is my belief that he accomplishes this. That is, perhaps as a result of his profession and his audience, or possibly because he isn't arrogant enough to think his opinion the cinema-wide consensus, Ebert does a suitable job of sticking to the facts of the movie. His plot summary coupled with a few facts from the movie make the review one that gives you a taste for what you might see, yet he is reserved enough in his article that the viewer will still go in to the theater with all of their senses still intact, perhaps a bit primed, but still open for interpretation nonetheless.

I'm in agreement with Sontag in her proposal that "transparence means experiencing the luminousness of the thing in itself, of things being what they are." Because of this, I feel that Ebert's review, while certainly less subjective than others, could take a bit more care in avoiding using so many adjectives in his description of Colin Firth. That is, he should let the audience decide who George is completely, without any preconceptions.

The one element of mise-en-scene that stood out most to me throughout the film was undeniably the use of color. In the final scene, George's voice narrates over a high angle shot of his body as he dies from a heart attack on the floor. In this narration, he speaks of "those few times when I could really, truly connect with another human being", referring to it as one of "life's gifts." Tom Ford illuminates these moments brilliantly throughout the movie through the use of color. Most of the film is scene through dull colors creating a sense of dread and emptiness. However, throughout the film there are moments in which George experiences a parting from the harsh reality which he faces for the majority of his day. It is in these moments that colors are more markedly more vivid. Interaction with an innocent girl, a joyous dog, a moment of flirtation that alleviates his seemingly eternal sorrow, and, most importantly, every flashback he has concerning he and his partner during their sixteen years together. In using this technique, Ford accurately depicts the brief solace that George finds in everyday life to help him realize life is potentially still worth living.