A Single Man singled out by Mr. Firth

As I have been ticking these nominated films off my list, so that I am ready for Academy Awards season 2010, I've been interested in seeing this film. Colin Firth has been a pretty dependable actor over the years, you know sweet, sensitive and cute...here he takes a walk on the emotional, dark and troubled side of being a gay professor in California in the 1960's. A bit of a departure for him, don't you think?
Firth plays a college professor riddled with the sudden loss of his long time partner. As George, his grief is so raw, that there were times in the theatre where it was hard to watch him. It felt like you were intruding on his own personal, private time. His performance is believable, tender and yet incredibly powerful. He captivated me completely and held my interest throughout the entire film. He was strongly supported by the rest of the cast.To name just a few, our Julianne Moore was fantastic too. As beautiful as ever, she plays George's old friend Charley, em passioned, dynamic and sad. George's partner, Jim is played by the charming and handsome Matthew Goode. They have a wonderful sweetness together, I really enjoyed watching both of them on screen.
The film shows how George goes about his day to day life once hearing the news that Jim had died. He struggles to make himself continue acting normal and carry on about his life, even though it's quite clear that for him there is nothing normal about a life without Jim. His interactions with his students, other staff, Charley or the frustrating family who live next door are all essentially distractions from the inevitable truth that he is now alone.
This film is wonderfully directed by Tom Ford, fashion designer extraordinaire. He took control over the story and lets the audience in only a piece at a time. His screenplay is understated and touching yet witty and smooth. I thought that he captured life in the 60s for a gay professional very well.
The reason that I was interested in seeing the film was for the performances. The reason I am recommending this film is for the performances. I think that this was the best performance by a male actor for 2009. Unfortunately, I don't think that Firth will take home the Oscar next month, but if I was voting...and really people shouldn't I be...he would.