The much-buzzed "A Single Man" finally opens in select theaters nationwide today, making this no-doubt a kind of nerve-racking Friday the 13th (even though it's the 11th) for Tom Ford, who not only directed, produced and co-wrote the screenplay of Christopher Isherwood's personal novel by the same name. He's also human.
For all the stunning, supernatural beauty of every minute of this 99-minute film, in fact, this is a very flesh and blood tale, both originally on paper and in Tom's custody onscreen. And for all the attention made about the book being a landmark homosexual story, and the film receiving the Queer Lion prize at the Venice Film Fest (one of the three festival awards and eight noms it has collected so far), this is a love story, tragic and hopeful, aching and mortal.

We caught the film three weeks ago at the CAA screening room on the invitation of the director. From the opening shot, I forgot he and everyone else in the room (and it was a sparkling group which could have easily reaped as much publicity or more than the very well-covered New York screening days later). Even reminders that this was, indeed, Tom's film, including the briefest of cameos by his other half, Richard Buckley, seated in a waiting room, wasn't so halting as to snap me out of the flow.
Sure, there were tropes that veered on distraction at times, including some of the music and the nonstop switching back and forth between color and black and white. Andy was less forgiving than I was at these choices. But we both agreed, as has just about everyone else who has seen it, that the cast, particularly Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, are so remarkably good that any flaws come off less than fatal.
Everyone and everything is so damn visually arresting, too, that this could prove wearying.
Personally, I say if you're going to do it, go all the way. This was an aesthete's movie made by the Alpha aesthete, and for this alone, "ASM" isn't about to fade into obscurity. With Tom's collaboration, costume designer Arianne Phillips, makeup artist Kate Biscoe and her team, and hair stylist Cydney Cornell and her crew deliver. Not that a film with Tom Ford's imprint would shortchange in this respect, of course.
But this isn't a "fashion movie" anymore than it is a "gay film." It is, however, worth seeing on a big screen.

The reviews are finally in this morning (The NYT, The LAT, among others), and read mostly favorable for the filmmaker's freshman effort. It opens everywhere December 25. I may even go see it again.