Colin Firth, left stars in Tom Ford's "A Single Man." Photo provided.
By Steph Chichester, an occasional column on movies.
The other night I walked down to Cinemapolis and took in a double feature (“A Single Man” and “Crazy Heart.”) Both films were driven by men nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor this year, and rightfully so. Both films were very powerful, but in vastly different ways.
In “A Single Man,” Colin Firth plays George Falconer, a British college professor living in ‘60s Los Angeles whose long time partner has been killed in a car accident. The film tells the story of how that loss is affecting George’s life. Directed by Tom Ford, this is a very stylish film as one might expect. I mean the guy is a fashion designer/photographer after all.
But enough about that, what really stands out in this film for me is the use of color. It’s striking but subtle and allows one to differentiate the depressed George from the hopeful one from scene to scene to scene. Equally impressive is Colin Firth’s portrayal of Falconer. At times restrained and thoughtful, and other times witty and charming, Firth gives a performance that is worthy of an Oscar nomination.
Then, I walked back out to the ticket booth and bought another ticket for “Crazy Heart.” A month ago I saw “Up in the Air” and thought George Clooney was a shoo-in for the Best Actor Oscar. Then I saw “A Single Man” and thought, Hmmmm. Colin Firth was pretty damned good.
Then I saw “Crazy Heart.”
Whoa-ah. Jeff Bridges as a boozy, ner’do-well hard luck former country music star is perhaps the best thing I’ve ever seen Bridges do. There are shades of Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings in his portrayal of Bad Blake, and even a little of the Dude at times. In fact there’s a scene right near the beginning where Blake is sitting at a bar in a bowling alley, where he’ll soon be playing a gig, that screamed “Big Lebowsi” at me, granted Blake was drinking whiskey and not a White Russian. The bottom line is, Bridges has been great in damn near everything i’ve ever seen him in, even that remake of King Kong. This a heartfelt performance of a lifetime in a tender film that just might win Bridges a well deserved Oscar.
“A Single Man” and “Crazy Heart” are both currently showing at Cinemapolis.
Originally Published Friday, February 19, 2010, impulsivityjim.blogspot.com