Review Used: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/feb/11/a-single-man-review
This review by Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian is a bit puzzling. Bradshaw gives the film a three out of five star rating, but his review does absolutely no critiquing. In fact, if you were to read the review without seeing the star rating, you would think that A Single Man is an absolutely perfect film. I think that Sontag would approve of this review because Bradshaw focuses almost exclusively on form rather than content. He is mesmerized "poignant, deeply compassionate portrait" that Ford creates. For Bradshaw, it seems that the only purpose of the content of the film is to cater to the form. While Sontag might agree with this method of criticism, for the reader, it is a bit frustrating. Though Bradshaw does give a brief plot synopsis, the content is just sort of an afterthought for him. The small sections that he does mention content, however, Sontag may have issues with some of his unsupported interpretations. For example, he mentions that the wide open, glass house is meant to be a direct contrast to George's inability to open up to the outside world. While this may be intended, Sontag would disagree with such a subjective interpretation. All in all, Bradshaw makes few of these interpretations. Bradshaw concentrates mostly on praising the film's visual appearance and the performances of Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. I would like to have seen more concentration on the content in this case. While the form is very artistic in A Single Man, the content is equally as artistic and, therefore, is deserving of at least some form of interpretation or criticism.
Out of the three parts of mis-en-scene, I believe that the composition element moves the film along more than any other element. The type of shots used and different camera techniques give this film a definite style. The movie feels sleek, clean, and polished in a very artistic way. The cinematography in A Single Man is certainly the most obvious element in the movie. Ford uses saturated and desaturated shots to convey a deeper meaning. For example, whenever a positive moment happens in the movie, the film changes to a more saturated coloring, denoting that there a certain emotional significance that accompanies these moments. These moments, in the end, convey the idea that some moments are worth living for. The cinematographer also employs different type of camera shots to echo the themes of the film. There are several scenes that use high-angle shots. These high-angle shots are positioned in an extreme way in some cases. For example, the scene where George is sitting in the bank, the high-angle shot is used to hide the identity of the girl that approaches him. The use of high-angle shots emphasizes the vulnerability and loneliness of George. We feel sorry for him because we are at a place looking down on him. Ford also uses slow motion in several scenes to emphasize a certain attribute in the scene. One example of this technique is seen when George watches the young men play tennis. The slow motion in this case makes us uncomfortable and has sensual overtones. The uncomfortable feeling we get in this scene parallels George's inner conflict. He feels guilty for having lustful thoughts because he is still getting over his lover. There are many more examples of cinematography as a technique to move the plot along in this film. We the audience are truly captivated by the sleekness in this movie. It does seem similar to a glossy magazine cover, but it keeps us hooked and even gives us clues to the deeper meaning of the film.
