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Colin Firth is bloody fantastic in this.
I have no idea who Tom Ford is and don't want to know, as apparently he's some fashionista, but he sure knows how to direct actors and frame some lovely shots.
Had no interest in seeing this at all, but it was a choice between this and Valentine's Day and I'll do many things for love, but I won't do that.
I'm glad I saw it, its a good companion piece to An Education (another film I wouldn't normally have seen). Its very obviously taken from a novel, in the way it has a dreamy, internal feel to it, but it only succumbs to voiceover on two key occasions, I believe. The rest of the time, so much is conveyed with just eyes, with most scenes being shot in pretty extreme closeup.
As well as Firth's stellar work, shoutout has to go to Julianne Moore, giving a flawless London Socialite accent and playing a wonderful drunk - she only has 2 or 3 scenes, but the screentime she shares with Firth is magnificent, and she looks great - and Nicholas Hoult, the "boy" from About a Boy. I normally don't like this guy and I hate the show Skins that he was in for some time, but he's really damn good here and I think he's going to gain a lot of fans, both male and female, just for how beautiful he looks in most of his scenes. He was the real surprise for me.
But this is the Ford and Firth show all the way. Ford is the arrival of a mature talent, an actor's director. On the strength of this, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on his next couple of features for sure.
And Firth, someone who's been on the periphery of my radar for some time - I like him, but generally not the films he's in - may have just bagged a spot on my man-crush list. He's got presence and control to spare and a voice like liquid gold. I can't overstate how good he is here.
Give this film a go if its anywhere near you. The photography - all shot in a hazy, almost Super-16 style - warrants seeing it on the big screen.
I have no idea who Tom Ford is and don't want to know, as apparently he's some fashionista, but he sure knows how to direct actors and frame some lovely shots.
Had no interest in seeing this at all, but it was a choice between this and Valentine's Day and I'll do many things for love, but I won't do that.
I'm glad I saw it, its a good companion piece to An Education (another film I wouldn't normally have seen). Its very obviously taken from a novel, in the way it has a dreamy, internal feel to it, but it only succumbs to voiceover on two key occasions, I believe. The rest of the time, so much is conveyed with just eyes, with most scenes being shot in pretty extreme closeup.
As well as Firth's stellar work, shoutout has to go to Julianne Moore, giving a flawless London Socialite accent and playing a wonderful drunk - she only has 2 or 3 scenes, but the screentime she shares with Firth is magnificent, and she looks great - and Nicholas Hoult, the "boy" from About a Boy. I normally don't like this guy and I hate the show Skins that he was in for some time, but he's really damn good here and I think he's going to gain a lot of fans, both male and female, just for how beautiful he looks in most of his scenes. He was the real surprise for me.
But this is the Ford and Firth show all the way. Ford is the arrival of a mature talent, an actor's director. On the strength of this, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on his next couple of features for sure.
And Firth, someone who's been on the periphery of my radar for some time - I like him, but generally not the films he's in - may have just bagged a spot on my man-crush list. He's got presence and control to spare and a voice like liquid gold. I can't overstate how good he is here.
Give this film a go if its anywhere near you. The photography - all shot in a hazy, almost Super-16 style - warrants seeing it on the big screen.
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