It was a bit of a quiet month for me at the cinema, despite a lot of films that looked like they might be good being released. I only saw two films…
Youth in Revolt is a Michael Cera film, which should set up a number of expectations for it. You expect it to be a cute, indie-comedy about a geeky kid who has to find confidence to get the girl, or some other variation on the theme. The first act plays straight into this and is fairly weak for it. The middle, however, is substantially better as the lead character defers to his maniac alter-ego. Sadly, even this pretty funny section is ruined somewhat by the fact that 90% of it is in the trailer. While the ending isn’t as strong, it’s a fine finish to a watchable, but not great, movie. (Read my Youth in Revolt Twitter review).
A Single Man is a fairly straight-forward and somewhat predictable story of living with grief, through the eyes of someone who cannot allow themselves to express their feelings. The direction here is solid, bringing memories of Kubrick’s shorter shots; dressing tables, desks, and lived-in spaces giving the feel of the characters in a few short seconds. Colin Firth puts in a fantastic performance as the lead, wavering between having a breakdown at any moment and keeping a stiff upper-lip. A very good film overall. (Read my A Single Man Twitter review).
While there wasn’t much in the way of competition, A Single Man is a well-deservied winner.