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Tom Ford brings style to his new movie and it’s not just in the wardrobe. The  former creative director for Gucci who now fronts his own fashion line makes his directorial debut with “A Single Man”.

Loosely based on the famed novel by Christopher Isherwood, the film follows a single day in the single life of a gay English professor who teaches in L.A. during the ‘60s. After losing his longtime partner Jim (played by Matthew Goode), George Falconer (Colin Firth) plans his suicide in order to end his suffering. However, George has a few things to settle before taking his own life.

The great thing about this film is that audiences can feel the suffering regardless of whether they’ve lost a loved one or not. That’s partly due to Ford’s directing and also to Firth’s impeccable performance.

Whenever George reminisces about his life with Jim, Ford uses black and white, a strong contrast from the vivid, colourful scenes that take place in the present. These colours come to life whenever George meets with his fellow British friend Charley (Julianne Moore) or with Kenny (“About a Boy’s” Nicholas Hoult), a student whose interest in George is more than academic. It’s clear that Ford — who also co-wrote and produced the film — knows how to use light and texture to his advantage.

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“Easy Virtue” is easy on the eyes, but is it an amazing film? Not really. The movie, based on the 1920’s play by Noel Coward that was also adapted into a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1928 is definitely viewable — but it won’t bedazzle.

The story goes that a young Englishman, John Whittaker (played by “Narnia’s” Ben Barnes), falls in love with a glamorous American race-car beauty named Larita (Jessica Biel). They elope Vegas-style without telling their families in the roaring twenties. But when John decides to take Larita back home (meaning a humongous mansion in the outskirts of England) John’s mother, Mrs. Whittaker, becomes less than pleased with his selection.

Now, before your alarm bells go off by thinking this movie is anything like J.Lo’s “Monster-in-Law” flick where the mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law war is there just for laughing purposes don’t worry, “Easy Virtue” isn’t like that at all. Coward was known for presenting comedies in the form of tragedies and this idea transpires into the movie. Also be warned that the film’s opening credits may lead you into thinking you’re in for an hour and a half of cheese but don’t be fooled, it gets much better.

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