BASED on the novel by Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man tracks a day in the life of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a gay, middle-aged Brit teaching literature at a Los Angeles college in the early 1960s.

Such is the despair in which we find George – who recently lost his life partner in a car accident – it could be the last day of his life.

A revolver is sitting in an open drawer. It’s not there for security purposes.

Though the film starts on such an archly bleak note, first-time director (and fashion designer) Tom Ford carefully telegraphs that all is not lost for his clearly devastated lead character.

Ford does this by incongruously staging this story of a day-long death wish inside a film that is literally bursting with life.

Every small detail of the picture – especially the use of sound, the choice of colour and some subtly stunning cinematography – seems to hint that George’s big decision might not be set in stone.

Gradually, it dawns on you what Ford is up to as a filmmaker here. He is framing each scene as if viewed through the eyes of someone taking one last, longing look at the world. And maybe, just maybe, liking what they see.

However, there is nothing straightforward nor contrived about the manner in which George will come to contemplate a new lease on life.

Random interactions with a series of close friends (including a standout Julianne Moore), vague acquaintances and complete strangers affect George in unpredictable ways. His composure, eerily calm at the start of the day, plays host to an imperfect storm of sudden emotions.

There are periods in A Single Man when it feels as if the sheer gravity of the material may bring Ford’s flashy high-wire act crashing to the ground. This is when Firth’s superb, Oscar-nominated performance really counts.

It has been so long since Firth applied his undoubted talent to a film truly warranting it, and he rises to the challenge in impressive fashion.

If you have your doubts, train your eyes closely on the flashback scene in which George takes the phone call that breaks the news of his lover’s death.

The actor barely moves or changes the tone of his voice, but you can still feel the intense stab of pain as it hits George in the heart.