A Single Man (2009)
A grieving professor navigates a single day in 1962 Los Angeles, searching for meaning in a bleak, intimate atmosphere.
Set in Los Angeles in 1962, at the height of the Cuban missile crisis, is the story of a British college professor who dwells on the past and cannot see his future. We follow him through a single day, where a series of events and encounters ultimately lead him to decide if there is a meaning to life after the death of his long time partner, Jim.
How intense is A Single Man?
A Single Man has no gore and no real violence. Emotionally it is devastating. The pace is a slow burn, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated R.
What A Single Man feels like
- Tone
- melancholyatmosphericintimatebleak
- Pace
- Slow burn
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream A Single Man
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 16, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is A Single Man for you?
Is A Single Man scary?
No. A Single Man is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is A Single Man gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and no real violence (0 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is A Single Man sad or heavy?
Yes. Emotional weight 3 of 3. It hits hard; do not plan anything light after.
Is A Single Man OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 0, gore 0, violence 0, each out of 3.
How long is A Single Man?
A Single Man runs 1h 40m.
Where can I stream A Single Man?
A Single Man is streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Fandango at Home (free) and Plex.
Does A Single Man have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.
Cast and crew
More like A Single Man
Matched on genre, tone, intensity and pace, not just keywords.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burnA nostalgic Italian summer unfolds intimately as a young man's first love blossoms with bittersweet melancholy.
The Piano (1993)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · a slow burnA mute woman's piano becomes her voice in a bleak new world, forging an intimate, forbidden connection.
The Theory of Everything (2014)No gore · emotionally devastating · measuredA brilliant mind grapples with a debilitating illness, finding profound love and scientific breakthroughs.
Hamnet (2025)No gore · emotionally devastating · measuredA tender romance blossoms and fades, inspiring a profound work of art from deep sorrow.
Paris, Texas (1984)No gore · emotionally devastating · a slow burnA silent wanderer slowly pieces together his past, confronting the intimate, bleak memories of a broken family.
Phantom Thread (2017)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burnA renowned 1950s London dressmaker finds his meticulous life upended by an intense, melancholic romance.
Before Sunrise (1995)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredTwo strangers wander through Vienna, sharing intimate conversations and exploring life's possibilities during one fleeting night.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)No gore · emotionally devastating · measuredTwo cowboys in 1960s Wyoming forge an intimate, enduring connection that complicates their lives with melancholy.
Find A Single Man in
Want five more like A Single Man?
Tell CouchRot the mood. It picks from what you can actually stream and learns from every rating.
Get CouchRot, it's freeThis product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.