A Single Man, poster

(click to enlarge)

Some grumblings around the web today on the release of the poster for A Single Man, as a few seem to think the poster wants us to believe the characters played by Colin Firth and Julianne Moore are in bed together.

The stills and screenshots from the film show that this pose follows a waltz around the living room in formal attire. Though the patterns and textures have been photoshopped for a cleaner graphic simplicity, there’s no mistaking the shape of those throw pillows for bed pillows. If this were meant to depict a heterosexual tryst, I don’t know how many straight couples jump into bed fully clothed with their eyeglasses and earrings still on.

The relationship between Firth and Moore is a pivotal source of drama in the book, so it’s only natural that a star of her stature would be featured in promo material. I don’t see anybody suggesting that side-by-side heads in 40 other posters this year are all sleeping together. Is a sofa pillow really that erotic for some people? Nope, much ado about nothing, like so many other manufactured “controversies” in the silly season.

Click here for the full-size poster, if you won’t get too turned on. Replay the trailer after the cut.