Film: Solitary Man
Cast includes: Michael Douglas (Wall Street), Susan Sarandon (Anywhere But Here), Danny DeVito (Get Shorty), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), Jenna Fischer (The Office), Imogen Poots (Me and Orson Welles), Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale), Richard Schiff (The West Wing)
Writer/director: Brian Koppelman (Runaway Jury, Ocean’s Thirteen)
Genre: Comedy/drama (2010)
In brief: Ben Kalmen was such a good salesman, he could tell a customer’s life story just by looking at him. It’s no wonder that he had a chain of large, successful car dealerships all over the tri-state area. That was before the criminal indictment… and before the divorce. But one thing Ben still has is charm. He knows how to get younger women into bed, and he makes no apologies for his womanizing. It’s seems out of character then that Ben has been working so hard to woo Jordan, who’s extremely demanding. Could it be that Jordan’s father might have some pull with the zoning board that could approve a new car dealership… that could be the start of Ben’s professional comeback?
Just now, what Jordan is demanding is Ben’s help getting her daughter, Allyson, into a Boston college… Ben’s alma mater, as it turns out. The three of them were going to go up to Boston together, but Jordan came down with the flu. Ben doesn’t really want to go, and Allyson definitely doesn’t want to go with Ben. But Jordan insists. So the deal is that Allison and Ben agree to go their own way, do their own thing… and not tell Allison’s mom. If it had only worked out that way, life would have been good.
Looking at the list of top-notch actors in this film, one would not immediately label this as an independent movie. But that’s what it is… an independent with a first-rate script. It was the script that attracted top talent. While this film has many funny parts, the topic is a serious one… and one that many of us can relate to in some way. Ben used to be a force of nature. But for a number of reasons that the film explores, he isn’t anymore. Ben is not the kind of heartwarming hero that Hollywood likes. Nor does he fit into the evil villain mold Hollywood also likes. Ben is a rich, well-developed character we can relate to. And he’s wonderfully played by Michael Douglas, who gives us much more than just a low-budget Gordon Gekko. The film definitely has a lot of interesting observations on life to ponder.
3 popped kernels
Nice character development and excellent acting
Popcorn Profile
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream limited release
Mood: Somber
Tempo: Cruses comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely varnished realism
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought provoking
