Solitary Man

MOVIE DETAILS

Rating: 6.3 out of 10
Director: Brian Koppelman, David Levien
Writer: Brian Koppelman
Star: Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Jesse Eisenberg
Genres: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Release Date: June 25, 2010 (United States)

In terms of credits, Michael Douglas is not an actor who has played many traditional heroes. Sure, he had those “Romancing the Stone” movies and is much more remembered as a villain (“Wall Street”), but his best roles are sinners: not big or bad enough to be villains, more everyday guys, bright, glib, crafty, trying to get by on short dues. This is where he puts his considerable screen presence to use. And he gets better at it as he gets older because they keep sinning when they just don’t have the energy for it anymore.

In “Solitary Man,” he plays Ben Kalman, once-upon-a-time known around the region as “New York’s Honest Car Dealer.” He’s good-looking still that great head of hair and persuasive as well, as a good car dealer. He can sense what car to put you in business-wise; what mood to put you on sexually. A lot of deals get closed.

He isn’t solitary by choice but by default. He cheated on his good wife Nancy (Susan Sarandon). He disappointed their daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer) one time too many. He cheats on his current girlfriend Jordan (Mary-Louise Parker) in a particularly unforgivable way. He wins over Daniel Cheston (Jesse Eisenberg), a college student with charm and the offer of worldly wisdom; then betrays him. Ben lied to customers so often that everybody knows “Honest Ben Kalman” did time.

But he’s charming and persuasive. Looks like a winner till you look too close.“Solitary Man” follows him for several days after he agrees to accompany Jordan’s daughter Allyson (Imogen Poots) on a college interview trip.This is the same school he went to.He knows the dean; could be handy.

You want to like Ben.He works at encouraging this.When he was younger and less of a sinner, he must have been good to know; there’s an effective character in “Solitary Man” who suggests that.He is his old buddy Jimmy (Danny DeVito), still running a greasy spoon diner.On campus, Ben takes the naive Cheston under his wing with man-of-the-world counsel about sex, success and how to sell yourself. With women, Ben takes a solicitous approach: Are you misunderstood by some men? Are your qualities recognized? What are you getting out of the transaction?

It’s all about Ben Kalman in this film; one of the things Michael Douglas does best is play somebody who isn’t playing himself he’s playing somebody who is playing himself.Ben’s life has become performance art.You get the feeling he never leaves the stage.He sees few women he doesn’t try to seduce.As a car dealer, he was also in the seduction business.His business was selling himself.At a dealership it’s hard to move a lemon.How about in life when you need a recall?

What happens with Ben and those around him especially the women I should not hint at here. The movie depends on our fascination as we see just how far this guy will go.

This man has become a good actor. He is funny even though he is surrounded by a movie that starts out serious and ends in sadness. This comedy knows human nature and how it tends to poke Ben until he breaks.

But the best thing about this movie are all the other actors, especially DeVito as a man who’s been behind a counter for years and likes it there. He doesn’t have that hunger that gnaws at Ben.

Imogen Poots plays the girl going away to school, and she could sell Honest Ben the Brooklyn Bridge, and he would think he was talking her into it. As the college-interview trip falls apart, everything falls apart; Ben’s shaky financial future has led him into a meeting with an implacable banker (Richard Schiff).

This is one of Michael Douglas’ best performances because nobody else ever really gets to engage with Ben Kalman onstage they’re all in the audience, including his family. Douglas plays him as so charismatic, so shameless, so brave, that very gradually he learns to play him as himself; it’s the only role left.

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