Solitary Man is a film about a man named Ben Kalmen (Michael Douglas), who in a former life was a car magnate. However, thanks to his own indiscretions and no one else to blame, he is now a fifty-something New Yorker with nothing. He used to have several profitable BMW dealerships, but lost them after a fraud conviction, making a mockery of his business slogan "New York's honest car dealer." He squandered all his financial wealth to keep himself out of jail. He was married to his beautiful college sweetheart wife Nancy (Susan Sarandon), but his own lack of sexual impulse control led to their divorce. Although he does have an unconditionally loving relationship with his daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer) and grandson Scotty (Jake Richard Siciliano), that door closes when she finds out he has slept with the mother of one of Scotty's classmates, Carol Solomonde (Anastasia Griffithe). Even his rich girlfriend Jordan (Mary Louise Parker), who he hoped to use her father's auto industry connections to get back into the game, kicks him to the curb when she finds out he seduced her teenage daughter Allyson (Imogen Poots)!
Could Ben be any more despicable or push himself further away from everyone? For someone who is persuasive and good at closing deals, he is batting zero at getting his life back on track. It is surprising that Nancy still speaks to him and he has a childhood friend Jimmy Merino (Danny DeVito), who gives him a job at the diner. As if Ben could not stoop any lower, he even tries to steal Maureen (Olivia Thirlby), the girlfriend of the naive college student Daniel Cheston (Jesse Eisenberg) he befriends after his worldly advice to Daniel on how to get a girl comes to fruition.
Although it may seem that Ben is merely suffering from a mid-life crisis compounded by health concerns, upon deeper examination he may merely be a man who is sadly addicted to the life of self-destruction. It is so easy to hate Ben, yet one cannot help wonder what else he will do to shock and disgust everyone. For a man who used to be good, will he never stop until he finally finds himself in solitude?
Michael Douglas, who recently announced his stage four throat cancer, masterfully portrays Ben Kalmen and seductively engages the audience to keep watching Ben's downfall. In a way, Solitary Man reminds us of his equally despicable character Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987). Imogen Poots, Danny DeVito, Jesse Eisenberg, Jenna Fischer, Mary Louise Parker and Susan Sarandon make a great supporting cast.
Special Features:
• Audio Commentary With Writer/Director Brian Koppelman, Director David Levien And Actor Douglas McGrath
• Solitary Man: Alone In A Crowd Featurette
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More September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray New Releases:
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: Chuck: The Complete Third Season [plus sneak peak Season Four]
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: The Office: Season Six [sneak peek at Deleted Scenes & Gag Reel]
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season [sneak peak Season Six]
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season [sneak peak Season Ten]
September 7, 2010 DVD: Criminal Minds: Season Five [sneak peak Season Six]
September 7, 2010 DVD: Persons Unknown: The Complete First Season
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: Ashton Kutcher is worth $20 million in Killers with Katherine Heigl
September 7, 2010 DVD & Blu-ray: Saturday Night Live's Will Forte and Kristen Wiig star in MacGruber
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Comments
seems like a good movie. Well done article, wishing Mr. Douglas well!
I cannot wait to see Michael Douglas in Solitary Man. I hope he pulls through the stage four throat cancer, and I am awaiting release of Wall Street 2.
thank you
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