Solitary Man (film)
Encyclopedia
Solitary Man is a 2009 American film co-directed by Brian Koppelman
and David Levien
. The film stars Michael Douglas
, Susan Sarandon
, Jenna Fischer
, Jesse Eisenberg
, Mary-Louise Parker
and Danny DeVito
.
Ben, who cheated often on his wife Nancy Kalmen, accompanies the 18-year-old daughter of his girlfriend, Jordan Karsch, to her college interview. Ben is an alumnus of this university and even a building donor during his more prosperous days.
Ben meets an impressionable student named Daniel on campus who appreciates his wisdom and advice. Ben unwisely ends up in bed with Jordan's daughter, Allyson, who later blurts out this news to her mother. Jordan breaks off contact with Ben and withdraws the support Ben needs to open an auto dealership. While discussing his past due rent with his landlord, his daughter Susan appears and tells him he is no longer welcome in her family's life because of his inconsistency and unreliability as grandfather of her son, and an affair Ben has had with the mother of one of her son's friends.
The only work Ben can find is waiting tables at his college friend Jimmy Marino's diner on campus, but he receives a call from Jordan whose daughter now attends that college demanding that he move out of town immediately. If he does not leave the campus, Jordan tells Ben, she will have her ex-husband's Mob underworld contacts physically persuade him to do so. Unable to help himself, however, Ben makes a sexual advance toward a college girl Daniel has begun to date. Shortly after Daniel's girlfriend rebuffs Ben, he is severely beaten by an ex-police officer and mobster Jordan's ex-husband sent to the campus.
He finds Nancy on the bench where they met, and she offers to give him a ride back to New York. The film ends with Ben looking at Nancy waiting in the car for his decision, watching a young woman walk by and then standing up.
of the Chicago Sun-Times
, who gave Solitary Man 3 of a possible 4 stars in his review of June 9, 2010, on rogerebert.com and called it "a smart, effective film." The film currently holds a "Fresh" rating of 81% at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes
.
Brian Koppelman
Brian Koppelman is an American screenwriter, novelist, director, and producer. Best known as the co-writer of Ocean's Thirteen, and Rounders, Koppelman has also produced films such as The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones as well as directed films such as Solitary Man.His writing partner is David Levien...
and David Levien
David Levien
David Levien is an American screenwriter, novelist, director, and producer. Best known as the co-writer of Ocean's Thirteen, and Rounders Levien has also produced films such as The Illusionist and The Lucky Ones....
. The film stars Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
, Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
, Jenna Fischer
Jenna Fischer
Regina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
, Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor. He made his screen debut with the comedy-drama television series Get Real from 1999 to 2000...
, Mary-Louise Parker
Mary-Louise Parker
Mary-Louise Parker is an American actress, known for her current lead role on Showtime's television series Weeds portraying Nancy Botwin, for which she has received several nominations and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 2006...
and Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
.
Plot
Ben Kalmen was once a successful car dealer, but his life has hit the skids due to bad business decisions and romantic indiscretions. He is going broke, borrowing money from his daughter Susan, and is unwilling to accept his age, a heart problem, and a continuing sexual appetite.Ben, who cheated often on his wife Nancy Kalmen, accompanies the 18-year-old daughter of his girlfriend, Jordan Karsch, to her college interview. Ben is an alumnus of this university and even a building donor during his more prosperous days.
Ben meets an impressionable student named Daniel on campus who appreciates his wisdom and advice. Ben unwisely ends up in bed with Jordan's daughter, Allyson, who later blurts out this news to her mother. Jordan breaks off contact with Ben and withdraws the support Ben needs to open an auto dealership. While discussing his past due rent with his landlord, his daughter Susan appears and tells him he is no longer welcome in her family's life because of his inconsistency and unreliability as grandfather of her son, and an affair Ben has had with the mother of one of her son's friends.
The only work Ben can find is waiting tables at his college friend Jimmy Marino's diner on campus, but he receives a call from Jordan whose daughter now attends that college demanding that he move out of town immediately. If he does not leave the campus, Jordan tells Ben, she will have her ex-husband's Mob underworld contacts physically persuade him to do so. Unable to help himself, however, Ben makes a sexual advance toward a college girl Daniel has begun to date. Shortly after Daniel's girlfriend rebuffs Ben, he is severely beaten by an ex-police officer and mobster Jordan's ex-husband sent to the campus.
He finds Nancy on the bench where they met, and she offers to give him a ride back to New York. The film ends with Ben looking at Nancy waiting in the car for his decision, watching a young woman walk by and then standing up.
Cast
- Michael DouglasMichael DouglasMichael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
as Ben Kalmen - Mary Louise Parker as Jordan
- Jenna FischerJenna FischerRegina Marie "Jenna" Fischer is an American actress and director. She is most widely known for her Emmy-nominated portrayal of Pam Halpert on the NBC situation comedy and mockumentary The Office, and has also appeared in several films, including Blades of Glory, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story,...
as Susan - Jesse EisenbergJesse EisenbergJesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor. He made his screen debut with the comedy-drama television series Get Real from 1999 to 2000...
as Daniel - Imogen PootsImogen PootsImogen Gay Poots is an English actress, best known for playing Tammy in the 2007 film 28 Weeks Later, Prue Sorenson in the 2010 remake of the controversial TV drama Bouquet of Barbed Wire and as Jean Ross in the BBC's Christopher and His Kind.-Early life:Poots was born in Hammersmith, London,...
as Allyson - Susan SarandonSusan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
as Nancy - Danny DeVitoDanny DeVitoDaniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
as Jimmy - Richard SchiffRichard SchiffRichard Schiff is an American actor. He is best known for playing Toby Ziegler on the NBC television drama The West Wing, a role for which he received an Emmy Award...
as Steve Heller - Douglas McGrathDouglas McGrathDouglas Geoffrey McGrath is an American screenwriter. He is also a film director and actor.McGrath was nominated for a both an Academy Award and a BAFTA award for his Bullets Over Broadway screenplay...
as Dean Edward Giletson - Bruce AltmanBruce AltmanBruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
as Dr. Steinberg - Gillian JacobsGillian JacobsGillian Jacobs is an American film, theatre and television actress, best known for her role as Britta Perry on the NBC comedy series Community.-Personal life:...
as Tall Girl - Olivia Thirlby as Maureen (uncredited)
- Arthur J. NascarellaArthur J. NascarellaArthur J. Nascarella is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of films, most often playing a mobster or police officer. Among his notable film credits include a corrupt cop in Cop Land , a hypocritical ambulance captain in Bringing Out The Dead and a fed-up casino boss in The Cooler; he has...
as Nascarella
Reception
"Here is one of Michael Douglas' finest performances", wrote Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, who gave Solitary Man 3 of a possible 4 stars in his review of June 9, 2010, on rogerebert.com and called it "a smart, effective film." The film currently holds a "Fresh" rating of 81% at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.