SummarySolitary Man tells the story of Ben Kalmen, a fifty-something New Yorker and former successful car dealer, who through his own bad choices lost his entire business. (Millennium Films)
Directed By:Brian Koppelman, David Levien
Written By:Brian Koppelman
Solitary Man
Metascore
Generally Favorable
69
User score
Mixed or Average
5.3
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
69
81% Positive
25 Reviews
25 Reviews
19% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
91
With an outstanding screenplay by Brian Koppelman and disciplined direction by Koppelman and David Levien, a story that could have been generic (or worse, scented with flowery bulls---) turns into a precise, honest, and affecting drama.
80
A truly impressive portrait of self-destructive, smooth-talking alpha males, and a testament to an actor who waltzes across that Peter Pan–syndrome tightrope with the greatest of sleaze.
User score
Mixed or Average
5.3
33% Positive
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
47% Mixed
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
19% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Nov 22, 2010
10
Michael Douglas is at his best in this dark comedy. The film is intelligent, sexy, funny, and pure fun. It gives you just enough drama to keep it interesting, while silently incorporating amusement when you least expect it. Jesse Eisenberg still shows he is a rising star, with raw acting talent. You have Douglas' right hand man Danny DeVito, who gives a notable side role. The dialogue between Susan Sarandon's character and Michael Douglas' are some of my favorite moments, despite the several "WTF just happened" moments that will keep viewers wondering what other crazy detail will the cast unveil next. No complaints here.
Sep 19, 2010
9
Michael Douglas fans will enjoy his flawless performance as disgraced businessman Ben Kalmen in the darkly funny Solitary Man. Hailed as giving his best performance since Wonder Boys and Wall Street, Douglas plays an unlikeable but irresistible car salesman facing a mid-life crisis. His doctor worries about Kalmen's EKG, and orders further tests. Kalmen flees reality as he schmoozes, drinks and parties his way to near-oblivion. We meet him again six years later. Kalmen is determined to do all the things he ever wanted to do in life, he tells his loyal ex-wife Susan Sarandon. For him this means cheating, lying, and even enjoying a one-night stand with the daughter (Imogen Poots) of his current girlfriend (Mary-Louise Parker). Douglas brings much depth and charisma to his character Kalmen. Along his downward spiral he seeks to mentor a nerdy college student (Jesse Eisenberg), and reunites with an old buddy (Danny DeVito), who exudes wit and wisdom as he operates a diner. Yet Kalmen's continued bad choices alienate almost everyone around him. Solitary Man not only shows the personal costs of the ego run amuck in Kalmen's sex addiction, but the human side of a detestable man. Jailed for his business transgressions at the height of his fame as "New York's Honest Car Dealer," Kalmen begs with panache from his daughter (Jenna Fischer) and ex-wife. David Levien and Brian Koppelman (who wrote and directed Knockaround Guys and The Girlfriend Experience) direct this showcase for Douglas with the help of an excellent cast. Koppelman also wrote Solitary Man's intelligent script. Finally Sarandon and DeVito are the characters who genuinely understand and seek to help Ben. In his own twisty mind, Kalmen believes he is helping himself. Douglas will reprise his role as Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone's Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010).
75
Solitary Man is a wafer-thin film with a river-deep, mountain-high performance from Douglas.
75
Superb as an auto salesman who sinks deeper and deeper into disgrace in Solitary Man, Douglas' juiciest vehicle since "Wonder Boys."
70
The film courageously shows its reprobate hero sliding further, not redeeming himself.
60
Michael Douglas in Solitary Man, has all the tools of the man who plays him at his disposal. At times in this often engaging, occasionally meandering movie, that's enough to score.
40
The film's real shocker is its unpleasantness.
Jan 23, 2017
7
So close! Solitary Man is a masterclass in intelligent, hilarious but most of all truthful storytelling. The situations that Ben (Michael Douglas) finds himself in, and the resulting dialogues, are affecting because they are not strewn with Hollywood cliche plot twists. Instead we watch the slow and painful demise of a man who deserves his comeuppance and aren't left rolling our eyes at his predictable resurgence to glory. With a little sprinkling of thicker plot and a less cheesy roll to credits this would be a classic.
Nov 28, 2021
5
This is a kind of interesting film. The main flaw is the main character, Ben Kalmen - someone who isn't very likeable. He has a way of distancing himself from others, including (of course) decent friends. The performances are ok and it's pretty watchable, if a bit cheesy/cringe-inducing at times perhaps, at worst. I suppose it was interesting to see how Ben worked around his situations, to not allow others to see (or perceive) him as he knew himself to be, indeed as he is - a bit of a drifter. It's not a film that will appeal to all but its ok.
Jan 13, 2011
4
The problem with this movie is its linearity. The protagonist is a manipulative single minded jerk with no real insight and that doesn't change. It's aggravating watching him, there is no growth, the plot is obvious. A disappointment.
Oct 21, 2010
1
To say this movie **** gives it more weight than it's worth. The script is well-matched to the direction because both are done equally poorly. The only reason I watched it was because **** liked it, but then it turns out that Matt Zoller Seitz reviewed it, and Salon should fire him. The movie had only one surprise for me - that I made it to the end without walking out.
Apr 17, 2011
0
I would have never rented this title in the first place, but my brother went to pick up something for himself, and offered to get one for me. I gave him a list of titles that I would like, but he couldn't find any of them, so he picked out this one, I guess because it had Michael Douglas in it. I am truly shocked to see some positive reviews here, I thought that they would be uniformly awful, just like the movie. I could tell that I didn't want to watch it after about 15 minutes, but I guess that I got through half of it before shutting it off. I saw enough terrible dialogue, and Michael Douglas acting like he believed that he was a 16 to 18 year old. It was painfully boring, along with being just awful. Now I know that it is a great idea for me to pick out my own movies. It is extremely rare for me to not let a movie finish, but I'm not into torture.
Production Company:
- Millennium Films
- Paul Schiff Productions
- Smartest Man Productions
Release Date:May 21, 2010
Duration:1 h 30 m
Rating:R
Tagline:Ben loves his family almost as much as he loves himself
Website:
Awards
Capri, Hollywood
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Satellite Awards
• 1 Nomination
