Solitary Man

Solitary Man

Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2011 If this smart and effective comedy/drama is anything to go by, perhaps no longer being an A-list movie star has given Michael Douglas greater opportunities to practice the craft of acting. In it he plays a divorced, formerly rich and famous owner of a car dealership empire, a […]

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Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2011

© 2009 SOLITARY MAN PRODUCTIONS, INC

If this smart and effective comedy/drama is anything to go by, perhaps no longer being an A-list movie star has given Michael Douglas greater opportunities to practice the craft of acting. In it he plays a divorced, formerly rich and famous owner of a car dealership empire, a 60-year-old charmer who has since been indicted and fined on fraud charges. His attempts to get his career back on track are repeatedly stymied by a seemingly unquenchable compulsion to seduce every young woman he sees. More often than not, he’s successful. He’s a car salesman. And he has a tendency to spout pearls of wisdom to whomever will listen. But he crosses a line when he sleeps with… well, go see it. What set off this misbehaving male mania? The supporting cast (Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito, Jesse Eisenberg, Jenna Fischer, Mary-Louise Parker and Imogen Poots) is outstanding, but this is essentially a solo act, an edgy character study with no real storyline. There’s subtle, slightly twisted comedy to be appreciated amid this downward spiral. The film is neither maudlin nor sentimental, and Douglas’s unforced performance is a pleasure to watch.