Sunday, December 12, 2010

I'll go with solitary

By the end of Solitary Man, there is a decision for the main character. Does he want to lead his life on what some may perceive as a lonely, hopeless path that can't go anywhere, or stick with one of more certainty surrounded by his family?
Michael Douglas is the lead as Ben Kalmen, who is going through some self discovery after learning some not-so-good news about his health.
As Ben appears to be alone in his life, the people he can't ignore and their importance work their way in. His daughter Susan, ex-wife Nancy and long-lost college buddy Jimmy are fixtures in Ben's life. But, maybe he wants something new?
He certainly doesn't treat his family well, especially his daughter. It's one relationship he seems to try at but just can't succeed. When this movie was playing in the theaters, my mom, sister and I were trying to choose between it and Nicole Holofcener's Please Give. Both are tales of families and relationships and how life changes like death or losing a job can prove who is closest and who is not and the paths people take. They have different plots that get the characters to that point and whichever you choose, I like both films very much and recommend them for their realistic style.
Back to Michael Douglas, in the ending scene he sits on a bench with Nancy where they met in college. While they are not married, she certainly presents the option of being in each other's lives and helping him, especially since she knows about his health. She leaves to go to her car and he gets up and walks, seemingly, the other direction. If that's the case it fits with the film's title. It really is a story of a Solitary Man.

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