Snap Judgements: Solitary Man

In many ways, Ben Kalman(Michael Douglas) could be a future version of Douglas's famous Gordon Gekko character from Wall Street. An arrogant, womanizing capitalist done in by his own greed and infidelity, Kalman is another broken down man looking for life's answers. It's a role that almost seems tailor made for Douglas, playing off some of the flaws and insecurities he showed in 2000's Wonder Boys.

Ben Kalman was the king of the car dealers. He had it all. Money, fame, a loving wife(Susan Sarandon) and a daughter(Jenna Fischer) who looks up to him like an idol.  With celebrity, came complacency. Then came the boredom, and eventually Ben cracked. Caught up in a scandal that ruined his business forever and made him persona non grata amongst his peers, he lost everything. Then he lost his wife thanks to his own philandering ways.

A salesman through and through, Ben sells everyone he meets on the idea that he's still a man in control. He's still livin' the life of glamour. Still chatting up the ladies. Even his doctor, doing his best to inform him of some potential terrible news, falls victim to Ben's charms. Ben won't hear any of it. If it's bad news, let it come, but it's not standing in the way of his life. Such as it is.

Ben's current relationship with Jordan Karsch(Mary Louise-Parker) is purely one of convenience. At least for him. She has contacts that can help get him back on top, but his appetites threaten to ruin it all. When she asks Ben to accompany her "adventurous" daughter Allyson to college, Ben can hardly resist the temptation. Leading with the head not on his shoulders, Ben makes a decision that forces him to come crawling back to the family he's always taken for granted. The question is whether they'll take him back?

Douglas appears on the precipice of a career renaissance. He'll be revisiting Gekko in Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel, a role that promises to thrust him into the spotlight once again. Whether or not that compares to his compelling turn here is another story, as he seamlessly plays a man who's most comfortable when not showing his true face to others. Not even the people he's closest. As Douglas has gotten a little bit older, he seems more comfortable in his own skin. It's a role that is similar to 2002's slept on gem, Roger Dodger, where another selfish sexual commando finds that his supposedly perfect life isn't all it's cracked up to be. Just as in that modern day classic, Jesse Eisenberg shows up as an eager student to Ben's self-centered life lessons. Sarandon and Fischer are good also, but their characters could've used a bit more dirt on them. They're a little too perfect by comparison to the flawed Ben. It's nice to see Olivia Thirlby(Juno) show up, even though her role is almost non-existent.

I could quibble with the ultimate reason for Ben's narrow-minded viewpoint on life. It's a bit too tidy for my taste. That doesn't take anything away from what is one of the biggest surprise films of the summer season, featuring one of the best performances of the year. Those who aren't as enamored with the 80s remake boom hitting theaters this weekend may want to look in Solitary Man's direction.