What to know

critics consensus

Built around a singularly unpleasant main character, Solitary Man needed a flawless central performance to succeed -- and Michael Douglas delivers. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch

Show all services

Rate And Review

User image

Verified

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you buy your ticket?

    Let's get your review verified.

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you buy your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

Solitary Man Photos

View All Photos (45)

Movie Info

A series of bad decisions upends car dealer Ben Kalmen's (Michael Douglas) business, his wandering eye costs him his marriage to Nancy (Susan Sarandon), and he has to relocate from a grand home to a tiny flat. Even Ben's current girlfriend Jordan (Mary-Louise Parker) knows he's far from perfect. But a hastily planned trip to Boston -- he's showing Jordan's teen daughter, Allyson (Imogen Poots), one of the city's many colleges -- just might rouse Ben from his losing streak.

Cast & Crew

Michael Douglas
Ben
Mary-Louise Parker
Jordan
Jenna Fischer
Susan
Jesse Eisenberg
Cheston
Imogen Poots
Allyson
Ben Shenkman
Pete Hartofilis
David Costabile
Gary Porter
Susan Sarandon
Nancy
Danny DeVito
Jimmy
Olivia Thirlby
Cheston's Girlfriend
Brian Koppelman
Director
David Levien
Director
Brian Koppelman
Screenwriter
Paul Schiff
Producer
Steven Soderbergh
Producer
Heidi Jo Markel
Producer
Danny Dimbort
Executive Producer
Boaz Davidson
Executive Producer
Avi Lerner
Executive Producer
Trevor Short
Executive Producer
Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Solitary Man

Critics Consensus: Shrek‘s Final Chapter Is So-So
View All

Critic Reviews for Solitary Man

All Critics (99) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (77) | Rotten (22)

View All Critic Reviews (99)

Audience Reviews for Solitary Man

  • Mar 20, 2013
    Not as bad as some viewers have claimed, Solitary Man gives Michael Douglas material that he seems to have mastered lately - the aging man who seeks to continue to act like someone in his twenties and who rebels at any notion of acting his age.
    John B Super Reviewer
  • Jan 03, 2012
    It wasn't bad, but there was nothing about it that I enjoyed. It was mediocre and somewhat boring.
    Sarah P Super Reviewer
  • Sep 20, 2011
    In Solitary Man, Michael Douglas once again plays the ultra smooth, shark of a man... a man's man type character that he took for a spin in Wall St. This guy has his own view of the world (a rather myopic one, to be sure), and therefore can look anyone in the eye and apologize for nothing. That his outlook causes a fall of Learian proportions... well, he's not going to apologize for that either! The film has a tight script and some fine performances, including Mary Louise Parker, Danny DiVito, and Susan Surandon (who has the Herculean task of playing a sympathetic ex wife who, in spite of numerous infidelities and the king's ransom that Douglas lost, still loves and admires her man). In the final scene of resolution, Surandon tries her best to be natural, but the lines she has to utter... well, it's almost like she's the straight man, allowing Douglas to riff, and therefore explain through a simple incident, his own brand of megalomania. There seems to be a certain admiration towards this man whose credo seems to be, take a chance and doors will open; to the point where DiVito, happily married for 30 years still living where he grew up, tells Douglas that he was not alone when he was put on the cover of Forbes Magazine (in other words, DiVito was practicing hero worship and living vicariously through Douglas' exploits). I really don't know if this is the message of this film, or if one was even intended, but it certainly entertains, so just sit back and watch Douglas in fine form - a flawed character that you have no business rooting for, and yet, due to Douglas' charisma, you end up rooting for in spite of yourself.
    paul s Super Reviewer
  • Aug 05, 2011
    Douglas is one of the veteran actor I respect the most, and this movie is why.
    Mesh B Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

Solitary Man Quotes

There are no approved quotes yet for this movie.

Movie & TV guides