Goodbye Solo
by Ramin Bahrani
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Actor: Diane Franco Galindo, Red West, Souleymane Sy SavaneDirector: Ramin Bahrani
Brand: Lions Gate
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 91 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-08-25
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Reviews of Goodbye Solo
DVD Review: Intriguing storyline that runs out of gas at the finish
Summary: 2 Stars
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Set in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 'Goodbye Solo' is about a happy-go-lucky taxicab driver from Senegal who one night picks up a passenger who offers him $1,000 to drive to a secluded site in a state park on a date about two weeks in the future. The driver ends up inviting the man to briefly stay over at his house, where his pregnant wife and stepdaughter are living. In the real world, I can't imagine any dutiful husband, allowing a total stranger into his house, as the new found guest could easily turn out to be some kind of criminal who might do harm to the family.
Once you're willing to suspend your disbelief over the cab driver's willingness to trust a passenger he knows virtually nothing about, 'Goodbye Solo' draws you in as it chronicles the relationship between the cab driver and the enigmatic passenger. The passenger is played by a great character actor, Red West. In real life, he was part of the 'Memphis Mafia', working as a bodyguard for Elvis Presley for many years and later collaborating on a tell-all biography. West is about 74 years old now and has great, tough-guy, weather beaten looks along with a deep, menacing voice.
The plot follows the driver Solo (breezily played by Souleymane Sy Savane) as he attempts to befriend the belligerent William. Before the climactic trip to William's final destination, Solo drives William to the same movie theater on a number of occasions; there, Solo notices William taking an interest in a young man behind the ticket counter. When Solo asks William if the young man is his son or someone related, William angrily lashes out, stating that it's none of his business. The angry mantra is repeated ad infinitum but Solo cannot take the hint. Finally, after prying one too many times, William slugs Solo in the face and tells him he doesn't ever want to see him again. Through his persistence, Solo manages to force a reconciliation and convinces William to allow him to bring his stepdaughter with him as he drives William to his fateful, final destination.
There are moments when Solo appears to be making headway in breaking down William's resistance to softening up. William appears to take a liking to the stepdaughter (at least that's what he indicates in a notebook which Solo gets his hands on and briefly flips through) and seems to enjoy playing pool with Solo. But William's 'senstive' side is rarely on display. It's obvious at the end of the movie that William wants to end his life but we never find out why. The film's scenarist has been teasing us as to William's motivations and only provides scant clues (such as an entry in the notebook that the young man at the movie theater is his son).
The problem with 'Goodbye Solo' is that there's no payoff. William disappears (presumably having jumped off a mountain) and we know about as much about him as we did when we first met him. The sub-plots (Solo's attempt to become a flight attendant and his estrangement and eventual reconciliation with his wife) are mere distractions. The central mystery, who is William and why is he trying to kill himself, is never answered.
Today, there are too many films where screenwriters don't know how come up with a satisfactory ending. For all its good intentions, Goodbye Solo fits into this category. Despite the intriguing storyline and excellent performances, Solo runs out of gas right at the finish line.
Description of Goodbye Solo
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