I wonder if the makers of of all these “A <insert ‘alone’ synonym here> Man” films had to change their titles upon hearing of their predecessors.  The Coen Brothers’ offbeat A Serious Man and Tom Ford’s stylized A Single Man both came out in the last seven months, and like Solitary Man, depict a man isolated from the world around him.  Each does so in a very different light, however, and the lens that co-directors Brian Koppelman & David Levien choose is one of hedonism.

Michael Douglas kicks ass as the cynical, smooth-talking, skeevy womanizer Ben Kalmen.  The rest of the cast is equally impressive both in their presence in such a low-profile film and in their performance.  Danny DeVito is disarming as Jimmy Merino, the diner-owning sage who understands true friendship.  Susan Sarandon is charming as ever as the sassy, take-no-bullshit ex-wife Nancy.  Jenna Fischer, in one of her first film leads, holds her own opposite Douglas as his daughter struggling to accept him.  Perhaps the film’s strongest performance, however, comes from British actor Imogen Poots, whose turn as the jaded 18 year-old daughter of Ben’s girlfriend - a role that just might garner her a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

The script is painful, yet humorous, cynical, yet light-hearted.  The issues being explored here (existentialism, egocentricity, friendship, commitment) are quite heavy, but Brian Koppelman’s screenplay walks the line with finesse and grace.

A solid film.  Check it out.