Review of Goodbye Solo (2009) by Film J — 03 May 2009

There are lot of bad movies in the crowded arthouse market place these days. Lots of "indie" style movies that retread the same angsty territory over and over that we have been seeing since Harvey and Bob were working for Disney. There are few films that have managed to break through the cloud cover though and are truly extraordinary pieces of storytelling. GOODBYE SOLO is the best of that rare breed. No stars, no budget, no film (it was shot on gorgeous looking HD...but you wouldn't have guessed) and no Bullshit. It is a stripped down narrative it seems bare of any of the film making tricks and manipulative moments that hollywood and the Indie elites turn to reflexively. There is a real DIRECTOR behind this film who has put real thought and care and craft into its telling.

I will leave the summary of the story to the other reviews posted here. What is about? Take any Rosselini film and cut and paste the description. Just know this - this is a film you should see - and bring your friends to see so that you can talk about it afterwards. You are going to want to talk about it. I leave you with this - when Solo looks at the stick in his hand before throwing it - what is he thinking?

They say that CHILDREN OF PARADISE is always playing somwhere in Paris. In my perfect world GOODBYE SOLO would always be playing somewhere in America.

~A.