Michael Douglas’s Ben Kalmen seems to have it all until, in Solitary Man‘s opening scene, he learns that his doctor is not happy with his EKG. Fast forward 6 and a half years (a peculiarly non-round number) and he seems happier than ever. Kalmen, a big time BMW dealership owner in the New York area, has a pretty younger girlfriend (Jordan, played by Mary-Louise Parker), a swank Manhattan apartment, an endless supply of black button-down shirts, and a knack for picking up yet more younger women behind Jordan’s back. But we soon learn that those 6 (and a half) years were not so kind to Ben. Ignoring his doctor’s advice for tests on his heart, he instead decided to pursue his idea of living life to the fullest. Seizing the day for Ben meant seizing whatever young woman he could lure to his bed and seizing a lot of money through shady and illegal deals. Having paid his debt to society in the form of huge fines and his debt to his ex-wife (Susan Sarandon), it turns out that Ben is struggling to re-establish himself with his well-connected (and very wealthy) girlfriend, Jordan.
His daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer) and her husband and son provide the counterexample to Ben’s devil-may-care approach to life. Her family is safe, secure, and happy. Ben criticizes it for being too safe, even while trying to mooch some cash from them to stay afloat. His decisions inevitably isolate him, but of all the careless choices he makes, there is only one that really screws him. And it his not so much his womanizing behavior that costs him his family and friends, as it is his financial failings. Ironically, had one particular line not been spoken, his selfish approach to life would have been vindicated, at least in his own eyes. And even as it stands, it is not clear how he feels about his choices those past 6 (and a half) years. Ben seems to recognize that his behavior is inexcusable, and he neither makes excuses nor asks for forgiveness. This allows him to be a likable character even while he is a complete cad. One gets the feeling that Douglas likes him too.