I watched this film at the London Film Festival, where the filmmaker has become a regular feature in recent years with his first two films 'Man Push Cart' and 'Chop Shop'.
His third outing is his strongest work yet. The film communicates profound feelings and ideas through achingly powerful characterisation, finely nuanced storytelling and poetic visuals. I don't know how Bahrani achieved such brilliant performances from the cast, but Souleyman Sy Savane, Red West and Diana Franco Galindo all did something really special in this film.
I will carefully touch upon the matter of the end of the film (avoiding spoilers).
Bahrani has eschewed the manipulative beast that is 'the resolution' in his past films, in the name of truthfulness and integrity. As inspired as I have been by such choices, I said to myself two thirds into 'Goodbye Solo', "this time, there has to be a resolution, right?"
But what the filmmaker has done with the last ten minutes or so of the film is what I could only describe to my wife in the screening as discovering 'Cinema Gold'.
The film navigates those of us who are willing to engage with the characters to a spiritual final stretch, where the viewer is no longer a passive participant, but thinking and feeling for the characters and about our own lives and those we love dearly.
I could hardly breathe over the stirring guitar score over the end credits. I honestly can't remember when that last happened. Maybe it was 'Magnolia' or '21 Grams'.
It's a perfect ending to a really powerful, moving piece of cinema - that must be seen again and again.
'Goodbye Solo' is a truly engaging and emotional experience. The film furthers the great tradition of humanist cinema that masters such as Satyajit Ray, Ken Loach and Abbas Kiarostami have become legends pioneering. It is so hopeful that cinema-lovers of my generation can begin to look at Ramin Bahrani as a filmmaker with a talent and depth that exudes respect for the medium and towards those who love it.
Find out where this film is showing and go and watch it, regardless of the 'kind of film' you think you like to see. From the first scene, you will feel welcomed, engaged, amused, challenged and moved.
You will leave the screening when it's finished, but the film might not leave you for a long time.
His third outing is his strongest work yet. The film communicates profound feelings and ideas through achingly powerful characterisation, finely nuanced storytelling and poetic visuals. I don't know how Bahrani achieved such brilliant performances from the cast, but Souleyman Sy Savane, Red West and Diana Franco Galindo all did something really special in this film.
I will carefully touch upon the matter of the end of the film (avoiding spoilers).
Bahrani has eschewed the manipulative beast that is 'the resolution' in his past films, in the name of truthfulness and integrity. As inspired as I have been by such choices, I said to myself two thirds into 'Goodbye Solo', "this time, there has to be a resolution, right?"
But what the filmmaker has done with the last ten minutes or so of the film is what I could only describe to my wife in the screening as discovering 'Cinema Gold'.
The film navigates those of us who are willing to engage with the characters to a spiritual final stretch, where the viewer is no longer a passive participant, but thinking and feeling for the characters and about our own lives and those we love dearly.
I could hardly breathe over the stirring guitar score over the end credits. I honestly can't remember when that last happened. Maybe it was 'Magnolia' or '21 Grams'.
It's a perfect ending to a really powerful, moving piece of cinema - that must be seen again and again.
'Goodbye Solo' is a truly engaging and emotional experience. The film furthers the great tradition of humanist cinema that masters such as Satyajit Ray, Ken Loach and Abbas Kiarostami have become legends pioneering. It is so hopeful that cinema-lovers of my generation can begin to look at Ramin Bahrani as a filmmaker with a talent and depth that exudes respect for the medium and towards those who love it.
Find out where this film is showing and go and watch it, regardless of the 'kind of film' you think you like to see. From the first scene, you will feel welcomed, engaged, amused, challenged and moved.
You will leave the screening when it's finished, but the film might not leave you for a long time.