GOODBYE SOLO (2008)
A film by Ramin Bahrani
Winner of the prestigious FIPRESCI International Critics’ Prize at
the Venice Film Festival, GOODBYE SOLO is the latest film from
young, internationally-acclaimed filmmaker Ramin Bahrani (Chop
Shop, Man Push Cart), one of the architects of popularly termed
American ‘neo-neorealism’ and recently hailed “the new great
American director” by eminent critic Roger Ebert.
Featuring the irresistible pairing of first-time actor Souléymane Sy
Savané with former Elvis bodyguard Red West, GOODBYE SOLO
is an uplifting exploration of morality at the very heart of a poignant
tale of unlikely friendship.
Solo, a Senegalese immigrant driving a taxi in North Carolina, has
aspirations of becoming a flight attendant and help provide a better
life for his pregnant wife and step-daughter. One night he picks up
William, a tough Southern old-timer with a lifetime of regrets. One
man‘s dream is just beginning, while the other‘s is quickly winding
down. But despite their differences, both men soon realise they need each other more than either is
willing to admit.
Through this unforgettable friendship, GOODBYE SOLO skillfully explores the passing of a generation
as well as the rapidly changing face of the world in which we l