MovieChat Forums > Goodbye Solo (2009) Discussion > I almost loved this movie (WARNING: SPOI...

I almost loved this movie (WARNING: SPOILERS)

posted 15 years ago by migman62
17 replies | jump to latest

There was so much to like about this movie. The acting was good, I liked the characters, the story kept me involved, but I didn't like the ending.

We got a taste of several things in the movie that didn't resolve (not that a movie has to resolve everything, but "a taste of honey's worse than none at all"). Like for instance, William wanted to kill himself, but we never got to know why. He had what seemed to be a grandson who he wouldn't connect with, but why? He didn't seem depressed, when you consider he cared about Solo's test and how much he admired Alex. And what about Solo's wife? Was she just scared that she would be left with a baby to take care of all by herself? She guaranteed it by wanting him out, and he was a hard-working guy who I think would stay loyal.

And I think it would have been better to end the story when Solo and William parted. Everything after that with Solo and Alex was good, but it seemed anti-climactic putting it at the end. And just driving off and stopping the story seemed a little like that Sopranos ending.

This movie didn't suck by any means, but I think there was some potential that wasn't realized.

My 2¢

[–] modica 15 years ago

The ending made the movie for me. You can have it end whatever way you want it to end this way. Why does everything have to be done for you?

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[–] ewdot2480 15 years ago

some of you guys and you're 'does everything have to be spelled out' or 'must there always be an ending' or 'the answer is in the silence' ... I mean, come on!!!

For some films, those theories work.

But for this film, there DEFINITELY needed to be some more background to at least substantiate the emptiness of the last 10-15 minutes.

Good movie overall, wonderful acting, badddd follow-through of plot/ending.

[–] thatsmydesire 15 years ago

No.

Big Dog wasn't there anymore.

The natural world was.

Just as he left it.

It had not been for him what we are seeing silently onscreen.

He had to leave it.

That's all.

[–] MinaGodiva 13 years ago

But for this film, there DEFINITELY needed to be some more background to at least substantiate the emptiness of the last 10-15 minutes.

I agree.. However, the lack of information given did not rob me of my viewing pleasure. I really liked this film; it was a pleasant suprise and it gave food for thought.

I came.. I saw.. And I got lost.

[–] natw 15 years ago

I agree totally. Just because a movie has an open ending doesn't mean it's wonderfully artful. The movie kept my interest also, and I don't necessarily need a pat ending, but it's a copout to leave so many dangling ends. That's lazy screenwriting, in my opinion. A viewer who invests an hour and a half in a movie deserves a little satisfaction, after all.

[–] tigerbos 15 years ago

Why does anything have to be resolved? The film was a lovely narrative. You don't really know what happened in the end do you? Not everything has to be so cut and dry. As far as some of the questions you had for example his relationship with his wife, did you not get the feeling at all by her reactions to his comments that he had done it her way and it was time to try it his way that she understood what he meant? Sometimes you have to look beyond vocalizations to expressiveness. There's more ways to communicate beyond the verbal!
We don't need to know WHY William wanted to kill himself. He wanted to die. Period.
Blowing Rock's mythical tale about if you throw something over the edge and it will come back to you should mean something to you when you consider how the film ended...did William really throw himself over the cliff or did he 'come back' as the myth would have him to? That's for the viewer to decide.

A lot of alliteration from anxious anchors placed in powerful posts!

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[–] Scoooter 15 years ago

[CONTAINS SPOILERS]

I have to disagree, I thought the ending was brilliant. I love the way the filmmaker tied the steps for a successful water evacuation into the storyline, first allowing Solo to answer the question in the middle of the film and then again at the end, as follows.

In the event of a water evacuation, what are the six steps a flight attendant must take?

1. Form a barrier
2. Check conditions and re-direct if exits are blocked
3. Open exits and inflate slides
4. When opening a door exit to evacuate an aircraft...

Solo does not tell the audience steps 5 and 6 as he is interrupted when his cell phone rings.

At the end of the film, the question is presented to him again, so Solo begins to answer the first three steps as before, however, this time he continues with his answer to step 4, which is "rotate the handle in the direction of the arrow and open the door forcefully of that it locks against the side of the fuselage."

Of course we never learn what steps 5 and 6 are but the filmmaker is almost inviting us to create our own steps 5 and 6, as these are pivotal to Solo's future. I suppose, to a degree, Solo has followed the steps in a type of pre/post grieving process as it became evident to him earlier on that he could not persuade William to change his mind. Step 4 confirms that he has once again figured out a way to securely open the door (to life if you will) and pass through it.

We see a final shot of him driving his taxi down a picturesque winding road, that to me, strongly resembles a slide, which in essence must be step 5, proceed to safely slide out of the aircraft. Finally, step 6 could very well be, swim to safety.

To me, that is the beauty of an open ending. It allows each of us to draw our own conclusions! I can't wait for a second viewing to see if there are any other hidden messages that I did not pick up on the first time around.

[–] leopardk 15 years ago

Phew! That last one was reading a lot into that airline test.

For me it is pretty simple. Solo is remembering his friend and the time they had together. He also is remembering Big Dog's diary (which was a lame kind of plot device by the way) where he wrote that he hoped he would do well on the test and he also expressed affection for the little girl.

Solo is very disappointed that he couldn't get the big dog to give up giving up, but he wasn't left empty handed at the end. He has the memory of Big Dog's friendship and love. Big Dog still had something to give right up to the end.

So many humble little touches in this film, when he brings Solo the cup of coffee or he makes that grilled cheese sandwich.

I loved this film, and I loved the whole Blowback mountain part. I thought I would be upset when the Big Dog jumped, but actually felt a little happy for him.

[–] atthautmale 14 years ago

You gotta love the whole Flight Attendant analogy as well... in the beginning of the film he asks William if he's gonna jump off Blowing Mountain and "fly like a little bird". He has potential to pass as a "flight attendant" but he doesn't until, in my opinion, the end of the film. When he accepts that William just doesn't wanna live anymore... and all he can do is "attend" him to his "flight.

Brilliant movie. I really liked the last last poster who analyzed the 5th and 6th step, good interpretation big dog!

[–] JayCeezy 14 years ago

I did also like the pursuit of Flight Attendant, and thought Solo's panel interview was wonderful. A quiet connection with the people evaluating him, and his personality was clearly better than his technical abilities. IMO, Solo's reason (like everyone) to be a Flight Attendant would be to travel for free. He loved people and discovery. William had enough of people and discovery, and it led him to where he was at the end.

One unblinking moment in this film really impressed me with the writing. Solo was describing his value of family, back "home" in Senegal. William then asks him, with a smirk, "then why are you here?" Wow. And we see Solo, as charming and caring as he is, just doesn't have his act together. A busted car on his front lawn. A family he left in Senegal. An ex-wife, a current wife with his baby on the way, a stepdaughter, and is trying to "buy a steak" for his sexy-voiced taxi dispatcher so he is already looking for his next one. He wants to be a Flight Attendant, so he won't be around for his stepdaughter, new baby and wife. He is a selfish pr*ck. William has a wife who left him 30 years ago, and what appears to be a grandson who doesn't know he exists; William's clear regret indicates that he is also a selfish pr*ck. So well written, different guys in almost every way and yet a few symbiotic qualities. I really liked it.

Also, the board for this movie is a real pleasure to read. Great analysis and thoughtful comments. Cheers to all!

[–] smidget28 14 years ago

LOVED the ending. Made the movie work perfectly. I loved it and cannot stop thinking about it.

Now Playing: Goodbye Solo

[–] mikyb21 14 years ago

I absolutely agree with migman62. I found the film compelling and the characters intriguing, but ultimately I felt cheated. Some films can survive without a neatly packaged ending, but this was not one of them. There were just too many things left unresolved. Actually, EVERYTHING was unresolved. Just a terrible way to end an intertesting film.

[–] queerever 14 years ago

Go on, do it. Write a book or make a film, or, hmmm. . . just read or watch just about any good story - haven't you noticed that endings are rarely as good as the body!? Good, great endings are nearly impossible; so it's unfair for you to project your desires onto it.