Goodbye Solo (2008) released 2009

Director Ramin Bahrani, the winner of the 2007 Someone To Watch Independent Spirit Award, is a 34 year old Iranian American who was born and raised in Winston-Salem NC. His first two features, Man Push Cart and Chop Shop, take place in New York City, but he shot this one in his hometown. Solo (Souleymane Sy Savane, from Ivory Coast, in his feature film debut) is a charming, talkative, 30-ish Senegalese taxi driver with dreams and a 100 watt smile. Solo forges an unlikely and difficult friendship with William (Red West), a taciturn white guy in his 70s. I had not heard of Robert "Red" West before delving into this research, but it turns out he was a friend of Elvis Presley from high school until Presley's death, served as a stuntman in some of Presley's movies, was Elvis' bodyguard for a time, and married Presley's secretary July 1, 1961 (they're still together). West wrote songs recorded by Presley and others ("Separate Ways") and has a long acting resumé as well. Both men were completely believable in their parts and made us care about them. I think when you look up dramedy in the dictionary, it will refer to this movie--unless it's a coma, since there's a lot of fun at the beginning and then it gets more serious as it moves along at a steady clip. Like in Chop Shop, there's a bright child, though this is Solo's movie and the child has a supporting role. Roger Ebert loved this and I agree with him. See it! Perhaps wait until after you have done so to watch this Charlie Rose clip (fast forward to 36:14 to see Bahrani, Savane, and West's segment). The sound mix was better than Chop Shop's, but my aging ears didn't get every word of the dialogue. I still loved it. Daniel, go with your mother! You won't be sorry!