American Solitaire (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

A soldier returns home, wounded and disconnected from the civilian way of life. American Solitaire follows Slinger (Joshua Close) as he attempts to acclimate himself to the day-to-day norms of life. Though, he soon realizes that the dangers of civilian life aren’t so different from the dangers of war. 

Often framed in darkness, Slinger is presented to viewers almost as something of a villain. He’s regularly consumed by darkness, and it often feels as if Slinger’s character will take a turn for the worse, becoming something monstrous and dangerous. American Solitaire uses this to keep viewers on the edge of their seats, to almost wince at every piece of heavy dialogue, every errant look on Slinger’s face. The use of light is so important to this film, and as the film creeps toward a conclusion, and most of the film’s conflict has been resolved, that darkness dissipates—making way for light and vibrant, colorful visuals. The message present in the sudden aesthetic shift is heartwarming, and a brilliant conclusion to American Solitaire. 

Close delivers a strong performance. He uses the aforementioned darkness to elevate that performance, and to allow the darkness within his character to, unironically, shine brightly throughout. The casting of Close in American Solitaire works on a multitude of levels—one being his look. The perpetual intensity present on his face is dark, harrowing—a physical representation of the internal struggles faced by each of the characters present in the film. His deep vocal tone only adds to the drama and intensity, and solidifies him as the perfect choice for this role. I genuinely believe that no household Hollywood name could have portrayed Slinger better than Close. 

There’s an obvious political agenda hidden in plain sight throughout American Solitaire, but Writer-Director Aaron Davidman does a wonderful job of cloaking that agenda just enough that the story remains the prominent focus and the film doesn’t become divisive. 

Where the film does falter, however, is in its pacing. There are some dead moments in the narrative that fall flat and fail to enamour the way that much of the rest of the film does. Some gratuitous conversations between Slinger and his family members, or Slinger and tertiary characters slow the pace and take viewers out of American Solitaire. Tighter storytelling could have allowed the film to flow more effectively. The film’s structure remains solid throughout, but the pacing sometimes makes it challenging for viewers to remain present in the narrative. 

American Solitaire is another in a long list of films focusing on Post Traumatic Stress and the effects it has on those around you; and it does little to separate itself from the many films that came before. The world of cinema is becoming more and more saturated with repeat concepts; and as we move forward, it will become even more challenging for filmmakers to separate their product from their predecessors’. Even with American Solitaire being slightly derivative of other films, it’s a solid entry in a growing catalog of veteran-centered films.

By way of Close’s performance, and the work that this crew did to highlight his talent, American Solitaire remains enjoyable, honest, and powerful as a result. 

Written & Directed by Aaron Davidman. 

Starring Joshua Close, Gilbert Owuor, Joanne Kelly, Jamir Vega, Cooper Huckabee, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE