Solomon Grundy

Inspired by the favorite American nursery rhyme, ‘Solomon Grundy’, here comes a movie that roots from the poem’s extremely intriguing and unique concept. Danny Boyle of the “Slum dog millionaire” and “127 hours” fame brings to the viewers his version of the cherished childhood character Solomon Grundy.

The poem, written originally by James Orchard Halliwell in 1842, revolves around a man who lives his entire life in the span of just one week. He is born on one Monday and is christened on the next day. He grows up, gets married and has a family on Wednesday. Come Thursday and Solomon becomes ill, his situation getting worse on the following day (Friday). He passes away on Saturday and is cremated on Sunday. A whole life wrapped up in as short as a week’s duration. What a totally entertaining and interesting storyline for a movie! The director has cast seven different actors for the seven different stages, rather days, in Grundy’s life. This is because there is a gigantic development in the character’s personality with each passing day.

The movie was in the pipeline for quite a long time due to the possible similarities of its plot to the movie ‘The curious case of Benjamin Button’. However, unlike Benjamin Button who ages in the reverse order, Solomon Grundy’s aging follows an advancing trend, although at an unbelievably rapid rate. Finding out what it would be like; if your entire life was compressed into one week, will surely make for an intriguing watch!