‘Solo’ leaves us wanting more …

If the sign of a good movie is that you’re glad to spend time with it, then “Goodbye Solo” is a good film. Hell, it might be a great film.

Not that it’s perfect. Far from it. “Goodbye Solo” is a pared-down character study, one that takes minimalism about as far as it’s possible to go. My wife disliked the fine little Ashley Judd film “Ruby in Paradise” because, she said, “It was too slow.”

Slow? “Goodbye Solo” makes “Ruby in Paradise” look like “Transformers.”

It’s a story about two improbable buddies, guys so different they wouldn’t seem to fit in the same world. In fact, they really don’t. Souleymane Sy Savane plays Solo, the Senegal-born cab driver working the streets of Raleigh, N.C. Red West plays William, the down-on-his luck white guy whom Solo befriends.

The friendship begins when William steps into Solo’s cab and makes a deal with him. William wants a ride to a spot called Blowing Rock – a one-way ride. The proposal intrigues Solo, so much so that he insinuates himself into William’s life, trying to figure out who the man is and why he wants to, by all indications, commit suicide.

This involves his making himself available as a driver whenever William needs a ride, finding a place for the man to stay when he moves out from his apartment, introducing him to his wife (a Mexican-American woman) and his stepdaughter, Alex. In general, he’s trying to be whatever William needs.

Thing is, whatever William needs, what he wants is that ride. And the movie’s ultimate question is, will Solo provide it?

My problem with “Goodbye Solo” is that I could never quite understand why Solo is so intrigued with William, a lonely, quiet, bitter old man. Solo, though, is funny, passionate and, overall, a good soul. For me, the pairing of these two characters felt forced.

Still, in the same way that I like the character that Sally Hawkins plays in “Poppy,” I like Solo. And I like what Savane does with him. He’s a joy to spend 90 minutes with (91 to be exact).

I’m not sure, though, the film is worthy of all the praise that’s being tossed in its direction. Not like it’s, uh, “Transformers” or anything.