Day #59 - The Soloist

IMDB Link

I have been sitting on this movie for awhile and I've come to the conclusion that I was really disappointed in it. The preview made this movie look like an inspirational tearjerker about redemption and friendship - but I felt that overall it was more a commentary on the present homeless situation in Los Angeles....which is FINE, but then show it that way. I hate misleading previews.

The Soloist is about reporter Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) and his relationship with Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a mentally disabled homeless man in Los Angeles who just happens to be a former Julliard student and musician extraordinaire. When Lopez hears him play one day on the streets, he decides to write about him - how did this man wind up on the streets? As the movie progresses, Lopez continually urges Ayers to move into an apartment, take cello lessons and perform recitals - yet all of these things seem to be against the wishes of Ayers. He seems actually to be happy on the streets where there is air and space and people. My biggest problem with this plotline was how absolutely unlikable Lopez is - I'm not sure he ever really wanted to be Nathaniel's friend and many things he seemed to do for his own benefit. By the time he "redeems" himself at the end, I stopped caring. The movie also incorporates flashbacks, showing us how Nathaniel arrived in the present situation. His mental illness progressed slowly and didnt' seem to be caused by any occurance but instead was chemical. All of this could have been told to us, the viewers, without the flashbacks, which I didn't care for at all. They weren't necessary and told us very little.

The Soloist was directed by Joe Wright who also did Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, both amazing movies. Jamie Foxx was very good in his role and Robert Downey, JR. was good, but not great - in my opinion. I think Chris liked this movie a lot more than I did - I just didn't care enough about the characters and was angry at being misled from the trailer.

I like this story from IMDB...

"The real Nathaniel Ayers was invited to view the filming of the scenes at Disney Hall in Los Angeles, but opted on the day to set up his cello and music across the street and continue playing saying "I really got something going here. I think I'm going to stay and play this just a little bit longer." Steve Lopez spoke about this incident in an interview conducted by Dave Davies for National Public Radio's program Fresh Air in April 2008. He added: "I look(ed) across (the street from Disney Hall) and there he is sawing away, as he calls it. And inside this building there are maybe three hundred people, the LA Philharmonic, the cast, the crew, are shooting a movie about his life. And I said to the producer Gary Foster 'You know what Gary, we picked the right name for this thing, The Soloist. There he is.'"