The Soloist [Theatrical Release] |  | Manufacturer: DreamWorks
Category: Theatrical Release
This item is no longer available
Rating:  15 reviews
Language: English (Unknown)
Region: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
ASIN: B001FB5620
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Sometimes people randomly cross paths, and forever will be changed. That's the subtle, yet profound, message of The Soloist, a deeply moving and deeply human film about people and what, and whom, they connect with. Robert Downey Jr., who is effortlessly charismatic, plays Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, whose job it is to report on the character and characters, of Southern California. But even a (slightly) jaded reporter can be profoundly touched by a story he reports on, and then allows to unfold in real time. The subject of Lopez's column is Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx, also in a stellar turn), a homeless street musician whose lovely music--played on a battered two-string violin--Lopez hears one day on a walk not far from the Times office. Lopez learns Ayers once attended Juilliard before mental illness sent him into a spiral, and the column detailing Ayers' journey touches the community--as well as both men. The film (based on Lopez's book, follows the halting journey of their friendship, and how sometimes people's lives can't be fixed. Director Joe Wright (Atonement) cast real homeless Angelenos in the many street and social services scenes, giving the film an even more heart-wrenching and realistic patina. If the film doesn't always live up to its high aspirations (the trippy effects, which supposedly show what Ayers sees when he hears Beethoven, are straight out of a 1968 light show), it nonetheless has a big heart. And in an era in which newspapers are struggling to survive, it's heartening to see a contemporary story about a newspaper that can still affect change. --A.T. Hurley
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 Well-Acted, Though the Narrative Looks Unfocused June 20, 2009
Tsuyoshi
"The Soloist" is based on true events. The film is well-intentioned, well-acted and full of details - especially the details of homeless people's life in LA. The theme is immediate and the story's appeal is universal, and it is obvious that Joe Wright ("Atonement") is doing his best to tell the good story sincerely and to describe every character with compassion and empathy. However, I was a little disappointed with "The Soloist" not because it turned out not a "heart-warming" film (I usually like heart-warming movies), but because the film's narrative lacks power and emotions.
Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) is a columnist for Los Angles Times, who in 2005 meets a homeless man Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx) playing a violin with only two strings in a LA park. Steve Lopez is not really interested in the musician with a half-broken instrument until the columnist discovers one fact about his background; Nathaniel once attended prestigious Juilliard School. The journalist, whose columns become popular among readers, buys a new musical instrument for him and is willing to give more, but soon he finds that getting closer to Nathaniel is much more difficult than he supposed.
Though the film should be credited for tackling some complex issues like mental illness, it does not actually tell us much about the relation between the two main characters. The screenplay of Susannah Grant ("Erin Brockovich") does not explain the motives on the side of Steve Lopez (except in some lines by Catherine Keener who is wasted) and his character looks sometimes unconvincing. Does he really want to help him? Or is he only exploiting him? Why is he interested in him in the first place?
Instead of a simple, straight-forward narrative, director Joe Wright employs frequent flashbacks in which Nathaniel Ayers's younger days are depicted. In a way the film seems wavering between two stories - one about Nathaniel Ayers and the other about Steve Lopez - not knowing which to follow. Perhaps we should admire the film's narrative skills for its unique attempt to encompass as much as it can, but for those who are interested in these two main characters, Joe Wright's narrative techniques are just frustrating, making the entire film rather unfocused.
Not that "The Soloist" is a total failure. With those gifted actors like Robert Downey Jr. it simply cannot be. Still I cannot help feeling that with someone else to helm the film, it could have been a much more engaging and absorbing drama.
 Beethoven on Skid Row May 26, 2009
Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States)
When I saw this movie, I didn't know anything about the factual situation on which it was based. I didn't know about the book by Lopez, one of the two main characters, or the "60 minutes" show describing the relationship between Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez and his friend Nathaniel Ayers, a brilliant but deeply troubled musician. Thus, I tried to see the movie for itself, rather than relate it to a life situation or to a book or show.
In the movie Steve Lopez, played by Robert Downey Jr. is looking for a basis for a good story to, among other things, bolster the decline in the readership of his newspaper. In a corner of Pershing Park in downtown Los Angeles, there is a large statue of the great composer Beethoven. I don't know why it is there, but a commemoration of Beethoven needs no excuse. While having lunch in the park, Lopez meets an unlikely companion, a homeless African American man who pushes an old shopping cart with all his worldy possessions and who plays a battered two-string violin. This person is Nathaniel Ayers played by Jamie Foxx. The two men strike up a conversation and Lopez learns that Ayers had once attended the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
At first, Lopez is opportunistic, looking primarily to make a good story. But he soon develops a genuine friendship for Ayers. The homeless and visibly disturbed Ayers had been a child prodigy and then a student of the cello at Juilliard. When Lopez' first column about Ayers appears,stressing his musical gifts and his descent into homelessness, a generous woman gives Lopez her cello to give to Ayers. Ayers loves the instrument and loves music. Ayers' favorite composer is Beethoven, and he plays and talks about Beethoven's music constantly, including the cello line from the third symphony, string quartets, the cello sonatas, the "Triple" concerto, and more.
Ayers appears to be both schizophrenic and paranoid. He frequents a Los Angeles homeless shelter known as "The Lamp" while spending his days dodging traffic and trying to make music. The movie describes Lopez' efforts to help Ayers pursue his music again.
The movie describes the redemptive power of music, particularly the music of Beethoven. Ayers plays his music with a passion that any lover of music will recognize. Lopez, who is not musical, comes to understand this trait in his friend. The many scenes involving Beethoven, his statue, Ayer's playing and ramblings, and the playing of other musicians shows the power of his music to bring value to life. One of the most moving scenes in this movie comes at the end. While the credits roll at the end of the movie, the Los Angeles Phiharmonic plays the beautiful, serene slow movement from Beethoven's "Choral" symphony. The movie was filed in Los Angeles and in Cleveland, where Ayers spent his childhood.
Ayer's life and Beethoven's music are juxtaposed effectively with skid row Los Angeles. Many of the scenes were shot on location and feature actual residents of The Lamp. These scenes were effective for what they showed of skid row and for their relationship to Ayers' illness and to the power of music. Beethoven of course did not have the power to cure schizophrenia. His music, however, gave Ayers a reason to live.
Portions of the movie don't work very well. There is unnecessary psychedelic imagery accompanying many of the scenes featuring Beethoven's music. And the movie tends to wander when it delves into Lozez' private life, separate from his relationship to Ayers. But the core of the movie, the friendship, Ayers' troubled life, his love of music and of Beethoven, and the portrayal of skid row make this movie worth seeing. The acting of the two major characters, Downey and Foxx is persuasive.
I thought of one of my favorite authors, Charles Bukowski, in watching this movie. Bukowski is sometimes called the "Poet of Skid Row". He is famous for his tough, hardscrabble life and for his love of classical music. But compared to Ayers and The Lamp, Bukowski appears almost middle class and staid. This movie illustrates the power of music to sustain life even under the most trying emotional and physical surroundings.
Robin Friedman
 The Soloist - a actor out of tune May 18, 2009
J. Hernandez (CA)
When you pick a movie I hope one factor you will consider, are the actors in the movie using their fame to influence the moral fabric of our society in a positive or negative way? This is not a political statement this is a moral issue that effects are society. When a comedian/actor makes curl sexual and racist remarks about a teenager and her father we should ask ourselves (do I want to support that behavior)? In this case Mr. Foxx behavior tears at the social fabric that teaches our youth right from wrong, good behavior from bad that loving-kindness is better than hatefulness. Mr. Foxx should remember he is only entertainment and there is a lot of that out there for us to choose from. Saying sorry does not get him off the hook. It will not undue the hurt or remove the bad behavior he spreads to our youth. One way to stop this behavior is to stop being a fan of it. No longer see or buy anything they are part of. We cannot change them but we can stop the fame we give them.
A lull cadence that will only work for the truly interested May 16, 2009
Gregory Dyer (Tampa, Fl)
Detailing the life of Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a schizophrenic, musical genius who lives on the street. The Soloist seemed to be a movie that tries to teach tolerance and understanding when it comes to the mentally disabled and the homeless. It may be touted as a long boring movie, but that is not to say it wasn't a beautiful story with an outstanding score. The older viewer who likes when a film or story has a moral to it will really appreciate this while the young popcorn munching, red laser flashing, movie watcher will fall asleep.
Plot (Skip if you hate Spoilers)
Steve Lopez (Robert Downey JR.) is a well know journalist for the New York Times who is struggling due to the decrease in readership (a point which is blamed on the internet through dialogue and hinting) so he must find a good story and find it fast. One day whilst taking a lunch break he comes upon a homeless man playing a violin with only 2 strings. Curiously approaching the man and talking with him, Lopez learns that the man was a former student at the Julliard school and this prompts him to start a story on the musicians fall from grace.
The Soloist takes us into the lives of two very different men; One has a passion but lives with a lifelong obstacle of mental illness. The other is a man who has much going for him but struggles with commitment and loyalty. In essence these two souls find each other and unbeknownst to each other, help one another just by the influence of life.
My only gripe with the movie was the pacing because it did not offer much for excitement... for a film that honors Ludwig Van Beethoven as highly as this one, I did not experience any form of high crescendo but rather a lull cadence that will only work for the truly interested. It is a good watch for the parents who will no doubt leave saying "that was so beautiful" while dabbing away tears. For movie homers like myself I expected Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx to deliver acting unparalleled and I was not disappointed. However no matter how fine the acting, this isn't something I could sit through a second time. Informative... yes, but not entertaining.
Nevertheless, the attention to detail in showing us the homeless problem in Los Angeles and the public's continued ignorance in dealing with mentally ill people is spot on. It is definitely a must-see, even if you doze off a little bit.
 Beautiful Film May 6, 2009
Robert D. Shull (Fairfield, OH)
I have not written the book, so I can't tell you how the film version compares, but I can tell you that I was blown away by this film. The story is particularly compelling. It reminds us in the first instance of the humanity each of us possesses, but more than that it reminds us of the incredibly interesting human stories that wait to be uncovered if we would just take the time.
What I particularly liked about the film is that the director takes the audience way beyond the story. The viewer learns the story, but more than that the viewer feels the story. The director gives us a glimpse into the mind of Nathaniel Ayers in ways that were at once confusing, creepy and insightful. For example, the viewer hears the voices and sees the images that Nathaniel experiences. For a moment, I knew what Nathaniel felt and I understood his story that much clearer.
There are a few films that are truly life changing and in my opinion, The Soloist, is one of those films. I cried throughout the film as I experienced the emotional highs and lows. I learned more about myself and others than I thought was possible in the span of 2 hours. If there is only one film that you see, this should be it.
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