A Disappointing Continuation

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Joe Wright is one of the few directors who manage to surprise me every time i watch a new movie. I hadn't much interest in seeing this movie, until i heard he was involved, so i watched it and i think: The Soloist is a well told and fairly interesting drama, with a rarely used setting. I expected the photography to be good, and it was, but at first i wasn't sure about the coloring, everything looks mostly flat and down-to-earth, which is what they were going for i suppose, and it works okay with the movie.The actors are really great, Robert Downey Jr. is very good, but especially Jamie Foxx and Catherine Keener impressed me with their natural performances.The soundtrack is very much classic music the whole time, which fits the mood as well as the theme of the story.It's a nicely told little drama and your time won't be wasted...

'The Soloist' is one of those movies that pieces you together. I came across this title on reading Robert Downey Jr's biography. This is one of his most sincere portrayals. This is based on a book written by Steve Lopez. Downey plays Steve Lopez. The chemistry between Downey & Foxx is mystical. Both come together in the most unusual way. The movie explores one of the most debated topic; does a mentally ill person need medications to get better, is love and emotional support not way more powerful? Both characters feed off each other's friendship, making each a better person. The film puts forth a pertinent question; how many other Nathaniel Ayers lurk around, clueless and lost? Life is unpredictable. We may never truly know the answer to this question. However this movie is all about a gem found after being hidden for ever so long. This is by no means a fairy tale movie. Ayers does not get better in a jiffy. However his find, road to recovery & his attempt to refit into the society, not just helps him but Lopez too. Worth a watch. Does your heart a great good! :)

The Soloist (2009): Dir: Joe Wright / Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Lisa Gay Hamilton: Musical drama about two loners whom connect through common ground. Robert Downey Jr. plays a L.A. Times reporter bent on helping a schizophrenic violinist played by Jamie Foxx who doesn't want to be helped. We know where this is headed and despite the presence of two worthy leads, the material is about as old as rocks. Directed by Joe Wright with terrific music and location shots, which is the one positive highlight. Wright previously scored big with the award winning Atonement, which went beyond its actors and involved them in a compelling plot. That is unfortunately not the case here. Downey Jr and Foxx are two terrific talents that do their best to elevate stale material. We can see the outcome to this twenty blocks away from the theatre we are heading to in order to witness this dread. Catherine Keener and Tom Hollander are underused in supporting roles that really play like space fillers. Keener's character is the ex-wife of Downey Jr whom he now works for. The best element of this film is the two leads, which is great since supporting roles are bland. Despite familiarity the film celebrates music, talent and the graceful presence of friendship that invades the solo lifestyle. Whether that saves the film, is an individual choice. Score: 5 / 10

A compelling, fact-based story and a couple of powerhouse starring performances ignite The Soloist, a 2009 drama which attempts to put a human face on some hot-button issues, but, at times, seems to sacrifice the reality of the situations presented here for dramatic effect.The film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez, a writer for the LA Times, who happens upon a homeless man playing the violin and after a tentative encounter, learns that the man is named Nathaniel Ayers and spent 2 years studying the cello at Julliard, but did not graduate. Lopez finds himself drawn to the man, not to mention deciding that his story would make great material for his paper, but struggles to connect with the man, whose obvious mental health issues make it very difficult for Lopez to help the man, despite the fact that the series of articles he has written about Nathaniel are garnering attention and acclaim for him.The film is an emotionally charged look at Lopez' tireless obsession with making a personal connection with this gifted musician whose life went astray at some point and his frustration with the fact that he is powerless to help Nathaniel in the way that he needs the most help...help with his mental issues, that from what we've been shown, could be anything from autism to schizophrenia. The problem is that like a lot of people with serious mental issues, they are unaware that they have mental health issues and as long as they are not a danger to themselves or others, they cannot be forced into psychiatric treatment or medication that could help them and this is an issue that this story completely nails. Lopez' desire to help Nathaniel is the core of this story and the fact that he is powerless in securing this kind of help for the man, it doesn't matter that he actually finds the man a place to live or even gets his talent as a musician recognized, as long as his mental issues aren't properly addressed, he can never be a whole person again, something Lopez has difficulty accepting.Flashback sequences provide a peek into Nathaniel's past and we do see the beginning of his mental decay during an orchestra rehearsal where Nathaniel starts to hear voices in his head, but we are provided no further insight into the man's mental decay, which I found kind of aggravating.There is also a scene where a worn out Lopez appears to be giving up on Nathaniel and Nathaniel's response is to start asking Lopez personal questions about his own life, which just rang totally false to me...most mentally challenged people are in their own world and not prone to reaching out to others. I also had a problem with the idea of arranging for Nathan to actually give a recital. I had a hard time believing that Nathaniel would agree to such a thing but his reaction to being onstage legitimized that.What does ring true though is Jamie Foxx's brilliant performance as Nathaniel, which totally nails the character's delicate mental sensibilities...the way he constantly talks and you think he's not listening at all, but he does catch things here and there and the way he remembers everything he learned about Lopez during their first meeting when they meet for the second time, an ability which made me think there might be some facet of autism involved in Nathaniel's condition. He's in his own world but certain facts do register and lodge in his memory banks without ever exiting his personal mental orbit of which he is a virtual prisoner.Robert Downey Jr. matches Foxx note for note with a vivid performance that is so human that you almost don't see him acting. The performance is also a wonderful acting study in reaction and playing off the actions of another actor. Watch him when he takes the cello out of Nathaniel's arms that he received as an anonymous gift for Nathaniel or when Nathaniel gets physical with him at the end of the film. Robert Downey Jr. doesn't make a false move here and it is easy to overlook his work in the midst of Foxx's flash. I have a feeling that a lot of the direct communication between Lopez and Nathaniel was enhanced through Susannah Grant's screenplay for heightened drama rather than realism. Communicating with the mental ill, especially those with schizophrenia or autism, is a lot more difficult than depicted here. Bouquets to Catherine Keener and Lisa Gay Hamilton for bringing substance to the thankless roles of Lopez' editor/ex-wife and Nathaniel's sister, respectively. This film is a sobering indictment on the plight of the homeless and the mentally ill that even though slightly-over dramatized, pushes a lot of hot buttons and will definitely gnaw at your emotions.