The Soloist

This was one of those movies that you see the preview for, it looks good, but you won’t get around to it ‘til it’s on DVD. (That’s why the Redbox is my friend.)  This one though, I wish I would’ve seen a lot sooner.  The movie is based on a true story that took place just a couple years ago in Los Angeles.  Robert Downey Jr. is a columnist named Steve Lopez who’s life is a dump before he meets this homeless musical prodigy, Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx).  The show goes on to tell a surprisingly real story about these two men’s relationship. Ayers is schizophrenic and can’t relate to the outside world, his only moments of clarity come when he is playing his music, mostly classical string symphony pieces.  When Lopez befriends him and starts to write a very successful column about him, he sort of adopts him and tries to help him in some way.  It doesn’t leave you at the end feeling like life is wonderful for both of them and all their problems are solved, but you undoubtedly know that their interaction has changed the both of them for the better.

Throughout this movie, there is a really interesting portrayal of each man’s image of God.  At one point, Lopez realizes just how Nathaniel’s passion for music goes. He sees that it removes all of his fears and instabilities and allows him to feel something more and greater than the world has to offer.  When he asks his friend what that is, she replies, very interestingly, that it’s grace. Jamie Foxx’s character also reveals that he thinks of Mr. Lopez as his own god. He sees Lopez as flying high above him (in the skyscrapers of LA), taking care of him and protecting him.  As Lopez tries to dissuade Nathaniel of this notion, we see him struggle with the thought of being in that savior position.

This movie really has a lot to offer. The acting is just great. Downey continues his comeback tour, swinging from action hero to black-face comedian to this deep emotional character study.  I hope that he makes a lot of movies as he has really hit his prime. The music is really the centerpiece of the whole thing, and if you have ever studied or played classical music, then you will want to go buy this soundtrack.  It’s also got these great undertones of the plight of homeless people in America, an intensely moving look into the troubled mind of Nathaniel, and even a large amount of laughter as these two’s interaction almost reminds me of a buddy comedy. All in all, I don’t imagine anyone walking away from this movie disappointed.  Just to mention, there is a fair amount of language, but other than that, it’s also really decent.  Pay your Redbox a visit; put it on your Netflix queue, you won’t regret it.

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