The Soloist – Movie Review

British director Joe Wright makes a surprising transition from British period drama (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice), to cross the Atlantic shores and some of the underlying problems in the ‘city of angels’. Wright was in need of making an American film, and how refreshing for it not to be a commercial, clichéd attempt!

The film illustrates a poignant and heartfelt relationship between two very different characters – an award winning LA newspaper columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr) and a homeless, schizophrenic musician Nathanial Ayres (Jamie Foxx).

The relationship arises from Lopez suffering from writer’s block, and not being able to write for his column. A random encounter with Ayres brings out his writer’s instincts. It is mostly through Lopez’s eyes that we follow the story, and his dictated notes for his column. He has become very close to his subject and becomes Ayres’ only friend. Through this friendship he discovers that Ayres used to be one of the most gifted pupils at a prestigious LA music school, and wants to help him off the streets, and utilise his talent

Jamie Foxx’s performance is powerful. Not only do his psychedelic clothes authenticate his performance as a chronic schizophrenic, but the frenzied pace of his conversation, and his rash actions also portray the actions of a mentally unbalanced man

What started off as an idea for his column turns into a life changing friendship for both characters, but in very different ways…