Soloist Reviewed: Plucking The Heart Strings

I saw the trailer for The Soloist a few months back, and the first thought that entered my mind was... Oscar Bait.  Two big names and a heartfelt story, this just screams for an Academy nod.  Despite my perception of this film I left very satisfied. 

I'm a huge Robert Downey Jr. fan, and thus my main desire to see Soloist.  Iron Man was one of my favorite films of last summer, and Robert Downey Jr. truly is Tony Stark.  I read an article in GQ chronicling the ups and downs (he has been to hell and back) of RDJ's life shortly after Iron Man was released and my respect for the man rose ten fold.    Jamie Foxx has his moments I'm not saying he's a gold digger (his performance in The Kingdom was amazing) but I can honestly say I've never gone out to see a film specifically because of Foxx.

I did my homework on this one, and listened to a through NPR interview with the real Steve Lopez (RDJ's character, yes RDJ doesn't look like a Lopez).  I wasn't sold on the film solely with the trailer but after hearing Lopez describe his relationship with Ayers (Foxx's character) I wanted to see more.

 

The Soloist is based on a book by the same name (written by Lopez), and if you're not already familiar with this story, RDJ is a writer at the LA Times and hungry for stories.  He stumbles upon Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Foxx's character) playing beautiful classic music in a park.  RDJ makes some conversation and finds out he was a student at Juilliard, and thus the ball starts rolling.  Foxx roams around on the streets of Los Angeles; a schizophrenic with an amazing musical talent.  RDJ invests a ton of time and effort into Foxx and the outcome was a very organic and natural flowing story. 

At no point did this film feel forced and the dynamic relationship between Foxx and RDJ was 100% legitimate.  Both of their performances were fantastic (possibly Oscar worthy) and you almost forget that Foxx is playing Ayers (I hope I'm not the only with with Jamie Foxx show memories).  The story felt so incredibly natural and not tainted with the sugar coating of Hollywood.  From the interview I listened to, the story remained fairly true to the book with the minor exception of the role of Lopez's wife.  In the movie him and his wife are divorced, and his wife is the editor at the Times (in real life they are still married, and she never was his editor).  The portrayal of the homeless in the film seemed quite true to reality, and in fact many of the extras were played by actual residents at LAMP (the Skid Row community center). 

This film is definitely worth a watch especially if you are a Robert Downey Jr. fan.  It feels natural and organic and plays out quite well on screen.  You will leave the theater hungry for some classical music, and perhaps more compassion for the homeless.