The Soloist (2009)

Director:

Joe Wright

Writers (WGA):

Susannah Grant (screenplay)
Steve Lopez (book)

Release Date:

24 April 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Life has a mind of its own

Plot:

A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Julliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

Plot Keywords:

Musician | Journalist | Columnist | Los Angeles Times | Reporter

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Nathaniel Ayers
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Steve Lopez
Catherine Keener	...	Mary Weston
Tom Hollander	...	Graham Claydon
Lisa Gay Hamilton	...	Jennifer Ayers (as Lisagay Hamilton)
Nelsan Ellis	...	David Carter
Rachael Harris	...	Leslie Bloom
Stephen Root	...	Curt Reynolds
Lorraine Toussaint	...	Flo Ayers
Justin Martin	...	Young Nathaniel
Kokayi Ampah	...	Bernie Carpenter
Patrick Tatten	...	Paul Jr.
Susane Lee	...	Marisa (as Susane E. Lee)
Marcos De Silvas	...	Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
Ilia Volok	...	Harry Barnoff

Also Known As:

Imagining Beethoven (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some drug use and language.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

UK | USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44923) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:12 | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | UK:12A | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The film makers shot on "skid row" in Los Angeles, which is known for being home to one of the largest stable populations of transient persons (homeless) in the United States.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lopez pulls over in the tunnel after spotting Ayers, his car blocks the right lane. In subsequent shots, cars are seen in the background cruising through that very same lane, one even merges into it, even though Lopez's car is blocking it just a few yards ahead.

Quotes:

Steve Lopez: I've never loved anything the way he loves music.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) (TV)

Actually more like a duet

Joe Wright is one of the best directors in the film business right now. Whether considering his highly-acclaimed 21st Century adaptation of Pride And Prejudice (the best directorial feature film debut since John Huston's The Maltese Falcon in 1941 if you ask me) or the multi-Oscar-nominated war/romance epic Atonement, Wright's work really stands out in today's Hollywood. Wright works on a smaller scale for his third film, The Soloist, but achieves the same level of brilliance that his first two films have. Based on the true story of Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez's (Robert Downey Jr.) writings on homeless musician Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), The Soloist is a stylish and deeply moving drama.

Bringing in Atonement buddies, cinematographer Seamus McGarvey and composer Dario Marianelli, Wright creates an amazing looking and feeling film with The Soloist. Never have the slums of Los Angeles looked so good until Wright and McGarvey captured them for the backdrop to Lopez and Ayers' story. Marianelli writes a delicate piece of music of the film and no doubt arranges the many pieces of classical music wonderfully (Ayers specifically has a thing for Beethoven's music). The Soloist ends up just as powerful visually and emotionally as Wrights other films.

The film is titled "The Soloist" and one will naturally assume that the film centers around Nathaniel Ayers, considering the fact that he is the one playing instruments alone in various parts of the L.A. However, the film is really about Steve Lopez and how Ayers changes him. Robert Downey Jr. offers up one of the finest performances of his career as Steve - his calm and subtle performance bringing out the dry nature (and humor) and care of the character. Downey Jr.'s Steve character has been getting used to not really caring or having to think about anything or anyone else, since screwing up his relationship with his now ex-wife and son, but all that is about to change when Steve finds the homeless Nathaniel Ayers playing Beethoven in downtown L.A. Steve sees a story in Nathaniel, and his research leads him to discover that Nathaniel was once a student at the prestigious Juilliard School studying the cello. Further research and time spent with Nathaniel reveals his losing battle with schizophrenia. Jamie Foxx gives a striking portrayal of Nathaniel Ayers, unnerving the viewer with Ayers' unpredictable mental state while charming them with the character's child-like manner and passion for music. Foxx is at his best here in The Soloist, also giving one of the best performances of his career. Lopez sees Nathaniel simply as an interesting subject to write on at first but the more time Steve spends with Nathaniel, the more Steve wants to help him succeed as a musician. That proves to be a difficult task, for both Steve and Nathaniel, and their relationship becomes quite complex.

Apart from the character drama aspect of the film, Wright also uses The Soloist to comment on the problems of homelessness in the United States. However, it is unclear if Wright meant to do this or not, the film presents a clear answer as to why all of these people are homeless: they are all insane! So while the social statement of the film dies on impact, the stylish character drama played out perfectly by Downey Jr. and Foxx remains strong and easily carries The Soloist on its own. In the end, Wright delivers yet another brilliant film.