Journalist Steve Lopez stumbles upon homeless musician Nathaniel
Ayers, who also suffers from a form of schizophrenia (and was also
a former Julliard student to boot). Lopez, sensing a story, takes
Ayers under his wing, only to become the one friend Ayers has.
Sounds like a horrible sappy story, right? It could've been. Hell,
it still is, in a way; at points, THE SOLOIST falls significantly
flat (yes, the pun is intended). But at other points it soars.
True, a lot of this belongs to director Joe Wright, who turns this
film into a minor epic, thanks in large part to the Beethoven
soundtrack (and there are a few scenes that will steal your breath
away, almost-perfect combinations of music and imagery). But the
true heart of the movie lies in the acting. Jaime Foxx should have
been the star here; he's nuanced and physical, a real presence on
the screen. But it's Robert Downey Jr. who walks away with the
lead-actor credit. This is Downey's film: he gets to display all of
his trademark bits (his wit, his facial expressions, his emotional
range) and even goes a couple steps farther. It's not his greatest
performance, but it's up there, enough to steal the film from
(arguably) the most interesting character.
THE SOLOIST isn't for everybody. It's slow, plodding in spots, and
the plot is (let's admit it) uninspired, even if it is based on a
true story. Nor does it really have much to say about the homeless,
though it tries (this attempt at a social message leads to a flat
ending, though it's counter-balanced by the fact that Wright used a
lot of real homeless people as extras). Still, despite all its
flaws, THE SOLOIST is a definite Oscar-contender, thanks to its two
main actors. If you want to see an actor's piece, with some
excellent music and a few jaw-dropping scenes, then look no
further.