Robin PottratzReview: Actors lift intriguing "Soloist" *** stars out of 4
June 2nd 2009 03:55
When the trailers for The Soloist debuted in the summer of 2008, it appeared that the film was a prototypical piece of Oscar bait. Two brilliant actors playing characters who are soul scarred and mentally ill, both go on a journey of redemption while being connected with music and eventual joy.
Yes, The Soloist is a piece of Oscar bait, and the Academy would no doubt have eaten it up had it stayed at its original release date of November 2008. However, the film got pushed back several times until it got a release this past April with little to no fanfare. It is actually a shame that it turned out that way, because as it turns out The Soloist is a solid film that avoids convention and features one good performance...and one great one.
The Soloist tells the story of Nathaniel Ayers (Jaime Foxx), a gifted musical prodigy who's gift eventually drives him to madness. Nathaniel goes from a Juilliard student to a homeless schizophrenic, playing a violin with two strings and pacing the world he doesn't understand and mumbling any thought in his head.
His fortunes change when he meets an LA Times reporter named Steve Lopez, played by Robert Downey Jr. Lopez has been down on his luck as well, from his failed relationship with his editor (a sharp Catherine Keener) to the scratches and scars on his face from a bicycle accident within the films first few minutes.
When Lopez hears Nathaniel play the violin and decides to write a story on him, both men take a journey that leads them down a road of joy, friendship, violence and heartbreak. The most important aspect of The Soloist is the adjective that I left out of that last sentence...redemption.
There is no redemption for either Lopez or Ayres...they are two people who accept their fates as flawed human beings...and become friends because of it. No one is saved, and you don't leave the theatre hopeful.
So...why should you see The Soloist?
Primarily, the two leads. Robert Downey Jr. hits every nuance in Steve Lopez, from his hard boiled intensity in the news room, to his dry sarcasm (a Downey specialty), to his back-peddling from any responsibility or vulnerability. This doesn't compare to his work in Tropic Thunder, but it is still a strong performance.
However, it is hard to focus on Downey's work when you experience the performance of Jamie Foxx as Ayres. Even if the film falls flat at times (which it does), Foxx delivers perhaps the best performance of his career. From the darting eyes, the nonsensical rambling, to the simultaneous sadness and joy that we see throughout his entire body when he plays...Foxx and Ayres share the same nerve endings and you feel every note. There is no doubt that Foxx would have been nominated for his performance last year had it been eligible...however, I think he has a solid shot at a nod next year...he is that good.
Still, The Soloist comes close, but never really cuts to the core. Foxx is amazing, Downey is solid, but the film never tugs at our heartstrings the way it is intended...which may or may not be the point that Director Joe Wright (Atonement) intended.
However, it is hard to deny the skill and effort that goes into The Soloist, which may go down as a solid...if sadly forgotten gem.
Yes, The Soloist is a piece of Oscar bait, and the Academy would no doubt have eaten it up had it stayed at its original release date of November 2008. However, the film got pushed back several times until it got a release this past April with little to no fanfare. It is actually a shame that it turned out that way, because as it turns out The Soloist is a solid film that avoids convention and features one good performance...and one great one.
Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. raise "The Soloist"
The Soloist tells the story of Nathaniel Ayers (Jaime Foxx), a gifted musical prodigy who's gift eventually drives him to madness. Nathaniel goes from a Juilliard student to a homeless schizophrenic, playing a violin with two strings and pacing the world he doesn't understand and mumbling any thought in his head.
His fortunes change when he meets an LA Times reporter named Steve Lopez, played by Robert Downey Jr. Lopez has been down on his luck as well, from his failed relationship with his editor (a sharp Catherine Keener) to the scratches and scars on his face from a bicycle accident within the films first few minutes.
When Lopez hears Nathaniel play the violin and decides to write a story on him, both men take a journey that leads them down a road of joy, friendship, violence and heartbreak. The most important aspect of The Soloist is the adjective that I left out of that last sentence...redemption.
There is no redemption for either Lopez or Ayres...they are two people who accept their fates as flawed human beings...and become friends because of it. No one is saved, and you don't leave the theatre hopeful.
So...why should you see The Soloist?
Primarily, the two leads. Robert Downey Jr. hits every nuance in Steve Lopez, from his hard boiled intensity in the news room, to his dry sarcasm (a Downey specialty), to his back-peddling from any responsibility or vulnerability. This doesn't compare to his work in Tropic Thunder, but it is still a strong performance.
However, it is hard to focus on Downey's work when you experience the performance of Jamie Foxx as Ayres. Even if the film falls flat at times (which it does), Foxx delivers perhaps the best performance of his career. From the darting eyes, the nonsensical rambling, to the simultaneous sadness and joy that we see throughout his entire body when he plays...Foxx and Ayres share the same nerve endings and you feel every note. There is no doubt that Foxx would have been nominated for his performance last year had it been eligible...however, I think he has a solid shot at a nod next year...he is that good.
Still, The Soloist comes close, but never really cuts to the core. Foxx is amazing, Downey is solid, but the film never tugs at our heartstrings the way it is intended...which may or may not be the point that Director Joe Wright (Atonement) intended.
However, it is hard to deny the skill and effort that goes into The Soloist, which may go down as a solid...if sadly forgotten gem.
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