Directed by: Joe Wright
Premise: The true story of the relationship between Los Angeles Times writer Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) and homeless
musical prodigy Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx).
What Works: The Soloist is very unique film
in some very subtle ways. The film takes on the topics of mental illness and
homelessness and often in stories like these there is a tendency to exploit the
character and their situation for drama, laughs, or sentimentality. Rather than
dealing with the real complexity of the situation or the nuances of characters,
the disabled and diseased are often turned into overly simplistic figures who
act out the cultural myths of perseverance and the virtue of the underdog. Also
in these stories, those who help the disadvantaged give the audience some
vicarious satisfaction by first confronting us with a social problem but then
easing our guilt and shared responsibility by showing us that someone cares and
is taking care of the problem. The Soloist avoids both of these missteps
and in the process ends up being more than a little subversive. The film refuses
to simplify Ayers’ situation and uses the cinema to give a sense of what
schizophrenia is like and communicate the world through his eyes. This avoids
the condescending attitude that often blames the victims. At the same time, the
story makes a point of holding Lopez accountable for the way he inserted himself
into Ayers’ life. There is an ethical dilemma on display in this film that is
nicely paralleled as Lopez’s columns for the Times draw attention to
Ayers and the plight of the homeless, but in the short term this attention is
used by city hall for political gain and by Ayers for personal gain, while the
social problem is ultimately left un addressed. Aside from the strong thematic
content, The Soloist features a pair of terrific performances by Foxx and
by Downey and the editing of the film, especially in its use of sound, is very
effective.
What Doesn’t: Some viewers may have trouble with The
Soloist because it violates the key expectations mainstream audiences will
have for this kind of story. Although this is to the film’s credit, those who
want that prefabricated, feel good underdog story may not find it here.
Bottom Line: The Soloist is an unexpectedly satisfying film to watch. It is a smart film that takes new routes on a familiar storyline and comes up with a compelling and even challenging piece of work.