The Soloist is a character-driven drama staring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx.
Jamie Foxx plays Nathianial Ayers, the Julliard dropout living on the street. While the former prodigy is now suffering from schizophrenia, he still retains a love of music; most notable of which would be the work of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Robert Downey Jr. plays LA Times Writer Steve Lopez. His true-life friendship with Nathanial Ayers is the plot of this movie...
Overall, this film has been getting mixed reviews, but there are two sides to every story.
On the one hand, the script could have been better. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't. For those of you who have seen the movie, you know what I mean... It is based on a true story, so let's keep it at that.
Now, here is where the movie gets interesting. What Foxx was able to bring to the table in this movie shattered all expectations. Yes, he has won an Oscar in the past (Personally, I thought he was better in Collateral, but who cares). His determination to bring this character to life was unbelievable. I have no doubt that he will receive some kind of nomination for this film. If he does not, it will be a shame. Foxx consumed himself into the role by learning to play the cello and even chiseling his teeth in order to show a more realistic appearence. The performance shown on the screen is a captivating piece of art that is so very true to life.
While Robert Downey Jr. has yet to win an Oscar, his time will come. He is brilliant, and truly puts his heart and soul into everything he does. Steve Lopez, while he has more screen time, is clearly not the intended central character. He is purely the catalyst for the story to take place. Downey knew exactly how far to take his character in order to let Nathanial Ayers' story engulf the audience. It is Jamie Foxx, though, who truly steals the show.
Overall... While the plot is thin, the acting more than makes up for it.
Is it worth seeing? Yes. For those of you who are music lovers, go ahead and see the movie. The Jamie Foxx performance will make you question how his talents have almost gone unnoticed since his Oscar-winning performance.
Theatre or rental? That depends... The music is definitely intended to be heard in a theatre, so please enjoy the quality / surround sound that the theatre provides. For those of you who have your reservations, go ahead and wait until the movie comes out on DVD.
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