The Soloist DVD Review

Published on February 1, 2010 by Alex Wagner · View Comments

1249195873 Joe Wright’s latest completely passed me by on its theatrical release. I was always semi-interested in watching it but for some reason I just never got round to seeing it. For somebody that spends a lot of the time at the cinema it is quite sad that I missed it because having now seen it I feel it must have looked extraordinary on the big screen. It’s true to say that it didn’t have a good run in the cinema and pretty much all the reviews I read at the time exclaimed that it wasn’t anything but average.

Young British director Joe Wright makes his US debut here coming off the back of massive success with Pride & Prejudice and Atonement. A charismatic Robert Downey Jr. enjoys a career revival unlike any other seen before and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx who has proved to be as versatile as he is talented.

The Soloist tells the true story of Steve Lopez, a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. In 2005 Lopez found himself hard pressed for ideas. It was at this time while stuck in the middle of writers block that he met Nathaniel Ayers; a mentally ill, homeless street musician, who caught Lopez’s attention because of his incredible talent.

Even though Ayers was using half-broken instruments his ability on the violin was nothing short of extraordinary. Digging a little deeper Lopez found out that Ayers had actually trained at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music. Armed with this knowledge Lopez set about writing a series of acclaimed articles devoted to his new friend and his life with the intention of helping him to find a better life..

Let’s face it, this story has Oscar glory written all over it and yet the Academy seems to have shoved it to one side much like the majority of the world has. It really is a shame and I can only hope more people will get to see it on DVD because the film is actually very good.

The Soloist of the title could essentially refer to both lead characters. The obvious reference being Jamie Foxx’s schizophrenic musical prodigy but Downey Jr’s stuck-in-a-rut journalist can also be described as somewhat of a soloist. He might be married but creatively he inhabits a world very much by himself. The two leads both give extremely solid performances. They work off each other so well it’s like watching a duet in perfect harmony. Downey Jr. utilises his extreme likeability very well in a performance that is powerful, compassionate and humane. It’s a very human emotion to want to help those less fortunate than yourself but it’s just as human to be arrogant enough to want to help on your own terms. This is Steve Lopez’s flaw and Downey Jr hits the nail squarely on the head.

Foxx on the other hand excels in what I can only describe as understated mania. His eyes evoke such pain and suffering yet display immense love when he is able to express himself by playing music. His voice and mannerisms are joyful when he talks about his beloved Beethoven and so it becomes even more powerful when later in the film his mental illness takes control and he becomes prone to violent outbursts. They are two of the greatest acting performances I have seen in a while and it’s criminal that both of them aren’t nominated for any major awards.

Tom Hollander gives a very good supporting performance as Graham Claydon. A musician and teacher that is asked by Lopez to help Nathaniel back on the right track. Claydon soon realises that music and mental illness are two very different things and he just isn’t prepared to deal with both.

Catherine Keener (as always) is great as Mary Weston, Lopez’s wife but I can’t help but feel her part is slightly underwritten. When she is on screen she is brilliant but she just isn’t given enough time. Also the film has a couple of minor pacing problems here and there. Its slight dips in the narrative hinder the progression of the story.

Pride & Prejudice and Atonement both have a distinct visual style. Joe Wright is obviously a director with a keen eye for visuals but here he wasn’t going to be able to rely on lush British gardens or Keira Knightley’s pout. The Soloist is visually a much uglier story and Joe Wright adapts his talents very well. The scenes of degradation within the Los Angeles homeless community is strikingly bleak and when we are treated to flashbacks from Nathaniel’s past and the start of his schizophrenia it is nightmarish to say the least. Taking full advantage of dark colours and extreme close-ups Wright takes us into a world so sad and deranged we can’t help but be mesmerised.

It goes without saying that the film comes complete with an ace up its sleeve. The music acts like a very important third character and doesn’t let us down at all. Make no mistake about it, this is very powerful stuff. All in all however I absolutely enjoyed The Soloist and I truly believe it is a film that in the long run will stand out as something that Foxx, Downey Jr. and Joe Wright can be proud to have on their C.V’s. Here we find a director perfecting his craft and two lead performances of the highest order.

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