Spring Break
REVIEW: 'The Soloist' is first Oscar contender of the year
4 out of 5 stars
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Focus
Riveting, emotional and visual are only a few of the words that can be used to describe one of the most honest and original films of the year, "The Soloist."
Though the film was supposed to be released in time to be considered for the 2009 award season, it is undoubtedly strong enough in leading roles, supporting characters, directing and visual work to be in consideration this year.
Though the story is based on a true story, the film does not sugarcoat it, or give it a typical happy ending, making the story seem even more sincere and close to the heart.
Leads Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx star as a world-weary Los Angeles Times columnist named Steve Lopez and the lucid Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Jr. respectively. The two play incredibly well off each other.
Both men prove to be "soloists" in their own right. Both are loners of some sort; Lopez is often seen home alone, while Ayers finds solace in playing music in tunnels and in a park with a statue of his hero Beethoven near the Los Angeles Times building.
While Lopez has trouble seeing the world as something beautiful, while Ayers astonishes him in his love and understanding of music. Music must truly be a universal language then which binds the two together. The film shows the growth of Lopez's and Ayers' acquaintance and then friendship. Like all friendships, it has its twists and turns, hug-it-out moments and shouting matches, but it all leads to a universal understanding between two very different people and becomes enthralling to watch on the screen.
The subject matter of the film, while about friendship and understanding, is also about homelessness in the Los Angeles area. A good portion of the film centers around a homeless shelter in a shady neighborhood of Los Angeles and introduces the audience to a gritty world filled with unconventional people. The performances by the homeless people are enough to make you wonder "Are these actors or real people?" The end of the film becomes a little preachy on homelessness, but the film is based on Lopez's book accounting the events from a journalistic point-of-view.
As gritty as these scenes are, they are riveting to watch from an outsider's point of view. The whole film is directed with this outsider's point of view, since director Joe Wright, who previously directed such period pieces as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Atonement," is British and does not have the usual perceptions of Los Angeles being a glamorous place to inhabit. Even Lopez's swanky house in the hills has a raccoon problem that he humorously tries to fix with a repulsive substance.
But while the "soloists" Lopez and Ayers are key to the film's success, there is a strong support system behind the two. Catherine Keener as Lopez's former wife and editor and Nelsan Ellis (of "True Blood" fame) as a homeless shelter counselor both act as guides for Lopez, transforming him into the responsible friend that Ayers needs him to be.
Though the film was supposed to be released in time to be considered for the 2009 award season, it is undoubtedly strong enough in leading roles, supporting characters, directing and visual work to be in consideration this year.
Though the story is based on a true story, the film does not sugarcoat it, or give it a typical happy ending, making the story seem even more sincere and close to the heart.
Leads Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx star as a world-weary Los Angeles Times columnist named Steve Lopez and the lucid Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Jr. respectively. The two play incredibly well off each other.
Both men prove to be "soloists" in their own right. Both are loners of some sort; Lopez is often seen home alone, while Ayers finds solace in playing music in tunnels and in a park with a statue of his hero Beethoven near the Los Angeles Times building.
While Lopez has trouble seeing the world as something beautiful, while Ayers astonishes him in his love and understanding of music. Music must truly be a universal language then which binds the two together. The film shows the growth of Lopez's and Ayers' acquaintance and then friendship. Like all friendships, it has its twists and turns, hug-it-out moments and shouting matches, but it all leads to a universal understanding between two very different people and becomes enthralling to watch on the screen.
The subject matter of the film, while about friendship and understanding, is also about homelessness in the Los Angeles area. A good portion of the film centers around a homeless shelter in a shady neighborhood of Los Angeles and introduces the audience to a gritty world filled with unconventional people. The performances by the homeless people are enough to make you wonder "Are these actors or real people?" The end of the film becomes a little preachy on homelessness, but the film is based on Lopez's book accounting the events from a journalistic point-of-view.
As gritty as these scenes are, they are riveting to watch from an outsider's point of view. The whole film is directed with this outsider's point of view, since director Joe Wright, who previously directed such period pieces as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Atonement," is British and does not have the usual perceptions of Los Angeles being a glamorous place to inhabit. Even Lopez's swanky house in the hills has a raccoon problem that he humorously tries to fix with a repulsive substance.
But while the "soloists" Lopez and Ayers are key to the film's success, there is a strong support system behind the two. Catherine Keener as Lopez's former wife and editor and Nelsan Ellis (of "True Blood" fame) as a homeless shelter counselor both act as guides for Lopez, transforming him into the responsible friend that Ayers needs him to be.
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