A Lot of Questions, but Few Answers

Rating: 5/10 (9 August 2009)

THE SOLOIST is a difficult film to review. First, the subject matter: a newspaper writer of a human interest column for the LA Times, with personal problems of his own, encounters a schizophrenic homeless man who spends his days playing classical music on a two string violin and provides fodder for a new human interest column - an accidental encounter that develops into a friendship and challenge and some semblance of change in the personalities of both men. Second, the cast: performances by Jamie Foxx as the gifted homeless Julliard trained cellist Nathaniel Ayers and Robert Downey, Jr. as the troubled and frustrated but kind hearted writer Steve Lopez turn in very fine and credible performances. Third, the message: calling attention to the plight of the homeless and their need for simple acts of kindness is well portrayed. Fourth, the music that serves as a character in the film: the cello solos are played with grace and style by LA Phil cellist Ben Hong and the LA Philharmonic as conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen and present in the background and on the screen with in the grandeur of Disney Hall create as solid a film score as possible. Fifth, the supporting cast: with Catherine Keener in a thankless role as Lopez' boss and ex-wife, Marcos De Silvas as LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Tom Hollander as a cello instructor make the best of the poorly developed roles they are given.
So what goes wrong here? For this viewer the problems lie with the screenplay by Susannah Grant, an acceptable adaptation of Steve Lopez' novel, but so loaded with LA Times promo and info and mawkish sentimentality that the story all but drowns. Director Joe Wright seems to take the stance of letting the story flow on its own, the only relief being the use of flashbacks that attempt to explain the mental and physical state of Nathaniel Ayers. This is a film that longs to be loved, but in the end it is only a passable human interest story.
Grady Harp