A Decent Melodrama!

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2015)

The Soloist is one of those films I remember not living up to its hype, especially when it came to Oscar season. Perhaps that is why I skipped that film until now. It's really not a bad film at all, led by two central performances from Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. Granted, the film moves at a snail-like pace at times, but this melodrama brings to light some important issues such as mental disorders and homelessness. These two subjects should not be said in the same sentence, but in the case of Nathaniel Ayers, it unfortunately is the case.
Based on a true story, Joe Wright's film is about a LA Times reporter named Steve Lopez who has a chance encounter with a homeless schizophrenic named Nathaniel Avery, who is incredibly gifted with the cello. Steve decides to use him as a story topic and in the process, a friendship was forged.
The film is well-acted because of the two incredibly gifted actors in the lead. Jamie Foxx showed dramatic acting chops in 2004's Ray, and now he does so again in the Soloist. This may not be the best portrayal with this subject (Russell Crowe was better in 2001's A Beautiful Mind), but it was still a powerful performance nonetheless. Robert Downey Jr did a great job as the reporter who introduced this man to the world.
Overall, The Sololist is a solid melodrama, although it's nothing special. The performances were excellent and I liked the story itself. The screenplay is a little weak and a little confusing at times, so thank heavens for Foxx and Downey! Poverty has always been a big issue in LA, but it seems like LA is the homeless capital of the world. A very important theme of this movie. A good, watchable melodrama. I rate this film 8/10.