Yet another supposedly true story, I found utterly unbelievable..

Rating: 5/10 (6 August 2009)

The Soloist is another example of a movie that starts with the assumption the audience knows who then characters are & what the movie will be all about.
There are only two main characters in this sad tale of a reporter trying to find a story when he meets this talented but mentally flawed homeless man playing a violin with missing strings.
Robert Downey Jr. is Steve Lopez a reporter for the Los Angeles Times who writes human interest stories. Since I live in Los Angeles & read the Times every day I am familiar with Mr Lopez & his writings. I am being very picky here, The do show a 'pic' of Mr. Lopez with his column & his hair seems very white. Mr. Downey has very dark hard & to me it did not help his characterization. I felt he was not convincing in his part.
Jaime Foxx is Lawrence Ayers, an ex-Juliliard student, homeless & with mental problems,He was a fine cello player.
We do see the plight of the homeless people vividly portrayed. Since this plight is basically the crux of the film,it is not a happy or enjoyable movie.
There is some beautiful music played, BUT to be truthfully honest String music does nothing for me. I am a piano man. Mr Foxx was Ray Charles a few years back,Mr Charles was a troubled man as well. The music made that film very exciting & interesting to me. To me Violin & Cello music does not excite me at all.
Thusly I found the film a big bore.
It was supposed to be released for last years Oscar race,Wisely they did not,as was not worthy of any award consideration.
Joe Wright directed from Susannah Grant's screen play which she adapted from Steve Lopez' book.
Filmed on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Running time is a long 117 minutes,
Ratings: **1/2 (out of 4) 66 points (out of 100) IMDb 5 (out of 10).
NOTE: 66 points is at the bottom range of the 2-1/2 * rating.