Film Reviews

The Soloist

• Rating:
• Director: Joe Wright
• Starring: Jamie Foxx
• Details: US/112mins (12A)

Having sat on the shelf for a few months past its sell by date, The Soloist comes with sufficiently lowered expectations after initially being mooted as an awards contender. In fairness, given the talent involved both in front and behind the camera, and the awards friendly tale of a homeless genius with mental problems, this really should've at least been in the mix. But, despite an extremely strong turn from Robert Downey Jr., director Wright's debut contemporary-set feature never connects with the viewer the way it should.
Based on a book, which is based on something that actually happened, the film sees LA Times reporter Steve Lopez struggling to find some front page fodder, when he stumbles across a Nathanael Ayers, a homeless man with a past that might just make a great story. Nathanael was once considered a genius, as he excelled as a musician from a young age. But just as he was blossoming at the prestigious Julliard, his mental state quickly deteriorated, and he struggled to function as a regular member of society. Soon, he is living on the streets, playing his music under a bridge in LA, which is when Lopez meets him and learns of his remarkable past. What follows is an often rocky relationship between the two, as Downey Jr.'s Lopez attempts to help Foxx's Ayers, whilst bagging recognition for his efforts through his gig at The Los Angeles Times.
The Soloist is, aesthetically at least, a beautiful film. It's wonderfully shot, and it has proven actors who soon found their way as bankable movie stars in the lead roles. It just doesn't work as well as it should have. Wright can't seem to make up his mind with how to deal with Ayers illness, so we're given choppy flashbacks in a chronological order that don't really serve a purpose. It feels like two, sometimes three, different films, stitched together with one mildly more enjoyable than the others. But even when set in the present it struggles to really work, this despite some stellar work from Downey Jr, as the often selfish reporter, who ultimately wants to do right by his troubled friend. Foxx is less successful, as the structure of the film makes it difficult to sympathise with his character.
It's hard not to be disappointed with The Soloist, as Wright struggles to transfer his obvious talent dealing with weighty material to a present day setting. Some might find its shortcomings incidental and be taken in by its core story regardless, but overall this is only really worth seeing for another impressive performance from Robert Downey Jr.

Review by Mike Sheridan