The Soloist

Kudos to director Joe Wright and screenwriter Suzannah Grant for making The Soloist one of the finest movies I've had the pleasure to see in a very long time. I have admired Robert Downey Jr. as an actor... well... forever. Jamie Foxx's performances, especially in Ray, are always right on. The third actor in this extraordinary film is the music. Wright even gives "the music" scenes of its own. Which, I suppose, is why the genre of this film is "Drama/Musical". This true and moving story literally soars. Steve Lopez (Downey) finds Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx) on a LA street playing a violin with only 2 strings. Lopez, a journalist, is discontented with his work and his life. Although he has no real connection in any of his relationships he becomes interested in Ayers. He discovers that Ayers, now mentally ill, was once a musical prodigy studying at Julliard. Despite the obvious "disconnections" these men have with their own lives, they form a bond, one that demands the better part of themselves. SEE THIS MOVIE. Be prepared to be moved.
Check it out...Go to Wikipedia for more information about Nathaniel Ayers, including the foundation bearing his name that was started in 2008 with an aim to support artistically gifted people with mental illness. "The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music", by Steve Lopez, was based on his relationship with Ayers. See Robert Downey Jr. in Good Night and Good Luck, Air America, Only You, and Zodiac, all available to borrow at the Nesmith Library. Or check out Any Given Sunday, Dream Girls, Collateral, Ray, or Toys with Jamie Foxx.

Poster courtesy of MSN Movies