THE SOLOIST

British director Joe Wright generally sidesteps the obvious as he transforms true events into an understated, quietly uplifting account of an unlikely friendship.

A dynamic Robert Downey Jr plays Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez.

Always on the look out for a good story, he becomes intrigued by a homeless man who fills the air of Los Angeles with plaintive renditions of Beethoven on a two-string violin.

The man is Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a former Juilliard cello student whose life has been blighted by schizophrenia.

Flashbacks sketch in the details of Ayers bright promise and his journey to skid row.

Maintaining a sense of restraint throughout, Wright and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey delve into the hidden corners of Los Angeles, capturing a glimpse of life for the 90,000 homeless people in the city.

Wright also explores the nature of this friendship as Lopez ultimately questions his right to play God with Ayers’ life and Ayers struggles to accept the new opportunities being offered to him.

Backed by convincing performances from the two stars, The Soloist is a muted human drama with a strong social conscience.

VERDICT 3/5
(Cert 12A; 116 mins)

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