Spring Break
'The Soloist' gives new meaning to 'music buff'
Tim Pfarr
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Diversions
"The Soloist" is one of those movies. You can tell just by watching the trailers that it's one that warms and breaks the heart at the same time. It's a classic tale of one person trying to help another, but that person isn't sure he wants to be helped.
This is not new territory by any means, but "The Soloist" manages to break away from other similar films with clever directing and a cast that is beyond outstanding.
Based on a true story, the film follows Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downy Jr.) as he becomes friends with Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a homeless, schizophrenic street musician who dropped out of Julliard. Lopez and Ayers first meet on the street, where Ayers is playing gorgeous music on a violin that only has two strings. From here, the film takes off.
Jamie Foxx is easily the highlight of this film, playing the schizophrenic musician role so well it's almost creepy. His performance is absolutely mesmerizing. He talks so fast that it's almost impossible to start a coherent conversation with him, and when he hears music he almost looks like he's about to cry. Tears of joy of course - he digs the musical ecstasy.
The role of the troubled Steve Lopez is a natural fit for Robert Downy Jr., and director Joe Wright should not be overlooked either. The most unique sequence in the film is the synesthesia sequence Wright chooses to include when Lopez and Ayers attend a full orchestra performance. (Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where what is experienced in one sense spills over into another. An example is seeing colors when one hears music - this is the type appears in the film. It kind of looks like an iTunes visualization.) The colors dance across the screen as the music permeates the air, implying that Ayers sees such colors when he hears music.
Don't be surprised if "The Soloist" picks up a few awards at some point. The cast and crew hit this one out of the park.
Tim Pfarr
diversions@dailybarometer.com
This is not new territory by any means, but "The Soloist" manages to break away from other similar films with clever directing and a cast that is beyond outstanding.
Based on a true story, the film follows Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downy Jr.) as he becomes friends with Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a homeless, schizophrenic street musician who dropped out of Julliard. Lopez and Ayers first meet on the street, where Ayers is playing gorgeous music on a violin that only has two strings. From here, the film takes off.
Jamie Foxx is easily the highlight of this film, playing the schizophrenic musician role so well it's almost creepy. His performance is absolutely mesmerizing. He talks so fast that it's almost impossible to start a coherent conversation with him, and when he hears music he almost looks like he's about to cry. Tears of joy of course - he digs the musical ecstasy.
The role of the troubled Steve Lopez is a natural fit for Robert Downy Jr., and director Joe Wright should not be overlooked either. The most unique sequence in the film is the synesthesia sequence Wright chooses to include when Lopez and Ayers attend a full orchestra performance. (Synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where what is experienced in one sense spills over into another. An example is seeing colors when one hears music - this is the type appears in the film. It kind of looks like an iTunes visualization.) The colors dance across the screen as the music permeates the air, implying that Ayers sees such colors when he hears music.
Don't be surprised if "The Soloist" picks up a few awards at some point. The cast and crew hit this one out of the park.
Tim Pfarr
diversions@dailybarometer.com
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