Friday, April 24, 2009

Movie review: The Soloist

Acoustics of the underpass.

By John P. Meyer

At Tuesday night's (April 21) special pre-release screening of The Soloist (at Dallas' Cinemark 17), those lucky enough to be in attendance were treated to a pre-movie concert put on by participants in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Young Strings program - which made for a pleasant change of pace from the usual screaming audience t-shirt giveaways.

(Though, sadly, time was allotted for that activity as well.)

The tie-in should be obvious to anyone who's seen the movie trailer: Jamie Foxx plays Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man adrift on the streets of Los Angeles who harbors a fondness for classical music in general and Beethoven in particular. Surprisingly to those who encounter him, Ayers plays a mean violin - even when only two strings remain on the instrument.

Running into Ayers (after running face-first into the pavement after a spill from his bicycle) is L.A. Times feature columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.), who smells a story surrounding this seeming savant - particularly after he confirms that Ayers once attended Juilliard. Lopez imagines he's found a real-life Bojangles, and can hardly believe his reporter's good fortune.

But Nathaniel Ayers' life and circumstances refuse to slot themselves neatly into Lopez's (or our) expectations: while it's true that his ability to coax the music of the spheres from a discarded instrument is astounding, his mental state precludes him from experiencing the kind of life-changing transformation that Lopez imagines he can help enact. The voices in Nathaniel's head won't allow him to morph into an alls-well-that-ends-well, Hollywood-crafted hero.

And it's this unexpected level of complexity (unhinted at in the movie trailer) that lends the film its surprising power - that, and the outstanding performances by both Downey and (especially) Foxx, whose alternately frenetic, distracted, tormented and transported countenance causes us to experience the same symphony of emotions that his character must evidently be feeling.

Director Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice; Atonement) employs flashbacks to introduce us to Nathaniel Ayers' childhood, during which supportive family members encouraged him to nourish his talent - at a time when the first signs of his acute mental disorder were beginning to make themselves apparent.

Through the eyes of reporter Lopez, the movie takes us into the heart of Skid Row, where operators of a facility called LAMP offer aid and comfort to some of the thousands of homeless in the city. It's an intimidating vision of a segment of society whose ranks are burgeoning, and whose problems go much farther than a need for a roof over their heads.

Playing second fiddle to Downey and Foxx are Catherine Keener, as Lopez's wife (who also happens to be his managing editor); Nelsan Ellis as a LAMP facility manager; Justin Martin as young Nathaniel; and Tom Hollander as a first-chair symphony orchestra member who offers to take Nathaniel under his tutelage - with unexpected results.

Weaving its way throughout are interludes of musical performance that demonstrate the power of music to soothe, inspire and elevate.

Immerse yourself in the acoustics of the underpass: enjoy the movie.

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• Arts > Movies / Film > Mainstream Movies