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The Soloist captivates with its musical heart. But The Soloist has much more on its plate: mental illness, homelessness, and journalistic struggles are some of its many features. The diversity of these elements is The Soloist’s greatest strength and greatest weakness.
This film is blessed with two incredible performances from its leads. Jamie Foxx brings Nathaniel Ayers to life with nervous chatter, passionate instrumental focus, and an inherent complexity. His preparation for the role is made apparent by his interactions with Robert Downey Jr., but also something deeper.
Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Steve Lopez is typical territory for the actor, but still fittingly played.
Downey truly shines toward the film’s conclusion during an emotional monologue, accentuated by extreme close-ups. However, his relationship to Catherine Keener’s character felt muddled due to the film’s other thematic focuses. Their divorce highlights a theme of isolation for Nathaniel and Steve, but lacks development.
Two significant scenes are Steve and Nathaniel’s first interaction along with Nathaniel’s reunion with his dearly missed cello.
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In the latter, Steve allows Nathaniel to play the instrument once before taking it to LAMP, leading into a music montage. Foxx plays passionately, however, a minor inconsistency was the instrument’s perfect intonation. Nathaniel doesn’t tune, yet the sound is perfectly on pitch. This is irrelevant to the common viewer, but a sore thumb to any musician.
By the end of the film, the music montages also lost their effect. They are effective at key points, such as Nathaniel’s visit the Disney rehearsal, but ultimately felt exhaustive and drawn out.
The perspective into Nathaniel’s mind is crucial here, but there is a line between brevity and force. This moment could be equally effective in just one or two minutes of moving color.
However, The Soloist shines an important light on homelessness and its misconceptions. People end up on the street for different reasons, but many people assume the factors are laziness or criminality. Nathaniel experiences severe psychological issues, but he also went to Julliard. Many people do not realize someone’s depth and background from seeing them on a street corner. The Soloist opens a firm dialogue on this problematic mentality.
Steve Lopez enters LAMP fearfully, turning his cheek to the homeless as he passes through. He represents the average American initially, but shows our potential for empathy by ultimately embracing the eclectic group. Although he tries to medicate Nathaniel, as many would suggest, Steve learns that mental illness is truly complicated. Prescriptions are a solution to some, but often a threat to those affected. Acceptance is sometimes greater than change.
Due to the excellent producing work of Gary Foster, every scene at LAMP also maintains a certain authenticity. Securing this location and homeless cast members not only contributes aesthetically, it defines The Soloist experience. This is a great example of a producer’s weight to a film’s message and lasting effect.
The Soloist starts an important conversation on societal issues, while illustrating music’s solace and profound effects on the homeless and mentally ill. Everyone has a story, background, and things that make them special. Although they are obscure from the outside, those who choose to listen will be greatly rewarded.
The Soloist: an Analysis Of The Film. (2024, Feb 06). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-soloist-an-analysis-of-the-film-essay
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