The Soloist

Los Angeles stands out as the principle character in Joe Wright's "The Soloist". Dynamic and alarming, the city of angels even upstages solid performances by mega-stars Robert Downey, Jr., Jamie Foxx, and Catherine Keener. Maybe it was the low-quality, gritty copy I had available to watch and maybe it was my current state of mind (over 200 days since seeing Rachel and the kids), either way, this movie really effected me.

As it is, I am already a sucker for movies involving music. Some of my favorites include "Ray", "August Rush", "Moulin Rouge", and "Singin' in the Rain". In all of those movies the setting made the music. In "The Soloist", however, it was the other way around. The gentle hum of the cello or two-string violin made L.A. L.A. is often decisive - without warning - and yet it can subtly blend from that into an ironically-warm morning hue. This was evident throughout most scenes of the film as Jamie Foxx's portrayal of the schizophrenic homeless Julliard dropout painted the brushtrokes which eventually revealed the portait of a landscape destitute with homelessness and little hope for the lost and wary.

Ultimately, there is some redemption through friendships and Steve Lopez's (Downey) L.A. Times Column, which takes on an interesting role as the film's narrarator. It is not a quick film and not a "date film". Deliberately set time aside to watch this film and don't worry about popcorn or a bunch of friends. The only requirement I will impose is that you definitely watch it with a great sound system and full bass.