The Soloist

I really didn't expect to like this movie at all. I saw the trailer for The Soloist and thought it looked kinda hokey - like it was supposed to tug at my heart strings and make me remember everything that is right about humanity.

Then there is the fact that the movie was supposed to be released in November to contend for an Oscar, but then was pushed back for some mysterious reason. I have to admit, I assumed the movie must suck.

I was wrong. I truly enjoyed The Soloist. The acting was terrific, but the acting didn't steal the show. The real star here is the film making. The audio effects and flashbacks used to show Jamie Foxx's Nathanial Ayers Jr. is trapped in a bout of schizophrenia are very effective.

Also, director Joe Wright gives a nice nod to all of Disney's Silly Symphony cartoons. How did most of us first hear an orchestra as a kid? We heard it on the Disney Channel as colors flashed on the screen. That same technique is used here. At times it can get a little tedious, but it is a nice tip of the hat.

The acting is as good as advertised. Robert Downey Jr. has always been underrated in my opinion. He plays Steve Lopez as a down-on-his-luck smart ass. Even in the end his heart doesn't entirely melt, which is nice, because it isn't what you would expect from a movie like this.

Jamie Foxx is just plain brilliant. He is an actor that took his Oscar and made smart choices to build a great reputation. His character William Ayers Jr. is a crazy person. He spends most of his time dressed like Chuck Berry or Don King, but Foxx never lets you laugh at Ayers.

The movie did have its short comings. It starts waaaaaaaay too slow. I was bored for the first 20 minutes or so. The movie also goes for too many cheap laughs. For a drama, Robert Downey Jr. got doused in urine an awful lot.

Also, there is an unnecessary shot that pans across the top of a row of bathroom stalls, where we see a guy taking a dump. Why? For the love of God, why did we need that?

The Soloist is absolutely worth your time! I was thoroughly entertained by both the acting and the film making. So many movies are filmed in LA. This is the first one I have seen in a while that makes great use of the city as a character. The Soloist can seem a little preachy on issues of poverty and care for the mentally ill, but there is nothing gratuitous that isn't essential to the story.

The Greek gives it a B+.