The Soloist
PG-13 for language, violence and drug use
"The Soloist" is the true story of the relationship between an emotionally challenged musician and a reporter. Like a good symphony, the beauty of the story is found in the variety of emotions and experiences, many of which seem to clash. Together, though, they produce a harmony that can genuinely move the heart.
The Story
Robert Downey Jr. portrays Steve Lopez, a columnist for the “LA Times.” He meets Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a homeless man playing on a beat-up, two-stringed violin. When Nathaniel mentions attending Juilliard as a cello player, Steve's research reveals the man was indeed a student at the prestigious fine arts school who “bombed out” in his second year.
After a few more phone calls and a visit to Nathaniel’s hangout (a tunnel), Steve is satisfied that he has a good column about a once-promising cellist who now sleeps on the streets of L.A.
However, Nathaniel becomes more than just a story for Steve, who begins to struggle with the lengths to which his care for Nathaniel can go. The growing concern of Steve’s readers mirrors the growing relationship between Nathaniel and Steve.
In an act of generosity, Steve secures a donated cello for Nathaniel. The action raises profound questions as the rest of the story unfolds. Can music heal? Can Nathaniel be helped? Should he be forced to come off the street, take meds, change?
When we encounter someone who seems helpless, to what extent can we go in providing help? At what point does our desire to help actually cause harm? The conclusions may leave some viewers surprised and unsettled.
The Verdict
What we thought of the movie on its own terms
What Works: I will be surprised if Downey and/or Foxx are not nominated for Academy Awards. Their commitment to the roles and the execution of their characters is gripping and gives the story its power.
The film stays grounded in reality. That reality is often very dark and disturbing, as evidenced by the raw footage of the tragic circumstances involving lives devastated by abandonment, addiction, poverty and psychological illness.
A very powerful scene depicts Steve’s first visit to the area. The shock of what he experiences is almost palpable. In the middle of it all, the care of the LAMP community stands out vividly as a beacon of love and hope. While viewers will expect a miraculous ending to Nathaniel’s story, the real miracle is in the steadfast and even stubborn love expressed unconditionally even when difficulties remain unresolved.
Flashbacks are woven effectively into the flow of the story and help explain Nathaniel’s worsening condition. These allow the viewer to develop a strong bond with Nathaniel’s character. We see him at his strongest and most healthy state of mind. Later, when Nathaniel’s condition is at its worst, those brief moments of clarity are breathtaking.
What Doesn’t Work: Less effective are the filmmakers attempts to lighten the weight of the story at times with bits of humor and “beautiful moments.” These actually throw off the rhythm of the story and appear to be forced. The beauty and humor that emerge from the increasing depth of Steve's and Nathaniel’s relationship would have been more than enough to hold the movie together.
There is an obvious message about the demise of newspapers crammed into the beginning of the film. It felt like a lecture I got once from a well-meaning church member who couldn’t believe I got my news from the Internet instead of the paper.
In an attempt to help the viewer visualize Nathaniel’s surreal experience with music, a scene is included with flashing lights and intense orchestral movements. While the music is phenomenal, its potency is decreased by the flashing lights. It looks more like a scene from Disney’s "Fantasia" than a thoughtful journey in to Nathaniel’s psyche.
Content: The film is rated PG-13 for profanity, violence, and drug use. The language is pretty strong for a movie with this rating, with several uses of God’s name in vain and a few f-words.
Worldview
How the film's take on life compares to a biblical perspective
Stories like Nathaniel's raise the question of “where is God in the midst of such suffering and brokenness?” It’s a fair question and one I think the movie does a good job of handling by contrasting two very different approaches to the issue.
On one hand there is a cello teacher who agrees to help Nathaniel re-sharpen his skills. This man is a Christian but interacts with Nathaniel in a condescending and self-righteous manner. He attempts to “minister” to Nathaniel without building a relationship of trust, which leads to deep embarrassment and alienation for Nathaniel. The teacher wants to “fix” Nathaniel and ends up doing more harm than good.
In contrast, Nathaniel does experience a sense of community and love from the relationships he finds through an organization called LAMP. This Christian ministry sits in the worst of Los Angeles and there provides an atmosphere of safety, unconditional love, and compassion to men and women with profound issues related to mental illness, addiction, and poverty. They are a vivid picture of what Jesus called “the least of these.”
So where is God? According to “The Soloist,” He is faithfully present in the middle of the most devastating places of suffering. And in that place He offers hope.
Another element worth noting is what I call the “miraculous mundane.” Nathaniel points out the beauty of birds flying through the tunnel, the sound of cars and trains, the rhythm of people walking -- the stuff we so often ignore. Nathaniel finds something profound in the common everyday grind of life and, as a result, he experiences a level of contentment that many of us fail to achieve.
Finally, there is a profound sense of accountability laid at the feet of Christ-followers when confronted with such a story. Am I my brother’s keeper? If I am to love my neighbor, who is my neighbor?
Many will be confused by how the movie ends. That confusion raises another important question. When will I have helped enough? Is there such a thing?
Questions:
- Do you think Nathaniel should have been forced to take medication?
- Can you relate to Steve’s frustration when his efforts seemed to be getting nowhere?
- Have you ever tried to help someone who didn't want it? How did you respond?
- How do Nathaniel’s responses to Steve mirror the ways we relate to God?
- How did you see God at work in this story?
- In what ways do you think Nathaniel helped Steve?
- How did you feel about how Nathaniel turned out at the end of the movie?
Comments
marisalexia on Dec 04, 2009 said...
As far as I know, you should wear whatever everyone else is wearing (usually formal wear), especially considering you are not a special guest artist and a normal member of the orchestra.
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