Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

The Soloist Blu-ray Movie Review

An atypical motion picture experience arrives on Blu-ray with strong results.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 1, 2009

I've had a few setbacks.

Telling the story of Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx, Miami Vice), a schizophrenic homeless musician, and Steve Lopez (Robert Downey, Jr., Zodiac), the Los Angeles Times columnist that attempted to rekindle Ayers' talent and lead him back on a path to personal and musical success, The Soloist excels despite telling an emotionally exhausting tale with an artistically and thematically first-rate effort thanks in large part to a pair of stellar performances from two of the finest actors working in Hollywood today. Taking on a somber and deliberate tone that drastically differs from the styles of movies that have made Downey, Jr. and Foxx household names in recent years, The Soloist allows its performers to shine in a different light where the only special effect is in the raw emotion of the characters and the struggle to bring forth a ray of light from the darkness of a troubled mind.

Nathaniel enjoys the sweet sound of the cello.

Struggling Los Angeles Times Columnist Steve Lopez, on the road to recovery after a nasty spill from his bicycle, is one day drawn to the melodic violin playing of a man he comes to know as Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man living on L.A.'s infamous Skid Row, who claims to be a one-time Juilliard prodigy. Intrigued by Ayers' story and ability to play the violin, he learns that Ayers was indeed once a budding cellist at the school -- but was forced to drop out after two years when schizophrenia robbed him of his ability to continue on. Lopez pens a hugely successful column on Ayers, one reader even sending him her well-loved cello to present to Nathaniel. As time moves on, the two develop a friendship as Lopez attempts to both return Ayers to the musical promise that defined his childhood and bring attention to Los Angeles' homeless population. Ayers' schizophrenia proves a troublesome opponent, however, and every time Lopez seems to come close to drawing Ayers' true talent to the forefront, the disease drags the man back down.

The Soloist may surprise audiences expecting the next August Rush; though sharing similar themes they take on drastically differing tones, each with their own sets of positives and negatives that make them both unique and, perhaps more importantly, will likely leave their respective audiences with opposing emotions as the curtains close. Though both The Soloist and August Rush tell the tale of musical prodigies in some way wronged by the world, each with natural talents that have yet to be fully realized, and their ultimate discovery by outsiders with their own motives, the two stories arrive at vastly different conclusions with wildly varying themes and emotions. While August Rush delivers a heartwarming, tearjerking, uplifting, and in several ways mystical tone, The Soloist instead offers a no-holds-barred, true-to-life story that is in many ways dark and depressing as it examines Nathaniel's struggle to come to terms with the opportunity taken away from him, the sudden possibility for rejuvenation, and the troubled and downtrodden world in which he lives and embraces. Both films succeed to certain degrees in their approaches, but the relative success or failure of both films for each individual viewer will be greatly influenced by mood and belief in the power of friendship and music and their abilities to reach past even the world's most complex and difficult situations.

The Soloist takes on a weighty feel as it wades into a darkened world that audiences expect to slowly become brighter and more cheerful as the picture progresses. Rather than take the "Hollywood" way out, however, Director Joe Wright (Atonement) and screenplay Writer Susannah Grant (Catch and Release, whose work is based on the story's novelization as penned by Lopez), instead tackle the story with a sometimes brutal and emotionally exhausting tone. Escapist entertainment The Soloist is not; the audience consistently finds themselves in Lopez's shoes, struggling with him at every turn as he pushes, prods, and otherwise tries to "fix" Ayers and allow his talent to earn him the prominence it deserves and fulfill what he deems to be Ayers' destiny. Although the film may become emotionally exhausting for some viewers with the constant back-and-forth, yes-and-no, progress-and-regress of the relationship and the schizophrenia, the film never suffers for lack of fascination at how Ayers' condition so absolutely controls him. The continuous struggle between the man and the illness makes for a constant barrage of scenes both intense and disturbing; like Lopez, audiences will want to rip the veil off Ayers that will allow him to once again realize the full potential that marked his childhood, but like reality and unlike Hollywood, there's no guarantee that what seems right and fair will ultimately prevail.

The Soloist is elevated several notches by the performances of its finely-casted pair of leads that completely immerse themselves in their roles, each delivering unique and vastly differing performances that stand apart in style but together on artistic merit. Robert Downey, Jr. continues his incredibly successful run in The Soloist. Though his performance isn't as flashy as that seen in Iron Man or as completely immersive as that in Tropic Thunder, he nevertheless captures with startling realism the raw emotion of a man caught in the struggle to free another from a world that's so completely engulfed his very existence. His portrayal of Lopez is one grounded in a harsh reality; absent is the glamour of Tony Stark and the eccentricities of Kirk Lazarus, and present is a fundamental desire to in some way better the world around him through his limited abilities and resources but with the all-too-real possibility that his work -- that sometimes boils down to sheer force of will alone -- may be for naught. On the other side of the coin is Jamie Foxx, whose character sometimes seems like Dustin Hoffman's Raymond Babbitt (Rain Man) on speed. Foxx plays Nathaniel's troubled spirit with a miraculous grasp and display of the eccentricities that define the character, from the absolute appreciation of Beethoven to the constant rapid-fire spelling of his name. Each performance embodies superb acting and prove to be the film's strongest asset.

The Soloist Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Soloist debuts on Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p, 2.39:1-framed transfer. Offering up an image that generally sparkles, The Soloist features a level of clarity that's consistently superb. The transfer delivers natural and accurate colors that carry over to flesh tones. Textures on objects such as walls, both near and far, feature that "reach out and touch me" sort of appearance. Detail is well above average throughout; both the beautifully-finished gift cello Nathaniel receives and his worn, scratched, and otherwise damaged two-string violin look magnificent on-screen. Depth is a strong suit; long-distance objects tend to look sharp and distinct with solid visible detail. Grain is not abundantly heavy in any one scene. Blacks are generally strong, though the image seems to look artificially bright in some places. Blu-ray fans should be satisfied with this strong effort from DreamWorks.

The Soloist Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Soloist plays on Blu-ray with a fulfilling Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. As to the non-musically inclined segments, the track serves up some wonderful directional effects. A plane flies left to right, and an ambulance travels through the soundstage from front to back. Ambience is one of the track's strong suits; most every scene comes alive with some sort of environmental support that places the listener directly into the midst of each scene. An interior hospital shot early in the film offers up chatter, rolling gurneys, mechanical beeps, and ringing telephones that fill the soundstage with realistic effects. The soundtrack's more direct moments, for example the music playing through Lopez's stereo in chapter four, sounds full, rich, and wonderful. The track's most prominent feature, of course, comes in the form of the many scenes featuring Nathaniel -- or some cases others and even entire orchestras -- playing instruments. The melodic strings of the cello flow through the soundstage with positively stunning results, allowing the listener to absorb every note. Also delivering crystal-clear dialogue reproduction, The Soloist makes for a somewhat subdued but otherwise strong and well-mixed soundtrack.

The Soloist Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Soloist offers several bonus features, chief among them a commentary track with Director Joe Wright. Wright offers up a somewhat strong track, speaking on the film's themes of the mind and how it works, filming locations (including several real L.A. Times locations), the film's sound design, the music that's dominated by Beethoven and Neil Diamond, filmmaking techniques, and more. An Unlikely Friendship: Making 'The Soloist' (1080i, 19:37) examines how the film came together, beginning with a look at the column that inspired the movie (including interview clips with the real Steve Lopez), the producers' surprise meeting with Nathaniel Ayers, the quality of Lopez's work, the challenge of the roles, the assemblage of particular scenes, the film's authenticity, Foxx's exposure to the cello, and the film's ending. Kindness, Courtesy and Respect: Mr. Ayers + Mr. Lopez (1080i, 4:48) is an all-too-brief piece where the real-life Ayers, Lopez, and Ayers' sister Jennifer recount their story that inspired the film. One Size Does Not Fit All: Addressing Homelessness in Los Angeles (1080i, 9:45) examines the plight of L.A.'s homeless population and their role in inspiring the film. Juilliard: The Education of Nathaniel Ayers (1080i, 4:08) recalls an encounter between Ayers and famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and several other graduates that contributed to the film. Rounding out the special features is Beth's Story (1080p, 2:02), a short animated piece on homelessness; five deleted scenes (480p, 9:49); and the film's theatrical trailer (1080p, 2:33).

The Soloist Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Soloist is a fine film from every point-of-view. Although it's not the same sort of positively uplifting film as August Rush, it does make for a strong picture that unapologetically captures a slice of life without much in the way of glitz and glamour to make it more audience friendly. The Soloist doesn't work as escapist entertainment but instead as a thinking man's movie that takes audiences into a world that's unforgiving and never quite what moviegoers accustomed to wide-release motion pictures have come to expect. Defined by its pair of top-notch performances, The Soloist is a film worth visiting for anyone with an open mind and desire to experience a film that's far different than the norm. DreamWorks' Blu-ray release impresses all around. Serving up a wonderful transfer, and equally strong lossless soundtrack, and a fine serving of extras, The Soloist earns an easy recommendation.