Amy WangThe Multifaceted Soloist
September 8th 2009 14:27
The Soloist, the new feature by Atonement/Pride and Prejudice director Joe Wright combined a stunning array of visuals and music with a brilliant script in the hands of two very capable actors. Being a person who really disliked Atonement, I thought this was a great improvement for the director and also proved to me and I'm sure to many others that he could do something real and gritty but at he same time, make it a beautiful picture. The film itself was stimulating, realistic and dealt with a very confronting and important issue. The way the film dealt with the issue in particular, I felt, really avoided Hollywood structural cliches and reinvented the rich meets poor and saves him from himself sort of story. The film reminded me a lot of Jane Campion's The Piano, in that the Soloist really aimed to not only entertain an audience but also try and absorb the audience into its musical qualities and heighten their senses. I felt myself being transported into the mind of Nathaniel Ayers (played nicely by Jamie Foxx) many times during the film. This added a whole new level of activism on my behalf as instead of passively taking in a film, I was actively participating, and was always able to seemingly feel the film as well as watch it.
Overall Plot:
Nathaniel Ayers is a formerly trained Julliard drop out, who due to his schizophrenia, not only leaves his education behind, but also alienates his family. Steve Lopez, a journalist for the LA Times, is a lonely man who channels all his anger and frustrations into his work. The film centres around the relationship between Nathaniel Ayers and Steve Lopez when Steve one day decides to write an article about Nathaniel. A friendship blossom, but this friendship is like no other. There comes a stage where Steve realises how little he could do to help Nathaniel. At the same time, Steve realised how little Nathaniel wanted to be helped. This catch 22 is really played to its maximum effect in the film and achieves just the thing it set out to achieve. To not make it into a weeping inspirational film, but a realistic depiction of the homeless situation in down town Los Angeles, and for that issue to pervade long after the film has finished.
The film showed real heartache and compassion but through the eyes of a non traditionalist hero, who seemed as vulnerable as the person he was trying to save. Both Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx give very credible performances, but will not receive any Oscar nods I suspect. They established their relationship well yet always managed to keep it just on the edge of falling apart. Both characters rely on eachother for different reasons and throughout, this reliance is broken then mended then broken again, then mended but always in a subtle manner that keeps the audience guessing.
I felt the script was very tightly written, with very clever dialogue and emotional scenes interspersed with tense moments and sympathy. The images shot within the homeless compound I believe showed some of the most powerful images I've seem in a long time on cinema. These scenes were real depictions of lost and broken human beings who seemingly were real people but at the same time were never real. Most of the homeless were addicted to some kind of drug, whereas others were just mentally or physically disabled, but could not function in society so was therefore outcast. The idea to save them jumped to mind several times during the film, but was always contradicted by the reality of the situation. What can we really? I mean, yes we can give them therapy, we can provide them with food and shelter but will that cure them? Will that help integrate these people back into society? But most of all, will they want to go back to the society that abused them in the first place?
So much can be said about the issue of homelessness and its causes and consequences, but by watching the film, it really enhanced my understanding and appreciation for the issue and its manifestations. Overall, the soundscape used in this film was phenomenal and Joe really transferred me into another world. A world both within and outside of Nathaniel's mind. The film was truthful and heartfelt but during all times, refrained from Hollywood cliches and tear jerker moments. I think this is well worth a look. Be prepared to experience the unexpected.
I give this film 4 STARS OUT OF 5.
Peace.
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