Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Joe Wright is one of the few directors who manage to surprise me every time i watch a new movie. I hadn't much interest in seeing this movie, until i heard he was involved, so i watched it and i think: The Soloist is a well told and fairly interesting drama, with a rarely used setting. I expected the photography to be good, and it was, but at first i wasn't sure about the coloring, everything looks mostly flat and down-to-earth, which is what they were going for i suppose, and it works okay with the movie.The actors are really great, Robert Downey Jr. is very good, but especially Jamie Foxx and Catherine Keener impressed me with their natural performances.The soundtrack is very much classic music the whole time, which fits the mood as well as the theme of the story.It's a nicely told little drama and your time won't be wasted...

.......................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA and ORLANDO, FLTrue Stories are my favorite genre. The SOLOIST was a real eye-opener and gave me a real "Ah-Ha" moment! Typically, despite being true stories, (or a good facsimile) the genre is rather formulaic, when you come right down to it. Person A has problem X, (Some seemingly insurmountable disease or injury or condition or adversity or a confluence of 2 or more of the above!) and through inspirational effort and persistence, defying all odds, Person A manages to overcome problem X and we ALL feel uplifted in the end! The SOLOIST is anything but typical. It tells an extremely interesting and unusual story which refuses to conform to the formulaic conventions to which we have, unfortunately, become so complacently accustomed. There are three factors which contribute to creating false expectations for SOLOIST.First, the title itself is somewhat misleading. Watch the movie, and you'll see for yourself! Second, the trailer is edited so as to create expectations geared to coincide more with the genre's formulaic audience comfort zone. The very thing the movie so painstakingly avoids! And third, the very same set of entrenched genre clichés we have already mentioned, in other words, the baggage viewers bring with them into the theater! ****Possible Very MINOR SPOILER Ahead!****Putting all of this aside, SOLOIST derives its tremendous energy and appeal from the undeniable on-screen chemistry of Robert Downey, Jr. and Jamie Foxx. Their interaction is a joy to watch. The story does provide the standard genre buzz-words…Uplifting, Inspirational and Motivational…but for reasons that would be virtually impossible to predict before experiencing the film itself! Oh, and the music is sublime! Classical music Lovers are in for a veritable treat! There are elements of SOLOIST that will make some viewers squirm. Third world neighborhoods, right here, in downtown Los Angeles, for example. Scenes from SOLOIST have been ricocheting around my brain since yesterday!9.5*STARS*....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA! Any comments, questions or observations, in English or Español, are most welcome!

SPOILERS MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS My classmate and I were asked to write a review on the soloist. Within minutes we knew that this was going to be a powerful movie. At first when I was assigned to watch this, movie it seemed a little odd. It didn't really relate to my project topic, but we still watched it anyways. After watching this movie, it made me believe to never give up on our dreams even if you fail the first time around. Steve is a writer for the LA Times and is currently going through divorce. Nathaniel Ayers is a homeless man skid row who has an amazing talent. He is a phenomenal violinist who attended the Juliard School of Music but had to leave because of his struggles with his mental illnesses. When Steve Lopez first meets Nathaniel, he comes across him in a park in Los Angeles playing the violin. Nathaniel seems very intelligent but there are clear sign of an illness. We soon learn that Nathaniel has schizophrenia. He decided to write an article about him in the paper. Steve wanted to learn more about Nathaniel for the article so he contacted his sister. He learned that Nathaniel is a cello prodigy. After one of Steves readers reads about this in the paper, they kindly give Steve a brand new cello for Nathaniel to play. Through out the movie Steve is constantly pushing for Nathaniel to get help for his conditions and for him to get back up on his feet. After an Innocent where Nathaniel loses his temper, he blows an opportunity for his music. Steve arranges for Nathaniel to get help but Nathaniel things he is doing it on his own. When Nathaniel learns that Steve is apart of it, he blows up at Steve and tells him to leave him alone. After Steve speaks to his ex wife Mary, He realizes that not only has he changes Nathaniel's if for the better but Nathaniel has also changes Steve in ways too. My favorite scene was when Steve gave Nathaniel the cello. It really stand out as a token to their friendship and the love someone can give to someone without even knowing them. The movie is about how to build good relationships with the people around you. Treat other how you would like to be treated.

Jamie Foxx is Oscar worthy in this, simply amazing, was he nominated? The movie itself is good/okay. It follows Steve Lopez, a down on his luck (and hurting) Los Angeles Times journalist who, while looking for a new article to write about for the paper befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician. Foxx plays the schizophrenic former violin prodigy and balances well with Downey.Some moments did feel long winded as we (I guess) enter Nathaniel Ayers' mind and listen to the voices and music with him. I was never much impressed with the music here. Downey is...Downey. Good and kinda cocky as per.The scenes with all the homeless people at the shelter was like something from another world and very impressive. I also appreciated that we are allowed to see the violent side of schizophrenia, Steve Lopez didn't just "fix" Ayers for a Hollywood HEA. 06/13