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The Soloist

Play trailer 2:27 Poster for The Soloist PG-13,  2009,  1h 57m,  Drama/ Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
The Soloist: Trailer 1 The Soloist: Trailer 1 Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - I'm Honored to be Your Friend The Soloist: Official Clip - I'm Honored to be Your Friend Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - I Don't Have Schizophrenia The Soloist: Official Clip - I Don't Have Schizophrenia Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - You're Never Gonna Cure Nathaniel The Soloist: Official Clip - You're Never Gonna Cure Nathaniel Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - You Are My God The Soloist: Official Clip - You Are My God Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - Don't Ever Put Your Hands On Me The Soloist: Official Clip - Don't Ever Put Your Hands On Me Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - A New Cello The Soloist: Official Clip - A New Cello Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - It's a Dream Out Here The Soloist: Official Clip - It's a Dream Out Here Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - Partial Responsibility The Soloist: Official Clip - Partial Responsibility Now Playing The Soloist: Official Clip - Meeting Nathaniel The Soloist: Official Clip - Meeting Nathaniel Now Playing View more videos
Watchlist 56% 198 Reviews Tomatometer 56% 250,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
56% Tomatometer 198 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Los Angeles columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) has reached an impasse in his life. His marriage is on the rocks, and he's disillusioned with his job. Then, while wandering through L.A.'s Skid Row, he spots a homeless man (Jamie Foxx) playing a two-stringed violin with a virtuoso's skill. Lopez initially thinks of the man, named Nathaniel Ayers, as just a story idea. But as he begins to unravel the mystery of Ayers' strange fate, Lopez realizes that a change is happening within himself.
The Soloist

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Though it features strong performances by its lead players, a lack of narrative focus prevents The Soloist from hitting its mark.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator Aug 30, 2018
The Soloist is an absorbing, illuminating film which is dramatically engaging, keeps it real, in a psychiatric sense, and is never patronising. Go to Full Review
Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online Sep 12, 2017
A
It's an amazing story. Go to Full Review
Dan Jolin Empire Magazine Sep 25, 2009
4/5
Intelligent and uncompromising, with knock-out performances from Downey Jr. and Foxx. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Sep 5, 2023
2.5/4
It’s a potentially powerful little examination of human life that doesn’t look too closely, remains enjoyable for the duration, but unfortunately, fades from memory as soon as it’s over. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Nov 29, 2020
6/10
Problems in pacing arise as the relatively simple plot is stretched thin. Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 23, 2020
2.5/4.0
Redeemed by Robert Downey, Jr.'s usual standout performance. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rey L Mar 20, 2019 Movie ran too long to lose interest.
Theodore R Feb 11, 2019 i thought this was a great movie
Ron R Dec 20, 2018 To improve English I watched this movie using mouse ... that offered me the subtitle in any audio language i want
Leia L Sep 17, 2018 the overdose casts catastrophic images.. The Soloist The Soloist is a character driven musical drama about a journalist discovering a talented homeless musician and justifies it by offering the appropriate stage to him. Music playing a vital role on conveying the message, Wright tells a tale that rhymes and makes you tap on its uplifting beats. The background score is extraordinary, the sound effects are sharp, the camera work is busy and yet competent with decent cinematography and editing that makes it fast and effective at the same time. The magnitude of the intensity is communicated directly through maker's depiction of various episodes of characters that never gets pretentious nor undercooked. The pathos world through which it lures the audience in, works until it flows through the tale, as soon as it gets manipulative, the overdose casts catastrophic images onto us where the earned respect up till then, is shucked away only to leave a long lasting impression on the audience. Downey Jr. is reserved and mature than others as always whilst on the other hand challenging him with equivalency Foxx is original in his innocence. The narration by Downey Jr. is thoughtful along with debatable conversation that are layered and above all, Foxx's murmuring and his ability to bare with it and to top it off respond to it; their chemistry is electrifying. Armed with a repetitive and over thought out adaptation, Wright's execution is comparatively good and binds it all with a gritty practical approach. Few meltdowns where the emotions communicates fluently, an innocent concept and the caliber of the cast that Wright fiddles with, are the high points of the feature. The spark that ignites the passion and enthusiasm among the viewers wears off in its latter stages due to the over chewing of an idea. The Soloist is a poorly ridden potential premise that should undeniably be appreciated but beyond that, it is a forsaken land. See more
Abraham W Aug 29, 2018 Two fantastic performances by Downey Jr. and Foxx. I'm surprised I havent heard of this movie until now.
Jun 18, 2018 In what had the conceptual, talent and makings of a fantastic movie, this film loses its way about halfway through and teeters back and forth until the viewer moves from wanting the story to go the way it is leading, to the viewer just wanting it to end. Fortunately, the movie does pick up toward the last half hour. The actual ending is very sweet and probably more realistic than the Hollywood ending it could have had. At the very least, this movie is a snapshot of the plight of homeless people and the fact that each one is unique, with their own story and are worthy of respect as human beings. See more
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The Soloist

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The Soloist

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Movie Info

Synopsis Los Angeles columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) has reached an impasse in his life. His marriage is on the rocks, and he's disillusioned with his job. Then, while wandering through L.A.'s Skid Row, he spots a homeless man (Jamie Foxx) playing a two-stringed violin with a virtuoso's skill. Lopez initially thinks of the man, named Nathaniel Ayers, as just a story idea. But as he begins to unravel the mystery of Ayers' strange fate, Lopez realizes that a change is happening within himself.
Director
Joe Wright
Producer
Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff
Screenwriter
Susannah Grant
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG
Production Co
DreamWorks Pictures, Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment, Working Title Films
Rating
PG-13 (Some Drug Use|Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 24, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$31.7M
Runtime
1h 57m
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