The Soloist Essay

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Synopsis: Based on a true story, the film follows Steve Lopez, a reporter for LA Times, and his journey to capture the story of Nathaniel Ayers, homeless Julliard drop-out and schizophrenic. When Ayers seems to become more attached and Lopez can see how music helps him to flourish, Lopez must decide if he is willing to be a true friend or if he is only seeking a story.
Joe Wright will truly make you think with his screen adaptation of “The Soloist,” a series of newspaper articles centered around a man whose mental illness caused him to shy away from his dream of playing in a symphony. The movie centers around two characters: Nathaniel Ayers, an extremely talented schizophrenic musician living on the streets of modern day Los Angeles and Steve Lopez, the head reporter for the LA Times. Jamie Foxx gives an incredible performance as Nathaniel Ayers and Robert Downey Jr. is wonderful as usual lending his dry humor to making Lopez believable. These two actors come together to skillfully paint a beautiful story and bring awareness to the homeless and mentally ill population. The Soloist stands as a moving reminder of the value of …show more content…

Music is the one thing that quiets Ayers’ chaotic schizophrenic tendencies. The director shows this by a few scenes where Ayers is talking excessively, and once Lopez begins trying to talk about music or Julliard, Ayers is instantly interested in the conversation and begins to respond. The movie is a moving reminder of why it is important not to exclude or alienate those with mental illness. Ayers’ friendship with Lopez gives him some consistency and support. Their friendship taught Lopez about “the dignity of being loyal to something you believe in, of holding onto it,” as he says near the end of the movie. The movie ended at just under two hours but at no point in time was it not entertaining, and the actors and dialogue kept the film interesting the entire

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