The Soloist is a decent film. It is involving, but the narrative drags for stretches, letting a modicum of boredom creep in. It is also a little on the incomplete side. We learn a lot about Ayers, his childhood, the events leading to his current state, everything. The problem is with Lopez. His half of the story is not nearly as well developed. Yes, he is the writer and he does plenty of that, but we need the information about what has made him the way he is. We get hints of a failed marriage, a troubled relationship with his son, but it never goes deep enough to make his change have much meaning.
Still, it is a touching tale and the performances alone are worth seeing it for. Robert Downey Jr. does a fine job of playing the journalist with responsibility issues. The man is a joy to watch. Jamie Foxx also does a fine job as the mentally troubled Ayers. He disappears into the role, bringing genuine emotion to his character.
One last thing that needs to be mentioned is that music is quite good. In addition to a number of Beethoven pieces, there is some original work from composer Dario Marianelli that definitely makes this a strong score.
Bottom line. Overall, this is a decent film; it is well made and features strong performances. Where it falters is in pacing and completeness of the story. It is worth seeing, but not one that you will become overly attached to.
Mildly Recommended.
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