Review of The Soloist (2009) by Chads — 24 Apr 2009

Nathaniel Ayers(Jamie Foxx) belongs on meds. If the former cello prodigy seeks out treatment for his schizophrenia, the journalist probably believes that the homeless man just might be another David Helfgott.

It would make for a better story, another "Shine". To the film's credit, it's open and honest about the possibility that the columnist exploits Nathaniel, as much as he helps him. The counselor at the homeless shelter tells Steve(Robert Downey Jr.

) to simply be his friend, not his savior. In so many words, David(Nelsan Ellis) is saying that Nathaniel has the right to be crazy. The mentally ill have rights, too. Since the cracked musician is a fan of Ludwig van Beethoven, and the Western classical composer was deaf, his reluctance to silence those internal voices uncannily plays like an inverse of the situation in Josh Aronson's documentary "Sound and Fury", where deaf advocates fight for the right to NOT hear voices, when they confound well-meaning people by choosing to remain in their degraded conditions(they say "no" to cochlear implants).

"The Soloist" reflects the frustration David must've felt in his reclamation project, because that cathartic moment in which Nathaniel finally gets to fulfill his destiny, never really arrives.

"The Soloist" doesn't pretend that Nathaniel is a great musician like Scott Hicks' "Shine" did. There's a pause before the cello instructor answers Nathaniel's inquiry about his prospects as a professional musician.

That pause tells us everything we need to know about Nathaniel's future. The time for great things has passed. But the journalist puts him on stage anyway, ignoring the counselor's advice. But we're implicated with exploitation too; we want Nathaniel to play well and provide us with an easy emotional release, a payoff.