Review of The Soloist (2009) by Lindsey J — 01 Oct 2010

I didn't know what to make of this film for the first half hour or so; there was too much fast-talking, and not enough emotion or empathy for me. Then the narrative seemed to blossom into a story about a journalist (Downey Jr) who began to realise the true value of friendship, how challenging and difficult it can be, and ultimately that taking the risk to care for another human being can be very rewarding.

For some reason, once I realised this was based on a true story, I loved the film even more. I was impressed by its social message on mental illness, and the argument against pharmaceutical intervention.

I suspect this film will have had mixed reviews, but I liked it! Jamie Foxx was exceptional.