The Soloist
I wasn't a fan of Joe Wright's 'Atonement'. I thought it was over-long and over-rated, but the director demonstrated an ability to elicit strong performances from his leads.
It clearly wasn't a fluke: his latest effort sees Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx on top form. In fact, both stars deserve Oscar nominations for their respective turns as a Los Angeles Times columnist and homeless musician. The relationship between these two characters is totally believable and, at times, incredibly moving. There are also moments of directorial flair - particularly the visual illustration of how Nathaniel (Foxx) hears music.
There are two issues at the centre of this film: homelessness and the decline of American journalism (due to financial constraints). In that respect, it's a bit like the final season of 'The Wire'! 'The Soloist' offers no trite answers, nor does it provide a Hollywood ending where everyone lives happily ever after. Maybe that's why the studio didn't take to the finished film and delayed its release on both sides of the Atlantic.
One gripe: the final scene is painfully naff and looks likes it's wandered in from a different movie.
