Based on a true story, it stars jamie foxx as nathaniel ayers, a homeless man who was once a musical prodigy, and robert downey jr. The soloist 2009 vividly demonstrates mental illness, anxiety, and issues of social justice for homeless. Its the supporting characters that let the film down, not downey jr. The soloist manages to avoid the dumbing down that often happens when a true story is made into a movie. The film is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who developed schizophrenia and. The soloist was published in 2009 and features the reallife story of nathaniel ayers.
Times writer, steve lopez, has his life changed forever. The story is compelling, the actors are in place, but i was never sure what the filmmakers wanted me to feel about it. The other plotline is the burgeoning friendship between nathaniel and mr. It also steers clear of message movie heavy handedness though only just, even though it has plenty to say about mental illness and l.
Schizophrenia and the soloist by dan gottlieb, posted. The soloist is a story about a relationship across a socioeconomic chasm. Lopez is not truly happy with his life at this moment. This movie is about two entirely different people who crosses pathways and ends up helping each other. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, is a work of nonfiction that charts the experience of the musician nathaniel ayers. Times columnist steve lopes that purse him to write a story about him. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing the soloist near you. The movie the soloist was released in 2009 and is based on a true story. The soloist nathaniel is a wonderful cellist and violist and he loves music.
While both movies focus on the emotional lives of these two musicians, they approach the subject from very different perspectives. The soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift. Fortunately, the soloists complex story is not easily destroyed. But by the film s finale, lopezs exwife, mary, helps the writer see that what matters is being a friend to nathaniel, even if a permanent fix remains unlikely. What the soloist tells us about homelessness and mental illness in america 05212009 05. A newspaper hits a door and the main articles title is life has a mind by steve lopez robert downey jr. Ayes is a gifted musician who attended julliard but had to drop out due to his mental state. A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and. Apr 24, 2009 fortunately, the soloists complex story is not easily destroyed. Film analysis the soloist reasons i chose this movie. The story begins featuring lopez at his job frustrated with a dose of writers block. Individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia can experience symptoms. The soloist, a 2009 film starring robert downey, jr. The soloist should hit the target for older adult audiences, perhaps sharing the demographic that made a boxoffice success of a beautiful mind.
Hainline a level 29 superb fruitdove scholar script analysis of the soloist. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music, acknowledges that while he is fascinated by the homeless musician named nathaniel anthony ayers, weeks go by and. Im thinking you may have seen the movieread the book. The soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jrit is based on the book of the same title by steve lopez. Lopez, struggling in his personal and professional life to find meaning and purpose, comes across a homeless man, nathaniel ayers, playing his violin in a. Jan 12, 2012 the soloist is a book that relates to the issue of not judging a book by its cover, or profiling people wrongly because of the way they present. It is based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a musician who developed schizophrenia and became homeless. A man is cycling by as a paper boy is driving around delivering newspapers.
Explanation of disorder the main character in the movie suffered from paranoid. The recently and ubiquitiously released the soloist tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between a journalist, steve lopez, and a homeless, schizophrenic musician, nathaniel ayers. Steve lopez is also the main character of the film, and the film essentially chronicles the events which supposedly led to the writing of the book. The soloist stars deliver a helpful message the boston globe. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the soloist study guide and get instant access to the following summary. A lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music steve lopez. Soon, millions of people will have watched this cinematic, pseudo case study. Soloist definition of soloist by the free dictionary. A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and tries to improve his situation. The movie is written by susan grant and directed by directed by joe wright. The soloist the story of the soloist is a truelife story base on the life of nathaniel jonathan ayers, a former cello prodigy whose bouts with schizophrenia landed him on the streets after two years of schooling at juilliard.
An essay or paper on steve lopez the soloist analysis. Soloist vs the devils violinist both films, the soloist and the devils violinist are about actual musicians although living in different centuries. The soloist is an absorbing, illuminating film which is dramatically engaging, keeps it real, in a psychiatric sense, and is never patronising. There are some very compelling scenes depicting some schizophrenic episodes with nathaniel hearing voices that clearly distract him from reality. Nathaniel ayers is the main character in the soloist, a book that is based on a true story about a reporter who befriends a homeless street musician. Though it features strong performances by its lead players, a lack of narrative focus prevents the soloist from hitting its mark. The film was released in theatres on 24 april 2009 and on dvd and bluray august 5. Friends and family recommended the movie to me, and i was told that the movie was a good representation of schizophrenia. When lopez hears ayers play, the screen turns to a variety of colors, as if its the visual manifestation of hearing brilliant art. The soloist reasons i chose this movie there are many reasons i chose to watch this movie. Lopez, struggling in his personal and professional life to find meaning and. Im thinking you may have seen the movie read the book. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature.
Compare and contrast nathanial ayers portrayed the textbook diagnosis of schizophrenia appropriately throughout the movie. Steve lopez, the author and narrator of the soloist. The soloist is a 2009 american film based on the true story of nathaniel ayers, a juilliard musical prodigy who has schizophrenia. Steve lopez is cycling around town and goes in the opposite direction of a bunch of cyclists. During the soloist, nathanial experienced hallucinations and delusions. Psychoanalytic film theory and the rules of the game film theory in practice todd mcgowan is the autor of this 192page book 2015 and the series editor of the film theory in practice published by bloomsbury academi. Nathaniel was a one of the main in the story, he was a homeless man that had an amazing talent. To optimize your experience with your screen reading software, please use our website, which has the same tickets as our and websites. Apr 22, 2009 the soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift.
The soloist is a 2009 drama film directed by joe wright, and starring jamie foxx and robert downey jr. The diversity of these elements is the soloists greatest strength and greatest weakness. Nathaniel ayers is the main character in the soloist, a book that is based on a true story about a press reporter who befriends a homeless street musician. This 42page guide for the soloist by steve lopez includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 31 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. But the case study of nathaniel is only one of two major narratives juggled by the film. It begins in 2005 when lopez, on the lookout as always for a good column idea, hears a violin on the streets of downtown l. The screenplay by susannah grant is based on the book, the soloist by steve lopez. However, he had a mental illness known as schizophrenia, a disease that disturbs the brain with a loud noise. The movie, slated for release on april 24, stars jamie foxx and robert downey jr. Through additional examination steve lopez finds that nathaniel was a talented trainee at julian a school of the carrying out arts in new york. He was a musically gifted child and went to a famous music school, julliard.
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