This is one of the best films I saw in 2009. I'm sorry it got so little reception and that most of the critics did not seem to know how to handle it. Anyone who has worked, lived with or been close to someone with schizophrenia will probably be deeply moved by this movie. This is not a film of easy answers. But it's subject matter is not easy. It's not A Beautiful Mind or Shine, where the characters are suddenly transformed by the power of music or math or whatever. It deals with the reality of schizophrenia and homelessness, which are both terrifying, dizzying, and messy issues that cannot be solved with one helping hand and musical instrument. The acting, writing, and directing are amazing, as is the cinematography (the first sequence on skid row and an "internal" light show are particularly notable). I went into this film unsure about it, as the previews depicted it as one of those feel good inspirational stories, but was totally blown away. To think that films like Up in the Air and Avatar are stealing all the acclaim for 2009 and this film is getting left in the dust is heartbreaking. It's truly a masterpiece.… Expand

If not for the actors selling there roles The Soloist would have been a complete flop. Other than Foxx and Downey Jr. The Soloist has nothing going for it. The extremely unfocused film leaves its viewers wondering what the point of it was (Craziness has no cure? Homelessness is a personal choice? Homelessness is a problem everyone needs to be involved in? Classical music is under appreciated in society?)? The Soloist is slow and never really packs any sort of punch or sentimental moment and spends to much time building up a storyline with no real clear cut point, which is essential in a movie or better said character study such as this.… Expand

I despise these artsy fartsy pretentious films that go overboard on style and light on substance. It's overdone, overrated, overacted, overlong and after thirty minutes was over this glossy rubbish.

You will laugh, maybe cry and it will make you smile. But there is no way you can't feel sympathy for Nathaniel or Steve in this movie. This movie is really poweful, and the fact that this is from a true story make it more interesting.

In a time where the general population is burden with problems & crisis occur from day to day do we really need to pay money to see a film so depressing ? I think not.

An entertaining and moving film. Not a masterpiece, but a solid piece of filmmaking, with credible performances by Downey and Foxx.

Beautifully filmed and a wonderful story. Simply worth seeing. A story worth telling.

Deeply moving film, made more so by knowing Downey's life story, so as a background to what we watch, we know that the actor had to face comparably difficult inner demons. Very strong performances.

Downey Jr. is excellent, and the story is interesting, but The Soloist is plagued by excessive cliques and an overall lack of purpose. It's a shame to see such a great cast go to waste.

Foxx and Downey Jr. are on my Oscar-watch.

I love this movie, is really powerful. The Audience Applauded at the end of this movie, in the theater.

I thought this was a wonderful movie, especially for those that love classical music, as well as those that have loves ones fighting mental illness. If you're just interested in the movie because of Jamie Foxx, you will probably be disappointed because it is so different than his previous work. I really enjoyed the movie. God Bless you Mr. Ayers!

Very well conceived cinematographically. Superb acting. A moving, thought provoking film.

Highly enjoyable.

A bad script and worse direction (in fact pretty dreadful direction) does this film in. True stories can make for uneven movie experiences that leave script writers and directors trying to hammer square pegs into round holes and audiences scratching their heads and wondering where the closure went. Because of these potential cinematic minefields having the right touch becomes vitally important. This movie has a sort of 1940… Expand

Excellent film, very inspirational to everyone.

I wanted to like this movie, I really did. However, the story just left me feeling empty. The entire film was an edge-of-your-seat experience, but only in anticipation of when Nathanial Meyers would freak out next, or if he would get assaulted on the streets of LA. The problem was that there was no rising sense of accomplishment, no progress. In the end, Nathanial is still crazy, albeit he has an apartment, and LA is has tons of homeless people.… Expand

Boring crap. Just wanted it to end.

Depressing, slow, repetitive, depressing. I didn't find it inspiring, I guess I should have seen another movie. But thought I'd counterbalance the accolades. 9 or 10? Nope.

I feel that I would have appreciated this movie much more had I been more appreciative of the Music-Color Vibrations you almost were required to understand to fully get the most of the movie and the artistic genius Mr Foxx's character portrayed.

Turgid, chaotic, tedious .. I do not even find Foxx's acting anything decent as well, just like a kid playing a mental illness person. It is supposed to be a film about a music genius however the use of music is nowhere near ingenious.

A very sad movie about a schizophrenic musician and the reporter who writes about him. Seems quite authentic and the acting is great.

I knew nothing about this film before I saw it, so it caught me completely off guard and, quite unexpectedly, moved me deeply. Brilliantly understated acting by both Foxx and Downey complemented some truly extroardinary scenes of homeless life in LA that delivered a punch to my solar plexus like Dante's Inferno. Every scene in the film rang true, INCLUDING (although those with less experience with the mentally ill might disagree) the scenes in which Nathaniel was suddenly less than gracious. At the end, I was left with a feeling that although the story might revolve around Ayers, the true journey it depicts is actually that of Steve Lopez and his awakening from a bitter, sardonic anything-for-a-story newspaperman to a kinder, more sensitive human being with a solid awareness regarding the plight of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Outstanding work! I definitely look forward to reading the book.… Expand

Don't pay attention to those who say this is boring or too sad; they are the same people who don't like any film unless someone is getting shot or raped. This is a great slice of real life film telling a real story; it features great acting by Downey, Foxx and Keener and wonderful cinematography.

This movie isn't about someone that goes out and changes someone's life. It's about friendship and how it alone can change someone.

This is such a beautiful film, Downey performance is always incredibly nuanced and I just enjoy the creativity that he brings to each role. Foxx was good too, i thought he was gonna over act his role but he did it amazing.

I cannot imagine any other actor in Robert Downey Jr's role. Other actors would have been too sentimental and heavy handed. Robert played it in such a subtle natural way. You cannot catch him acting if you know what I mean. It all seems to just flow from him. I loved also how you can sense this change in attitude of him in the movie from a person who just sees Nathaniel as a story and then grows to see him as his friend. What a powerful movie.… Expand

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.… Expand

Very good message. Music was awesome. Opened my eyes to the plight of homeless people.

I must have watched a different movie from all these critics. This was one of the most beautiful, emotionally moving movies that I've ever seen. Unless you're an emotionless, soul-less shell of a human being, I give this my highest recommendation.

I think is this movie is such a moving film, i don't know why critics don't think is a masterpiece. Just because they didn't like how the director shoot it?

In what had the conceptual, talent and makings of a fantastic movie, this film loses its way about halfway through and teeters back and forth until the viewer moves from wanting the story to go the way it is leading, to the viewer just wanting it to end. Fortunately, the movie does pick up toward the last half hour. The actual ending is very sweet and probably more realistic than the Hollywood ending it could have had. At the very least, this movie is a snapshot of the plight of homeless people and the fact that each one is unique, with their own story and are worthy of respect as human beings.… Expand