The Soloist

  • 2009


MOVIE IS musical emotional compelling manipulative inspirational
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53 %
57 % Rotten
$ 38 Million
See Where to Watch The Soloist
Positive Reviews 94
Negative reviews 39
Average Rating 3.1/5
musical emotional compelling manipulative inspirational

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
2.0
Downeys performance isnt at fault; his usual hard driving mixture of prickly empathy and slick contempt is easy enough to watch. Av Club
2.0
The Soloist is based on a true story, but it takes pains not to sweeten the facts. EW
3.1
The Soloist has all the elements of an uplifting drama, except for the uplift.The story is compelling, the actors are in place, but I was never sure w .. Rogerebert
4.0
Here, hes muted (in a good way),even when hes frustrated, scared, or enraged. Common Sense Media
1.5
Lymelife comes across as though someone tossed The Ice Storm, The Deer Hunter, and The Squid and the Whale in a blender and punched puree: The result .. Austin Chronicle
1.9
Joe Wright, the fastidious stylist behind Atonement, is prone to frustrating tendencies that are ascendant in The Soloist, an emotionally tone deaf an ..
4.5
Its almost as if the film aspires to soar to great heights and instead, sputters out. Collider
2.5
In the end, The Soloist can take a bow for its effort but shouldnt be expecting any encores.
2.5
In grand style, it tells the story of a schizophrenic musician and of the newspaperman who writes about him, but what emerges is a tale of triumph but .. San Francisco Chronicle
4.0
Its not really giving anything away to say you shouldnt expect a punch the air ending; neither should you hope for a welter of cathartic sobs.Furtherm ..
2.5
Had the story been more solid, Wrights loftier themes might have carried the rest of the film along. Cinema Blend
2.0
Both men are solitary soloists, as it were who learn to re engage with the world. Ny Daily News
4.3
Its a safe, inspirational film, but its an exceedingly well crafted one. JoBlo
3.1
But the tone of The Soloist is wildly uneven.Though unsparing and unsentimental when framing the principals, Wright is hyperbolic when depicting the a .. Philly
2.0
But its an unusually honest movie about homelessness and about newspapers.Every time Lopez visits the office, you see someone carrying out a potted pl .. Philly
4.0
It is rare that any Hollywood film deals with this enormous societal problem. Spirituality And Practice
3.0
Mawkish, manipulative, bombastic tearjerker seems more about making a statement than translating the story into affecting drama. One Guys Opinion
3.5
Foxx and Downeys disciplined duet come close to redeeming The Soloist from its visual excesses, but Wright leaves us with a parting shot of the dancin .. Village Voice
2.0
Its well meaning and is well acted, but is dreary and emotionally bankrupt. Sover
3.1
There story lacks a strong trajectory; it meanders, seemingly unsure of precisely what it wants to do and say and where it wants to go. ReelViews
4.4
Downey is mesmerizing, as usual, doing more with less and perfectly matching Foxxs much juicier role. Combust Ible Celluloid
3.0
The Soloist is a well acted film that doesnt go particularly anywhere, a film with strong production values whose director appears to lack confidence ..
3.8
Instead, it presents a moving tribute to friendship and the power of music. Usa Today
2.5
Its become clear, however, that the movies release was most likely shifted for the simple fact that its just not very good, despite the best efforts o .. Reel Film Reviews
3.0
Maybe if I knew more about schizophrenia his character might have more appeal for me. Lariat
3.0
The Soloist defies expectations while sticking comfortably close to the basics: a compelling story, solid performances, and capable writing and direct .. Eric Ds Nider
3.0
Foxxs sometimes contrived performance is compelling enough, but the movie belongs to Downey, whose sharply antisentimental charisma is its most dramat .. News Review
1.5
Should you still be concerned about the films appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detai .. Screen It
2.0
You can see its potential as a crowd pleaser, its combination of music and madness the same formula that won Shine its place in the sun. Independent
3.8
For good reason.You might as well add the subhead: True, as long as it doesnt get in the way of twisting facts, adding laughs and jerking tears in the .. Rolling Stone
3.0
This is a remarkable story, and as a director Wright cleverly undercuts the scripts sentimentality with sheer realism. Shadows On The Wall
2.5
The Nature of Imitation is the sound of Dorian Concept systematically deconstructing various genres, stripping them back to the bones underneath and t .. Pop Matters
2.0
In the fantasy world of AI populated Westworld, unchecked humankind regresses into violence toward the Other just as we do in the chaotic real world. Pop Matters
2.0
The film also deserves points for resisting an overly sentimental climax, though it has plenty of sugary, supposedly tear jerking and nakedly Oscar ba .. View London
2.5
As Ayers, a Juilliard trained cellist reduced to homelessness, Foxx turns The Soloist from a mildly effective inspirational tale into an aggressive aw .. News Day
3.0
I wish The Soloist had done more than pay lip service to this subject, but the traces of what might have been are still resonant. Cs Monitor
2.5
This movies heart is in the right place, but its mind is often somewhere else. New York Post
3.5
A sensitive but surprisingly unmoving portrayal of the friendship (based on a true story) between a Los Angeles Times writer and a troubled street mus .. Film Journal International ..
3.5
Wright has Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr., both outstanding. Their performances make up for the meandering plot and occasional missteps; neither act .. Az Central
3.8
It turns out that The Soloist isnt so much a story of perseverance and musical triumph as it is of despair, acceptance, and social commitment. Boston
3.0
And no, seeing it 30 odd feet wide doesnt enhance its essential computer gimmick lameness.In the end, its that sense of lameness that colors this whol .. Mountain X
4.4
The Soloist is pitch perfect, a sensitive rendering of challenging social and emotional themes. Star Tribune
4.5
And they would have made it okay it would have been totally endurable, even if it would have made us realize that absent either of them, this would ha ..
3.1
Its a rare instance of a film that is both calculating and nakedly honest at the same time. Toronto Star
2.0
Brit Joe Wright is the wrong director for this film, which is part factual tale of journalist Lopez, part chronicle of the homeless, part intimate fri .. Emanuellevy
4.0
Theres a new Hollywood formula that proceeds thus: a desperate columnist discovers a subject and uses it to hook his readers; a publisher sees theres .. Guardian
2.0
This offsets the potential cheesiness but without making for a very satisfying, involving film. Guardian
5.0
Blessed with superb performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, The Soloist deserves consideration during this years awards season. Reel Talk Reviews
2.0
But thats not enough uplift to power a film.Downey, normally one of my favourite actors, is miscast. Daily Mail
4.5
As a film, even in the hands of Atonement director Joe Wright and with talents such as the amazing Downey Jnr, Foxx and Keener, our emotional experien ..
4.5
The Soloist is a moving, inspirational story told in a straightforward style, refreshingly devoid of sentimentality. Observer
3.0
And heres why you shouldnt barf: Its not the worst movie in the world. Movies
5.0
Sometimes a mere coincidence in Hollywoods haphazard release schedule crystallizes a national momenta gathering mood, a twinge of longing.Two ambitiou .. New Yorker
5.0
Theres real sentiment here, but the sentimental is blessedly missing. Time
3.8
Thats probably just as well, since tonally that rather jovial romp didnt match the self important pretensions and delusions of actual dramatic weight .. Mr Brown Movies
3.1
Director Joe Wright may not always be able to resist self indulgence, but credit the filmmaker for tending to the story with a pace and tone that meld .. The Movie Boy
3.0
Its one of the riskiest things youll ever see in a mainstream film, and yet its the only way it could have been done. Bullz-Eye
2.0
If a film featuring a homeless bloke playing the cello isnt fit for the Oscar punters, then its surely fit for nobody. The Irish Times
2.0
Star Trek Discovery season 2 release date, cast, episodes, trailers, and everything else you need to know Feature Star Trek Discovery season 2 is near .. Total Film
3.0
WHATS BAD For all its attributes theres something oddly cold and uninvolving here. Hollywood
2.5
The film captures what it must be like to be schizophrenic better than you have ever seen in the movies. Tony Medley
2.0
Part of the films troubles come from an unattended need for likable characters. Coles Mithey
3.8
It is a symphony of emotional release, the weight and majesty of lifes miseries and joys all on vibrant display. Movie Freak
3.0
But it is pretty good, thanks to a pair of fine performances from its leads and a director who understands understatement.
3.1
bromantic drama...becomes as frustratedly impotent as Lopez feels, and as chokingly symbolic as Ayers looks with an Uncle Sam top hat on his head and .. Groucho Reviews
1.5
But if youre a cynical bastard like myself youll want to watch something cool, like Monsters vs. Aliens again. 7M Pictures
1.9
Look, the real wonder of WW84 is that this maybe isnt the worst thing about it. Film Freak Central
2.0
The florid visual style of British director Joe Wright (Atonement) drowns out fine though not stellar turns by Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx and le .. Boxoffice Magazine
2.0
Ayers isnt painted as a saint; hes genuinely crazy in a potentially dangerous way, and kudos to Foxxs lack of vanity on that score. E Online
1.5
Playing up to music and disabled character clichs, the filmmakers seem to be Oscar fishing with this almost there drama. Film Ink
3.0
The film touches on issues of social inequity and mental illness and the waning art of newspaper column writing. The Age
3.0
It isnt disappointing, but it never quite succeeds at bringing the anguish of Ayers to the forefront of the horrifyingly depressing LAMP Community sit ..
4.0
The Soloist is a moving and well made film, but you just cant help feeling it is a little too contrived and simplistic. Mirror
2.0
Fine as a series of columns in the Los Angeles Times but a misfit as a movie. Varia Gate
2.0
Lopez scrabbles to find some other meaning in the madness, but its a lost cause. Digital Spy
4.0
This is as good, technically, as mainstream American filmmaking gets. Abc
3.8
The movie avoids most of the pitfalls: Its epiphanies are small ones, but with the gleam of truth. Stl Today
3.0
A sub plot features an orang utan; it is no exaggeration to say that she is the most moving performer on screen. Ft
4.4
Remarkable! A small, intimate kind of movie that deserves to be cradled and cherished, not slathered in crass award show buzz and industry politics. Christianity Today
4.5
Like being ordered to have long hair and smile on stage, but wondering how to smile with a trombone in your mouth.Or repeatedly told youre not good en .. News Blaze
5.0
But unlike other classmates such as Yo Yo Ma, Nathaniel would never get a chance to realize his full potential, because during his sophomore year he b .. News Blaze
3.5
It is an imperfect film, to be sure.But it kept me engaged, when it wasnt frustrating me. Hollywood And Fine
3.0
Ooh, friend!.The Inbetweeners Simon on why he STILL fails to be an adult at the age of 34 TAKING ANOTHER CHANCE All about Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Agai .. The Sun
3.0
Put the marketing aside, block the promotion out, and absorb this feature for what it truly is: a masterful observation of genius trapped inside unima .. Brian Or Ndorf
3.0
The story surely is interesting, but in this form, not terribly enlightening. Antagony & Ecstasy
3.1
The Soloist is, much like its central character Nathaniel Ayers, Jr. (Jamie Foxx), a remarkable example of potential left unfulfilled.
4.6
Its often compelling as a political thriller, but lacks insight as a biopic. Nyc Movie Guru
3.8
You are so good in this movie, I almost want to forgive you for Miami Vice. Waffle Movies
3.0
Based on a true story, this is a life affirming drama from British director Joe Wright. Sky
3.5
It seemed like a dream team: consummate actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, a classy director in Atonements Joe Wright, and a screenplay by Susan .. Sbs
2.0
This weeks TLS October 12, 2018 Visions of modern India; the Odyssey in reception, translation and imagination; what German nationalism did to the ide .. Entertainment Times Online ..
3.0
You will be able to save yourself from getting disappointed of watching nothing but a lame movie. Window To The Movies
3.1
Should he be forced to come off the street, take meds, change.Its answers may surprise or unsettle, as will the movies fantastic jumble of devices and .. Chron
3.0
A thought provoking portrayal of homelessness and an interesting tale of one man struggling to help another. Metro
4.0
You could learn more about the story of mentally ill musical prodigy Nathaniel Ayers in a 12 minute segment of a March 60 Minutes broadcast than in th .. Or Lando Weekly
2.0
Allowing Lopez to be a family man would only have accentuated the disparity between his comparatively successful, functional life and Ayerss marginal, .. Decent Films
4.0
Its scored for two very different though equally remarkable actors, and performed with uncanny bravura. Wsj
3.0
When theyre on screen together, its better than electrifying its rhapsodic. Jam! Movies
3.5
Worthwhile socially conscious drama pulls itself up a full two notches with the spirited performances of Jamie Foxx, as a homeless, mentally ill class .. East Bay Express
2.0
Just because The Soloist is about a homeless person doesnt mean it should have pedestrian direction.But it does pedestrian and clodhopping. Tony Mack
4.0
The Soloist brings to life its story with genuine compassion, neatly avoiding many of the traps that afflict Hollywood films about mental illness. And .. Film4
2.5
...tour de force performances from Foxx and Downey, but they cannot make up for a story that it is largely commonplace. Movie Metropolis
4.5
The film is a pipeline into Tysons inner worlda dangerous place that all at once makes sense. Ny Mag
2.0
If the film is smarter and more ambitious than I expected, it is also less involving: a meandering, digressive plea for a social conscience that never .. Film Blather
4.4
I wanted more of the characters in the film finding their own ground. Review Express
4.0
Its not hard to see why the film struggled, as while it appears from the marketing to be a predictable drama about friendship overcoming great odds, w .. Future Movies
2.5
wonder how I could bash a story so touching, so humane, so heartwarming. One word: manipulation. Tri City Herald
2.5
It would have worked better as a documentary.Ayres wears strange clothing and his motor mouth sends out a steady stream of random thoughts. Entertainment Spectrum
3.5
Melodrama makes its way into this film on occasion (like with the flashbacks), and that separates it from greatness. The Scorecard Review
3.5
Its a good, convincing, sympathetic performance, but its still a movie. Can Mag
5.0
And Wright lightens the story with bits about Lopezs inept home life and finds fun (but never mocking fun) in Ayers eccentricities.Theres also a timel .. Orlando Sentinel
0.5
Wrights direction is too deliciously smart, elegant and unsentimental for that. Spectator
2.5
The Soloist foregoes easy solutions, and even more importantly, it foregoes any easy sense of friendship. Detroit News
2.5
Credit The Soloist for avoiding sappiness while treating us to parts of Ludwig Bs masterworks. Compuserve
2.5
And yet it never achieves greatness, and it often wallows in predictability and cliche. Richard Roeper
2.5
Early on, remarks that his goal is to understand how and why a person can go from Juilliard to the streets. If only The Soloist had the same intent. Metromix.com
5.0
The article requested cannot be found!.Please refresh your browser or go back. Ny Press
3.1
Despite its engagement with unique, sensuous visual conceits, The Soloist is hampered by the collective failure to shape characters worthy of the dept .. Critics Notebook
4.4
Both actors deliver award worthy performances and I hope their work here is remembered at the end of the year. Crazed Fan Boy
3.0
The Soloist is like its two protagonists: Its a little messy and beaten up in spots, but ultimately its decent and dignified. MSN Movies
3.0
Downeys performance is always enthralling, fascinating, and utterly present. But the inconsistency of the rest of the film makes him more of a soloist .. Movie Mom
3.5
Audiences looking for a feel good film about a troubled musical genius finding his way home (such as in Shine) are going to be very disappointment wit .. Cinema Autopsy
4.0
If the symbolism is a bit heavy handed at times, it is also intensely elevating. Brandon Fibbs
3.0
The Soloist is great in the visual, sound and acting department but fails to tell a story that grabs your attention.
2.5
For a movie thats about compassion and understanding, it makes for a shockingly indifferent experience.
2.0
The Soloist keeps skirting the gassy clichs of the uplifting triumph of the underdog movie before ultimately surrendering to soppy sentimentality. MSNBC
3.1
The film, however, is rather like one of the Bach cello suites mentioned in the movie performed by a technically competent but passionless player it d .. Washington Times
2.0
Aside from putting flesh on the bones of characters, there are ways in which a movie can surpass a book. In this case its through the power of music b .. Ma Cleans
2.0
Two great performers lose out because The Soloist has the potential to be better than the directed product. Jo Reviews
2.0
The latest near blasphemous use of Beethovens magnificent oeuvre (cross references below) comes in a film where love of his craft is central to the st .. James Wegg Review
3.1
We expect beautiful music from The Soloist, but we suffer through some blaring false notes along the way. Washington Times
3.8
The writer, Susannah Grant, director Joe Wright, and especially the two superb leading actors all give the film life and humanity. Movie City News
2.5
This is the rare movie where simplicity would have helped rather than hindered. Knight At The Movies
2.0
This veers a little too haphazardly between being a message movie and one of those films about an unlikely friendship. In the end, it fails to work as .. Daily Mirror (UK)
4.0
Just as director Joe Wright conveyed the multiplicity of emotion at the Dunkirk beachhead in Atonement, he conducts his version of downtown L.A. with ..
2.5
The facts offer potential for a heart rending and emotional movie experience, but Wright (director of Atonement and Pride and Prejudice) goes Hollywoo .. Courier Mail (Australia)
3.0
Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx are highly convincing. Problem is, the film lets them down. It is not as powerful or moving as it could and should ha .. Courier Mail (Australia)
3.0
While flawed, The Soloist pulls at your heart. Some might argue the flick is too political, but in these dire economic times it is refreshing to not s .. BET.com
2.5
treatment of the material is so literal that at times the film seems like a syllabus for Remedial Cinematic Technique 101. Tnr
4.5
It takes admirable steps to avoid the sentimental pitfalls that tend to accompany all such redemptive Hollywood tales, but it still leaves you with a ..
3.0
Somewhere in here, there is a simple, powerful story. If only Wright and Grant had been able to find it. Empire Online
3.8
Strangely, the inspirational power of The Soloist lies not in its music but in the heart and soul of its intriguing characters. Miami Herald
1.5
When Keeners Mary Weston suggests that Lopez may be exploiting Ayers, it is tempting to wonder how the filmmakers would react to the same accusation. DVD Review
2.5
A neat summation of how liberal thinking boils down to one symbol a soiled, tattered American flag, emblem of our supposed national shame and one phra ..
4.5
The Soloist never completely transcends that Hollywood formula feel, but it has enough transcendent moments to make it worth recommending. Las Vegas CityLife
2.0
These dudes want: hot meals, support, attention, loyalty and raw sex from someone they are just friends with . #YeahOK Giant Blackplanet
3.0
Its power may owe more to Beethoven and Bach than the skills of the filmmakers, but it can be recommended to all who like a strange and moving story. The Australian
4.4
A duet, with two master performers collaborating in absorbing harmony.
2.0
A rich cocktail of all Hollywoods most endemic clichs, it would be easy to apply to The Soloist that rebuking tag, Oscar bait. Its every move is calcu ..
1.5
In the hands of a director more suited to the material The Soloist might have been a deeply moving experience. Here, we know something important is be .. Film.com
4.5
Hollywood loves the heroics of good intentions, but this is that rare movie that is just as interested in the road to hell.
2.5
Although Jamie Foxxs performance in The Soloist is worth the ticket price, the film fails to leave audiences with a satisfying ending.
3.1
The Soloist is not a film in which you anticipate Robert Downey Jr. will be twice doused in urine. Such are the territorial markings of Joe Wright, wh ..
2.0
Watch: Hang glider holds on for dear life after realizing hes not strapped in Watch: Hang glider holds on for dear life after realizing hes not str..



See Where to Watch The Soloist