The Robert Downey Jr. Film Guide: The Soloist (2009)

I’d always known and grown up on the east coast in Manhattan and then out [in L.A.] always being kind of a street kid that there’s unpanned gold in every soul you run into, no matter what walk of life they’re from. I think besides Joe [Wright, the director] I was probably the person who spent the most time with the Lamp members because [my character is] always there amongst the society that exists down on Skid Row. I was just in close proximity [to them] for a long time and kind of felt, it’s like anything—it’s like being at a new school, first they’re wondering, they’re mildly interested and want to talk about things that have to do with movies and then they’re talking about what’s in the newspaper that day or something that actually happened, what they’re going through, things they’re pissed off about. It’s like any culture ... I’m playing a journalist again, which seems to be a bit of a karmic thing for me. It also makes me much nicer in interviews. I just know what a challenging job it is and what a drag it is to make an agreement to talk to someone who then promptly informs you that they don’t want to talk ... [We worried] is this going to be one of those self-serving Hollywood feelgood tear jerk junky things? Talking to Jamie helped me ground that and get a sense of what our purpose was. And Joe Wright’s take on it was pretty great so we thought we had a good shot at doing one of those quote unquote important movies that sucked.

The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez
The book sums up the film’s story which was originally told in by a series of newspaper articles.

Present day (2008), Los Angeles.

Though based on a true story, some aspects of the movie were made up to add tension and drama (for example, Steve Lopez is not divorced in real life).

Released in theaters 24 April 2009. On DVD in regions 1, 2, 3 and 4, and Blu-Ray.

Argentina: El solista
Brazil: O Solista
Denmar: Solisten
France: Le soliste
Germany: Der Solist (The Soloist)
Greece: O virtouozos Turkey: Virtüoz (Virtuoso)

56% Fresh | 195 Reviews

Mick La Salle, San Francisco Chornicle: Even when Lopez gets passionate on Nathaniel’s behalf, Downey remains plugged into the cannibalizing aspect of the writing life: He portrays Lopez as someone who enjoys caring and enjoys getting involved, because it all makes for a better column.

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: It’s hard to imagine these roles played by anyone else. The co-stars are both virtuosos, and their styles combine to create a harmony of friendship that cannot fix the unfixable, or redeem the irredeemable, but gradually grows into mutual help and a kind of love.

1. You’re way into classical music.
2. Maybe you need a reality check about how serious a problem homlessness is in L.A.