With not much help from the blog reading world I went to the movies based on who would go with me and what they wanted to see. Cyndi and I saw The Soloist. I am definitely going to say that this movie is not for everyone, but at the same time it a very inspirational story that is being told.
I know that my sister would probably hate it because it was a bit slow at parts, she has add 🙂 There were definitely some scenes I would have cut shorter, but I think they were left in to make the film more artistic. For example, when Nathaniel (Jamie Foxx) is playing the cello in the tunnel, the camera follows the journey of these two pigeons flying around the city. I kind of got bored. Luckily this happened only once.
The film was beautiful. The cinematography was wonderful and at some points took my breath away. Specifically, there is one scene where Nathaniel is listening to an orchestra and he closes his eyes. What the audience then sees are various colors lighting up the screen along with the music. It was beautiful and made me think back for a short moment to Mr. Hollands Opus and Fantasia. I think I was probably the only kid that loved Fantasia.
The movie is based on a true story and adapted from a book, which makes the movie even better for me. I have special place in my heart for movies that are from real life experiences. Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. had amazing performances, although I didn’t expect anything less.
AÂ part of the film that I wasn’t expecting was the amazing way that it showcased the homeless community in Los Angeles. I believe it portrayed a very real sense of what is going on in that city, but it not only showed the depravity of the situation, but it showed who some of these people were and showed them as real people and not just a bum on the street. In dealing with the homeless problems in the movie, the mayor decided to give $50 million dollars in funding to help with the homeless community, but what it ended up turning into was the arrest of many of the homeless for petty crimes like being in the possession of a shopping cart. At the end of the film the statistic was given that there are 90,000 homeless people in Los Angeles. That is a lot of people, and although that only works out to be about 2.4% of the population, it is still so disheartening to think about. There is so much need and opportunity to help.
So, I encourage you, if this post struck a chord in your heart, reach out and find a way to be a helping hand in your community. Don’t just write a check, but be a friend because that’s what most people need in life…a good friend.
The One... 