The Soloist, a 2009 American film. The film tells the story: Nathaniel Ayers is a musical genius, but unfortunately suffers from schizophrenia. Homeless, he slept on the streets at night and played around during the day. "Los Angeles Times" reporter Steve Lopez was very interested in Ayers. He carefully observed every move of Ayres and wrote it in his column. In the process, he also met Ayres. Si became a good friend. With his help, Els found himself again, and as the two got along, their lives also changed a lot.
"The Soloist" tells the story of Els, a schizophrenic musical genius played by Jamie Foxx who lives on the streets because of homelessness and plays himself on the streets every day. Els's violin, Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey Jr.) discovered him and was very interested in him, so Steve Lopez carefully observed Ells's every move and wrote it in his column. At the same time, he also became good friends with Els in the process. ...From the initial professional mentality of digging out news materials, to finally abandoning his family and career to help the other person get back on stage, the wonderful friendship between Lopez and this street cello soloist began. It is worth mentioning that the script of the film was written by Susannah Grant and was completed in just 28 days. The script was adapted from a newspaper article by Steve Lopez. DreamWorks is responsible for distribution. The film will be released in November 2008. Released on Thanksgiving Day on the 21st
Plot introduction
For Los Angeles Times reporter Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.), this sunny spring day Nothing festive at all. His marriage is in ruins, but he has no close friends to talk to him about his welfare; when he goes out to relax, he will lose his head; what is even worse is that even his only sustenance now - work, does not go well no matter what, he is really unlucky and can drink cold water. Sticky teeth! Well, instead of being bored to death behind closed doors, why not go for a walk on your bike and maybe find some extra inspiration. Stopping and walking, passing countless palm trees, before he knew it, he arrived at Pershing Square, the oldest city park in Los Angeles. A melodious violin sound made him stop involuntarily. Sitting under the Beethoven statue in the middle of the street was a dark-skinned street performer. There was an orange trolley beside him, with all his belongings piled messily, and the tattered violin in his hand was held together by only two strings. However, these inconspicuous hands created an incredibly wonderful chapter. Perhaps out of curiosity, perhaps because of professional sensitivity, or perhaps just having nothing to do, Steve chatted with the musical genius named Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx). Next, he was stunned to discover that Nathaniel, now living on the streets and homeless, not only suffered from schizophrenia, but also studied at the famous Julian College of Music, which once shocked people in the music industry! Excellent news material! After multiple researches confirmed Nathaniel's story, Steve became very interested in him and began to carefully observe his every move. Nathaniel's rough sleep, his difficult life, and the fact that his talent was buried, not to mention the fact that he majored in cello and bass and never even learned the violin, were all written into Steve's story bit by bit. in the column. With contact day after day, the two originally lonely hearts gradually collided and developed a profound friendship. Nathaniel's persistence and simplicity allowed Steve to find himself again. And in order to help Nathaniel get out of the shadows and fulfill his wish to step onto the stage again, Steve did his best. On a certain day of a certain year, a certain month, when the soul-stirring sound of the piano finally played in the Disney Concert Hall, the lives of the two loners were like a phoenix rising from the ashes, changing their trajectory ever since...
< p>Edit highlights of this videoStills The story told in this film is very simple: the musical genius Nathaniel Ayers is in his second year of further studies at the Juilliard School (cellist Yo-Yo Ma is Ayers an alumnus of Sri Lanka), suffering from schizophrenia. After falling ill, Els, who was in a trance, could no longer complete his studies, but in order to make ends meet, he could only make a living by playing the cello on the streets of Los Angeles.
When a genius is about to be buried, Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey Jr.), a columnist for the Los Angeles Times who is not going well in life and career, accidentally discovers him. Attracted by his piano sound, he admired Els' music very much. Gradually, the two became very good friends. The Los Angeles Times column introduced Els's music, which made many music lovers know Els and Els. his music. Nathaniel Els (played by Jamie Foxx) is a black man who dresses strangely. He once studied at the famous music school Juliette Conservatory of Music in New York and had a promising future. However, his career ended due to schizophrenia and he has been living on the streets since then. Make ends meet. Steve wrote his story as "Life Has Its Own Words" and published it in the Los Angeles Times. Steve even wants to help Nathaniel return to the stage, but his chaotic mental state has been overwhelmed, and the friendship between the two is facing a test. A talented black cellist whose ultimate dream was to perform in chambers, he was troubled by schizophrenia and became homeless until the art-loving journalist Steve Lopez discovered him - even Yo-Yo Ma was afraid of him. Nathaniel Ayers, "The Master's Apprentice". From the initial professional mentality of digging out news materials, to finally abandoning his family and career to help the other person get back on stage, the wonderful friendship between Lopez and this street cello soloist began. "Eccentric geniuses" have always been a subject that Hollywood is keen on expressing, and it is also a favorite of the Oscars, such as "Rain Man", "Good Will Hunting" and other movies. Most of these films follow the "inspirational" route - normal people help eccentric geniuses integrate into life, and in the process find the meaning of life again. "The Soloist" also falls into this category, but director Joe White did not stop there. The two people's deep friendship full of conflicts and understanding and their spiritual world are the focus of the film. . The outstanding acting skills of Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx are the highlights of the film. Both of them may receive an Oscar nomination for this film. The film music in "Atonement" is very impressive. The mechanical but urgent typewriter rhythm throughout it catches people's hearts, blending classical and modern styles into a romantic and melancholy one. I believe Joe White will be more comfortable with this movie about musicians. From "Pride and Prejudice," which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Composer, to "Atonement," which won the Oscar for Best Composer, Joe White's understanding and control of music are obvious. "According to this trend, one day he will definitely be nominated for an Oscar." Rumors about "Best Director" have already been overwhelming. However, unexpected bad news hit in the fall: After the internal preview, Focus Features decided to abandon the distribution work of "Solo" and handed it over to Paramount DreamWorks. The film originally scheduled to be released at the end of 2009 will also be The film will be released in late April next year - the coldest weekend of the year before the summer season opens.
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We are very pleased that the film conveys a very positive attitude towards life. ——"Los Angeles Times" Robert Downey Jr. returns to the literary comedy he is best at. Through "The Soloist", you can see where his strength lies. The story of "The Soloist" is a bit too idealistic, but after I knew that this story was indeed true, I understood one thing: this world is indeed full of hope. After "Iron Man", Robert Downey Jr. is becoming more and more recognized, and he in "Solo" will further refresh the audience's impression of him on the big screen.
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The film tells a true story. In April 2005, Steve wrote in a column in the Los Angeles Times that he happened to meet Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a talented but schizophrenic man living on the streets in the slums. Nathaniel used his amazing artistic ability to perform on the streets while playing a violin with only two strings. Soon, Steve began writing stories about them and publishing them in his column, which gained the attention of a large audience. Afterwards, Steve wrote a book about his unusual encounter with Ayers, which was published in early 2008. The film "The Soloist" reflecting this true story will be officially released on April 17, 2009. In the face of all this, Steve reflects: “When I met a street musician in downtown Los Angeles four years ago who played a violin with only two strings, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to write about him.
But as I learned more about him, column after column came out, and then there was a book, "The Soloist," and then it was made into a movie, with Robert Downey Jr. playing the real me. Although many producers expressed interest in the story, it was the producing team of Russ Krasnoff and Gary Foster who gained the trust of author Steve. They watched Steve "I can't remember any newspaper story that moved me as much as Steve's story about Nathaniel," Ruth said. It's the story of two men, one in trouble and an outcast, the other seemingly very successful, yet Steve sees a passion he's never seen before. I'm interested in this story because Steve doesn't just tell a wanderer's story, he looks deeper into the motivations and roots of our lives. He captures the true core of every character in the story. ” Gary added: “When we saw the column, we thought we could turn it into a movie. This movie is about love, about revelation and about the power of people being able to help each other. This is what we want. What we see is a life-changing friendship. Nathaniel helps Steve see more of his own humanity, and Steve gives Nathaniel hope for a life other than sitting in a tunnel playing a violin with only two strings. I was also drawn to the fact that the story takes place in Los Angeles and explores many facets of the city, from the beauty of downtown to the gloom of the slums. Shortly after, they reached an agreement with Steve and co-produced the film with DreamWorks. They decided to write the film with Oscar-nominated screenwriter Susanna Grant, who had once based her true story on To pique her interest, Ruth and the others simply sent her some of the columns, which won acclaim and became an award-winning hit. I don’t want anyone to be exposed to this story. "I just knew I wanted to write this story," she said of her reaction after seeing the column. "It was a challenge for me to try to convey what excited me about the material." Soon, Suzanne had a rough idea of ??the structure of the prose-turned-film. She looked at the relationship between what happened to the two men from different angles, and how their friendship led them to a place they had never known before. An imaginary position. She said: "I always think of The Soloist as a love story, a story of a great and deep friendship. This story is about two people trying to communicate no matter how lonely the city is, and the inner differences between them. Another thing is that there aren’t a lot of movies about friendship between men these days. Eventually, Suzanne made changes to both characters and some circumstances. In order to increase the loneliness of the columnist, she created the character of an ex-wife who also worked at the Los Angeles Times (in reality, Steve had a A happy family, and the wife does not work for the same company); turning Nathaniel's two sisters into one; in order to maintain the narrative pace of the film, the development time of the two people's friendship was appropriately adjusted. At the same time, in order to make the film more interesting. For authenticity, Suzanne spent considerable time with Steve and Nathaniel to get to know them personally. She said: "They are wonderful people and it is rare to be around them. "In terms of director selection, the film crew accepted the suggestion of DreamWorks CEO Schneider and chose Joe White, a 36-year-old British director who has rapidly become popular in recent years, as the director of the film. Joe White, with his debut film " "Pride and Prejudice" stood out among young directors, while the second film "Atonement", also adapted from a literary work, won the Best Picture Award in the Drama Series at the 65th Golden Globe Awards and the Best Picture Award at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards. Film Award and was nominated for Best Picture at the 80th Academy Awards. Joe White has therefore become one of the most sought-after directors today. Joe White has never made a film in the United States before, so he can bring a fresh vision. The opportunity to represent Los Angeles piqued his interest. Before signing on, Joe White flew to Los Angeles to discuss the script in more depth with the producers, and at the same time used the opportunity to go to the slums on his own. It profoundly influenced and changed the direction of the film, and ignited his desire to show the rich humanity that people in this city could not see. He said: "I personally went to the slums and homeless shelters. The shelter provides nearly 200 rooms for homeless people, including the one where Nathaniel now lives.
The people I met in the slums was also a reason why I accepted the film. ” He continued, “They are gracious, polite, funny, and some of the most honest people I have ever met. I hope their presence in the film brings authenticity to the film, but also that something can be done for them. These people are disenfranchised in American society and often do not have a voice. I hope our film will give them the power to speak their minds. "In order to present Nathaniel's real living environment, the film crew mobilized major shelters in the United States and hired 450 homeless people to participate in the performance. The role of street musician Nathaniel in the film was won by the film "Thunder" Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx plays the role of the columnist, and Robert Downey Jr., who won the British Academy Film and Television Award for Best Actor and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for "Chaplin and His Lovers", plays the role of the columnist. Everyone has personally met Nathaniel and Steve to understand their character traits so that they can better express the spirit of the real characters in the film because of the similarities between Steve in the film and Steve in real life. With a different background, Robert Jr. received Steve's advice to recast the role of Steve according to the plot. As Jamie, he must have the basic qualities of a musician. The company specially hired a Chinese cellist. Hong Benlun and violinist Alyssa Parker were responsible for teaching Jamie how to play the big violin. Jamie spent several months learning fingering, bowing and correct postures for playing the violin. Another important aspect of "Soloist". The thrilling thing about the film is that the music connects Steve and Nathaniel to their unique friendship, with the film's soundtrack composed by Oscar-nominated "Pride and Prejudice" and winner of the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Score for "Atonement." The composer Dario Marianelli is in charge, and the score is mainly inspired by Beethoven's Third Symphony and Ninth Symphony. The reason why Beethoven comes to mind is because he seems to have said that Nathaniel loves music. At its core, Beethoven was one of the composers that Nathaniel was in awe of and fascinated by. As the director said, Beethoven's music encompasses a wide range of emotions for all people. Although he suffered from illness, he never gave up his love for music. This is similar to Nathaniel.