The Soloist - DVD

The Soloist - DVD (2009)

I did consider going to see this one when it played at the cinema, but it is always nice to keep some for watching on dvds especially dramas.

I liked the pared back Robert Downey Jr. who I often find to be a bit too much of a show off, over the top type character, and much prefer him in a quieter place. He plays a journalist who discovers a mentally disturbed chap living on the street who has some talent playing the violin and cello.

I think the mental illness and homelessness was played well, with a sense or realism and without turning it all Disney and having homeless man playing a symphony and winning awards. It looked like their was a struggle in his head and that sleeping rough was dirty and cold and unsafe. If you ever thought of running away to LA without a plan or money, this might be the movie to watch, to get a sense of the streets not being easy to live on.

I tried a year or two of violin lessons when I was 13, I did ok, but realized that I never had the discipline to do really well.

3/5 - it was ok, I wasn't really touched or moved in any way.