Movie Review by Sister Lorie
The Soloist.
Available on DVD, staring Jamie Foxx (Mr. Ayers) and Robert Downey Jr. (Mr. Lopez)
The movie tells the tale, based on a true story, of a Los Angeles columnist looking for a story that finds a life lesson in his own back yard. Stopping by a statue of Beethoven, he finds a homeless man playing beautiful violin music on a instrument with two strings. The reporter is curious and tries to strike up a conversation with the musician. He soon realizes that the angelic music has been produced by a man with many demons. The strangely fluid, mind bending information bursts forth from Nathaniel Anthony Ayers. Mr. Lopez is amazed to hear that Mr. Ayers attended Julliard.
Thinking that the journey from Julliard to the mean streets of L.A. would be a great piece, he called Julliard to confirm Mr. Ayers status as an alumni. I don’t wish to spoil the story and tell all, so I will cut to the end. Mr. Lopez learns and astounding life lesson from his homeless mentally ill friend that gives him a joy and enjoyment of life.
Let’s just say I am somewhat fascinated by the Dalai Lama as a person and as a religious leader. To those of us that know little about Buddhism, he seems strange and somewhat exotic. From the prayer flags waving in the breeze to the remote barren moon-scape of a land that he once ruled, every thing about this man is foreign. This film is a tale of two journeys. The journey of a documentary film maker with a life long dream to interview his personal hero and the hero. The hero is at once a simple monk who lives on $10/day and only travels economy and the political and spiritual leader of a country and an age old people.