Movie Review

Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice), and starring: Robert Downey Jr. (Steve Lopez), Jamie Foxx (Nathaniel Ayers), Catherine Keener (Mary Weston-Lopez), Lisa Gaye Hamilton (Jennifer Ayers), 109 minutes, Drama, 2009.

This is a true-life story based on a book by Steve Lopez, columnist with the LA Times. One day while sniffing around somewhat desperately for a column idea, he encounters Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless black man playing a violin with two strings on the streets of LA. Ayers lets drop that he once went to Julliard School in New York but left. Intrigued, Lopez began a series of columns about this "interesting genius" that led to the donation of a high-end cello for Ayers because, after contact with Nathaniel's sister in New York, Lopez discovered that the cello was Ayers' instrument of choice.

Lopez establishes a relationship with LAMP (Los Angeles Mission Project), which allows Ayers to store his cello while he himself continues to live on the street. Lopez begins to change roles at this point and moves from Columnist writing about an interesting subject to Saviour/Redeemer, trying to get his interesting subject off the street in order to realize his full potential as a concert cellist. Ayers is a schizophrenic and Lopez wants him to be forced to take medication. It is a low moment when he comes to realize his frustration, impotence and anger at his own limitations; and failure as a human being in his relationships with his ex-wife, son and friends; and his chosen role as Redeemer. At this point the movie is in danger of becoming an inspiring story of "the triumph of the human spirit." To its credit it becomes a kind of Parable, an open ended paradoxical tale that shatters our ordered view of our received world (Street People are lazy, hopeless failed human beings who won't take their medication). Ayers, the Street Person genius musician and Lopez, the award-winning journalist with access to the mayor's office, become friends. Along the way Lopez also learns something about loving himself and those around him. He comes to himself. In the end Ayers is still on the street though not technically homeless because he sleeps indoors in a practice studio/ apartment. He plays many instruments and is a kind of celebrity on the street but he’s still a schizophrenic, still limited in a world bounded by LAMP, the street and his cello.

Even though the performances by Foxx and Downey are Oscar quality, there's a lot wrong with this movie. It is preachy, earnest and overwrought.

I never fall for that stuff! Except that my throat was tight, my glasses were fogged over and my allergies were making my nose run. I watched all the special features and you should too.

In as much as ye have done it unto these the least of my brothers and sisters…