The Soloist Movie Preview

The Soloist explores the unlikely friendship between Los Angeles Times journalist, Steve Lopez, and Nathaniel Ayers, a schizophrenic homeless man who was a Juilliard-trained musical prodigy. Lopez stopped to talk to the homeless man one day and that conversation was the source of one of Lopez' most popular newspaper columns. That column prompted donations from readers, and Lopez soon became an important part of Ayers' life and vice versa.

Lopez and Ayers' friendship was chronicled in the paper, with Lopez doing everything in his power to help Ayers out, in the process learning more about the homeless population and mental illness than he anticipated when he first stopped to chat. Lopez eventually wrote a book about his experiences and sold the film rights to DreamWorks. And the premise is so unbelievable and inspiring it's no wonder the film adaptation attracted a big name cast - Robert Downey Jr as Lopez and Jamie Foxx as Ayers - as well as critically acclaimed director Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement). Downey's rounding off the hottest year of his career and The Soloist appears to be the perfect way for the Iron Man and Tropic Thunder star to finish off 2008.

The Soloist makes music on September 12, 2008**.

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** - Moved to March 13, 2009