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The Soloist

The Soloist

Life has a mind of its own

2009117 minPG-13Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
Director
Joe Wright
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander

A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Soloist?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Soloist streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Soloist?

The Soloist earns 6 badges, led by Standout acting and Standout soundtrack.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Soloist worth watching?

The Soloist's Midcredits score is the 67th percentile of all films, from 80K ratings across 6 sources. 62% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

67th percentile

Better received than 67% of films

47th percentile among Biography65th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)64th
Approval (how many liked it)68th

65 /100

64th percentile of all films

46th percentile among Biography64th percentile among 2000s

Critics 61 · Audience 66

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

62% liked it

68th percentile of all films

48th percentile among Biography66th percentile among 2000s
62% rated it 7–1038% rated it 1–6

Critics 56% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 3 noms overall

94th percentile

80K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Biography89th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 42% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$60M
Opening weekend$9.7M
Domestic gross$32M
Worldwide gross$38M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 85th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film features two excellent lead performances but struggles to find a compelling narrative throughline.

Fans praised

  • Two lead performances (Downey Jr., Foxx) are powerful and authentic
  • Accurate, unsentimental portrayal of schizophrenia and homelessness
  • Beautiful classical music integrated as an emotional force

Detractors panned

  • Pacing is slow and the story lacks a strong trajectory
  • Overdirected with heavy-handed visual flourishes (color synesthesia, pigeon shots)
  • White-savior narrative and questionable moral stance on medication

What stands out

Acting85

Downey Jr. and Foxx deliver riveting, emotionally committed performances

Sound and music85

Beethoven and classical score are sublime, powerfully integrated

Atmosphere75

Immersive, realistic depiction of LA's homeless and skid row

CinematographyDivisive75

Gritty, well-composed visuals of Skid Row; sometimes over-stylized

CharactersDivisive60

Ayers is sympathetic but opaque; Lopez's arc feels underdeveloped

Emotional impactDivisive55

Moving for some, but many found it cold and unmoving

Plot and story45

Thin, meandering story with no clear dramatic arc or resolution

Pacing35

Too slow and draggy, with prolonged sequences

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Soloist like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Moving and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want a story that moves you and leaves an ache.

It takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Moving and bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: Moods
MelancholicHopefulTense
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with solemn gravity and genuine warmth toward its characters.
The rideThe mood is consistently melancholic with bursts of hope from music; the heaviest stretch is the middle, during Nathaniel's psychotic episodes and the failed recital.
StructureChronological story of Lopez's involvement with Ayers.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

The answer rests on this: BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the poignant blend of the harsh realities of mental illness and the quiet hope found in human connection.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeSteve Lopez, a journalist, pursues a story about a homeless musician and attempts to rescue him from his circumstances, leading to a personal transformation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% (this title) · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsMental illness · 1% of filmsPurpose · 9% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the unlikely friendship between a journalist and a homeless schizophrenic musician, and how that bond reshapes both men's lives.
StanceThe film observes the friendship and its limits without judging; it does not cure or condemn, just follows two men finding meaning in each other.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalExperimentalSupportive music · hybrid · Dario Marianelli
SettingSkid Row and the newsroom of the Los Angeles Times
MusicThe score weaves classical pieces (Beethoven, Bach) around original composition to reflect Nathaniel's musical genius and his fractured mind.

Content guide

Is The Soloist okay for kids?

PG-13

The Soloist is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some drug use and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (35/100), sexual content at minimal (13/100), language at moderate (51/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (42/100) and frightening material at moderate (37/100). Overall it is heavier than 34% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • Ireland12
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea12
  • Czechia12+
  • Hungary12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 24% of all filmsHeavier than 34% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 32%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 15%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 70%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 84%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 38%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 70% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Soloist have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Soloist?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Robert Downey Jr.
as Steve Lopez
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jamie Foxx
as Nathaniel Ayers
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Catherine Keener
as Mary Weston
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tom Hollander
as Graham Claydon
Nelsan Ellis
as David Carter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Michael Bunin
as Adam Crane
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
LisaGay Hamilton
as Jennifer Ayers
Rachael Harris
as Leslie Bloom
Stephen Root
as Curt Reynolds
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Lorraine Toussaint
as Flo Ayers

Crew

Directed by

Joe Wright

Written by

Susannah Grant

Cinematography

Seamus McGarvey

Edited by

Paul Tothill

Music by

Dario Marianelli

Produced by

Russ KrasnoffGary Foster

More like this

What are movies like The Soloist?

Movies like The Soloist include Love & Mercy (2014), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and Ray (2004). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about musicians, and most are biopics.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its praise for music. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Soloist?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: journalist. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.