THE SOLOIST

Rating:

Reviewed by: John Devore

Directed by: Joe Wright

The Skinny: Robert Downey Jr. stars as a Los Angeles newspaper columnist in search of a story, and finds it in a homeless man (Jamie Foxx) who was once a gifted, Julliard-trained cellist.

The Good: At its best, The Soloist resists drowning us in syrup: in the hands of a lesser director, the movie would have been nothing but cheesy music crescendo, eyes quivering with tears, and more uplift than a hundred movie mogul trophy wives. But director Wright plays the audiences heart-strings in a disciplined, and distanced way. Of course, he is buoyed by Downy Jr. and Jamie Foxx, who turns in a surprisingly honest performance, one that is far superior to his showboating Vegas-style impersonation of Ray Charles. So don't buy the marketing of the movie that sells it as another Hollywood heart-warmer about mental illness. Unlike such classics of this sentimental genre like Forrest Gump, Rain Man, or I Am Sam, The Soloist aspires to an uncomfortable truth about those with mental illness—namely, they aren't the wise, affable, man-children who change all those around them. They are, in fact, tortured and conflicted. The movie subverts the expected thanks to excellent performances, inspired directing, and a screenplay that isn't insultingly condescending to the homeless or the schizophrenic.

The Bad: If you don't want to watch a movie about a reporter desperately trying to save the life of a schizophrenic homeless man, and realizing that not everybody can or should be saved, then don't go and see The Soloist. SPOILER: At no point does Jamie Foxx's virtuoso bum leap from an exploding truck and onto a helicopter.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in five years? Movies are expensive, and sometimes it seems the only reason to go to a movie theater is to watch a blockbuster roller coaster, show up tipsy and laugh at a fart fest, or to catch something genuinely controversial. The Soloist is none of these, and its pleasures won't be dampened by waiting for the DVD.

FIGHTING

Rating:

Reviewed by: John Devore

Directed by: Dito Montriel

The Skinny: What seems like another cookie-cutter, energy-drink fueled movie about underground, mixed-martial arts fighting is actually a love letter to gritty, funky, fast-talking New York City. Syrupy nerd hero Terrence Howard plays a smooth talking crook who butters up a surprisingly authentic Channing Tatum and convinces him that money can be made in the fictional, yet believable, street-side fisticuff circuit. It's a classic underdog story peppered with exciting, retro flourishes.

The Good: This is a fantastic movie, and that's no hustle. From a plot that resists cliché, to pimp actors rocking their roles, to music that is straight up funk from a more dangerous era, Fighting is an unexpected, testosterone-jacked journey to a seedier, and dirtier time—the bass-heavy, melody-rich, Bobby Womack-flavored soundtrack is reason enough to check this flick out. And we don't normally go on about sound design, but you haven't been to a movie about street fights until you've flinched listening to the sound a skull makes when it cracks linoleum.

The Bad: The only bad in the movie comes from a couple of scenes that veer into cheesy sentimentality. But before these scenes can wreck an otherwise fresh, lively, and original movie, they pivot and redeem a flick that's about reinventing classic genre norms.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in five years? Go see this in the theater. It's not a CGI-enhanced fantasia where elves, and ninjas, and robots duke it out, video-game style. It's a nasty, broke-ass story about bones and money, and it deserves your greenbacks.

TYSON

Rating:

Reviewed by: Gerasimos Manolatos

Directed by: Joe Wright

The Skinny: He's crazy, hated by most, yet is one of the best ever at what he did. The embattled, misunderstood prizefighter narrates the documentary about his life, and sheds some light at the method to his madness.

The Good: Loathsome. Amazing. Repulsive. Legendary. Insane. Those are the words that usually accompany any mention of the world champion boxer, Mike Tyson. His storied career of ferocious knockouts will eternally be intertwined with his numerous brushes with the law, including a 1992 rape conviction that left an indelible mark on his public persona. The only Tyson people know is the one who spent three years in prison, fooled around with boxing groupies, and bit Evander Holyfield's ear off—twice—which makes Toback's attempt at humanizing the boxer so jarring. Splicing excerpts from archive footage and interviews that border on therapy sessions, Tyson provides a surprisingly thorough, no-punches-pulled look at his life and how a 16-year-old orphan from Brooklyn with a high-pitched voice and a rap sheet became the most feared fighter in the universe.

The Bad: The film takes a bit of an awkward swerve when Tyson attempts to describe his fascination with women. It borders on creepiness. Then again, the subject matter isn't exactly the stuff fairy tales are made of, so it's to be expected.

Theater, DVD, or TNT in five years? Go see it. It's full of introspection and self-condemnation, and provides a gripping 90 minutes of clarity about one of the world's most misunderstood sports icons.