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Within a one-week period, I saw my second screening of this powerful movie today. I am mystified by some of the "bilious-type" reviews found here, seemingly driven by an anti-Joe Wright campaign. I found no cheap sentiments in the story line and I was awed by the high-octane performances of Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr. Nothing being perfect in an imperfect world, as "adult" entertainment, "The Soloist" did not once insult my intelligence. I marveled at the complexity of the screenplay and the realization of it by its gifted director and the camera-work of Seamus McGarvey. The gifted Dario Marianelli is credited as the film's composer, anecdotally, in the gigantic shadow of Ludwig van Beethoven. Mental illness, genius, homelessness, journalism and music has rarely been so well presented as an "entertainment." Yes, Mr. Ayers is depicted as experiencing a "light show" when attending a rehearsal of the L. A. Philharmonic. At least we didn't see pink hippopotamus in tutus or dinosaurs on a rampage in a prehistoric setting. Being so accustomed to televised concerts, I expected the camera to focus on the instruments themselves in this sequence. And, "clapping pigeons." Great idea that works. A brave film directed at a "non-art house" audience. I also want to cite the wonderful work of Nelsan Ellis who plays David at LAMP. So much compassion comes off the screen with his presence. There is no way we can make "light" of the tragedy of the homeless, so many with mental illness. Thank you Mr. Steve Lopez for introducing me to Mr. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers. My life is richer for the experience. LisaGay Hamilton, as Jennifer Ayers, Nathaniel's sister, deserves recognition in a small, but pivotal role that brings dignity and catharsis to a heart-wrenching experience.

I was sort of glad when this movie ended, and I refer to it just as a "movie." Not a great work of "art," and only my second outing with Paul Haggis. I have never seen "Crash" and I'm one of those viewers who howled at "Million Dollar Baby," one of the trashiest movies that I've ever seen. The trailer (I miss 'previews') for Elah looked like it would be potent. It's not a flop, and the only pleasure that I derived from the movie is the performance of Tommy Lee Jones. I find that Charlize Theron is just a mediocre talent and it is unfortunate that the great Susan Sarandon was hardly used in the movie.

Haggis doesn't seem to know if he wanted to make a "political" movie, a crime drama movie (something you can see on television every night of the week,) or a pretentious, symbolically Biblical parable (think "Babel," without a plausible script.) I think that he did better with the crime drama part of the movie than he did with the political or biblical.

The "politics" of this movie pales in comparison to "No End in Sight," which I saw last week and which was riveting. Interesting that Haggis is so much a part of Hollywood that his take on tragedy is so tinsel town.

I stayed only because of Vanessa Redgrave. A critic is The New York Times wrote that she "chewed up the scenery." Nothing could be furthest from the truth. Everyone else chews up the scenery; Miss Redgrave is magnificent. The over praised Meryl Streep looks like a second-rate high school beginning-actress in comparison to Miss Redgrave. It's not unusual for me to laugh at Streep's performances. In this one I snickered. Poor Glenn Close is made to be a caricature of herself. Danes and Richardson can not overcome the material and are disasters. Mamie Gummer has to be riding on her mother's coat tails. It all sounded good on paper and the trailer made it appealing but the verdict is that this is an embarrassing dud. Viva la Redgrave.