A Beautiful Movie

This afternoon we went to see the Soloist, a story about a writer who befriends a homeless man who also is a fantastic musician.

It is about music, homelessness, mental illness, friendship, and how writing can change a writer's life.

The acting is beautiful. The story is beautiful.

The story about writing is inspiring, as the writer, Stephen Lopez tried to make a difference, began writing with a message and later discovered what the message really was.

I highly recommend it.

Carol

I heard a review on NPR that said the movie was overdone for commercial purposes and lost some of the intellect and real insight of the book.

I have not read the book, but did not see anything as overdone. Perhaps they were speaking of the views of homelessness, but they also showed there were no easy fixes for these problems.

The body language and the facial expression all make the story come alive.

It is about how one cannot fix any problem, but even brief moments of meaning make all one does worthwhile.

Carol

For some reason in my little brain, reading these posts made me go look for my copy of Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I sat here ready to type about that and figured it out. It was because of mole. He and Rat are trudging through the snow when mole senses that his old home is near. He is drawn by the old memories, the smell of his stuff, his place that he has left for adventure with Rat. His home sang to him in a voice only he could hear. Rat understood. A moment with meaning, as Carol has said. I will read this book one more time. How wonderful the stories are and how beautiful the meanings.

Love,
Betty

Betty,

I think you are right. One thing in this movie was Nathaniel's "stuff," his big grocery cart of stuff that was his home that he insisted on taking everywhere he went.

And the understanding, acceptance, listening to the music were all beautiful.

From a review on amazon: "Steve Lopez gets through to the reasons Nathaniel Ayers is who he is on all levels and shares the acceptance that he can't be changed beyond the amazing amount of growth we see catalyzed by friendship and understanding."

That sounds a lot like the friendship between Rat and Mole, Betty.

Carol

I love movies that get me to thinking, but then cannot sleep. So here I am.

To me, this movie relates to all illness, mental and physical. People try to fix, to cure, and if there is no diagnosis, no cure, they ignore the issue, put on the sun blocking glasses and go on with life.

I had a doctor who could not find a diagnosis for my walking difficulties and pain, and sent me from one medical doctor to another, who could not find a diagnosis either. Diagnosis was an issue in the movie. Even if my original doctor couldn't find a diagnosis, he needed to stick with me, give me support, acknowledge and help ease my pain.

And when there was no fix, no cure, often people are abandoned. There is no cure promised for my cancer, but I can find joy in life. I can be a friend as Nathaniel could be, and I can improve and have good moments in life.

So, that's my pondering. I am sorry I talk about this so much. But in the last six months, this messageboard had given me a voice, as Steve Lopez gave Nathaniel Ayers a voice in his article, book and the movie. That is what we all need as writers, as people living life: a voice.

Carol