The Soloist

Downey Jr. and Foxx do right by their characters in this compassionate, albeit romanticized, version of a true story. Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez is researching a story when he hears homeless Nathaniel Ayers playing violin on the streets. He learns that the classically-trained musical prodigy's life fell apart when he became schizophrenic and vows to help him. Steve learns the hardest lesson when he realizes that he can only do so much for Nathaniel and that there is no conventional happy ending for his situation.