comment #1

D.Z. says ...

"Quick -- name another film that's (a) partly set in downtown L.A., (b) costars Foxx as a delusional guy whose life is not working out but (c) is saved at the end by an eccentric benefactor."

Does New York count? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211938/plotsummary

comment #2

Scott Feinberg says ...

Some things about it remind me of Reign Over Me with Cheadle and Sandler

comment #3

LYT says ...

"name another film that's (a) partly set in downtown L.A., (b) costars Foxx as a delusional guy whose life is not working out but (c) is saved at the end by an eccentric benefactor."

Does COLLATERAL count?

comment #4

The Winchester says ...

Stealth? Is it Stealth? I think it's Stealth.

comment #5

diesel says ...

I was thinking Collateral as well, given how eccentric Tom Cruise is.

Great film though.

comment #6

frankin says ...

I agree with the 2nd comment. Many friends I met on a dating site called meetingwealthy have the same opinion with me. They are successful men and women. We usually talk together.

comment #7

BurmaShave says ...

Despite the lack of a Y in the world Khmer, that first paragraph is the funniest thing you've written in awhile. Save us, indeed.

comment #8

Mgmax says ...

Funny that you don't mention Shine as a comparison, which certainly suggests that the Oscar hopes are not unwarranted (especially if the musician can't really play and his supposed home life is entirely made up).

comment #9

romeoisbleeding says ...

I have a feeling that I will get either ridiculed or ignored for what I am going to write but what the hell. Won't be the first time here. It seems odd to me that the theme of this movie is so repulsive or boring to you. In case you have not noticed most movies revolve around about ten or so themes. Here goes... how many moves are based around the theme of revenge? or a drug deal gone bad. I don't see any one saying I won't go see any more of those kind of movies. or how about the father trying to find the person who killed his child? or the ugly teenager becoming cute and popular. A few more themes we see a lot in movies.. the disfigured hero. the quiet stranger with the big secret. The whole genre of Westerns was based on the bad guy coming into town and eventually getting killed by the end. My dad always said.. here comes shoot out time. How about the really bad inferior sports team eventually winning the big game. And of course their coach is an old beaten down drunk.The group of oddballl characters who get together for a heist and try to be funny and charming while doing it.. yawn again... the couple who meet.. hate each other and then fall in love. Yawn. So my point is there are only so many themes and most have been done over and over and over. . Yes redemption is one of them. The fact is this is a true story. Lopez writes an awesome column. I am a huge fan of his. The plight of homeless people is huge. It will only get worse. There may be a time we will all be out there with our shopping carts with our broken lap tops and dirty blankets.. trying to buy a 30 dollar loaf of bread. We will have our own stories too but will there be anyone to care? The economy is really not very healthy. I love Obama but it will take a miracle wokrer to turn things around. Hmm. another movie theme perhaps? So... my point is maybe before you discard this movie because it is the true story of a homeless person with a shopping cart.... perhaps you will think again and give it a chance. And from what I have heard. this movie does not have a totally happy ending. Nathaniel is still very ill. His life has not become all happy and great. and like I said it is a true story. I think it deserves to be told.

comment #10

Mgmax says ...

Romeo, I sympathize with you but I also understand where Jeff's coming from. Not all themes are created equal. It's pretty tough for me to care about a sports movie but it is still possible to make one with enough authenticity and local color and grit to win me over-- e.g., Hoosiers, Miracle, etc. The eccentric, invincibly brilliant serial killer is a genre that is clearly played out-- unless it's No Country For Old Men, in which case it's fresh again.

The crazy person who has inner wisdom, though, really is a genre that I have no patience for, because I think it's romantic bullshit at bottom, having dealt with this sort of thing in my own family. My relative could have charmed the birds out of the trees and you might well have come away from an evening with him thinking you'd heard a few profound things, but ultimately his life was about evading responsibility and ensuring a consistent supply of alcohol, and the only wisdom to be had there was "live the opposite way in every respect." So maybe an honest movie about dealing with this can be made, but like the examples of The Fisher King or Shine above suggest, the track record ain't promising.

comment #11

adorian says ...

Just watched the DVD of Resurrecting the Champ. Although set it Denver, it seems to be based on the same template.

comment #12

gruver1 says ...

Wells to LYT: Yes, Collateral.

comment #13

romeoisbleeding says ...

Thankyou! a good fair reply and I will thnk about it. And yes I do understand where Jeff is coming from. But I would hope that this story is given a chance even though its theme has been done poorly in the past. And yes .. "the crazy person who has inner wisdom" is really not so wonderful when that crazy person is sitting at your breakfast table every morning. I have seen this ih my extended family as well and ithe reality can be very sad and tiring. The Soliost is about a mentally ill musician. Like I said.. this has been done before too. I know that. But there is also the angle that many very creative people are mentally ill. But I digress. All I am saying is I have a feeling this will be good. I have faith in Steve Lopez.. and I think Jioe Wright has a ton of talent and integrity. Just give it a chance is all I am saying. Thanks again,.

comment #14

romeoisbleeding says ...

Just want to make it clear.. my reply was to Mg Max,

comment #15

MilkMan says ...

Gee, I wonder if the smarmy white guy is going to learn a little about life from the wise and crazy black man. Because that's why crazy black people have been put here on Earth, to teach white people how to appreciate life again, how to stop and take the time to enjoy each and every sandwich, how to savor walks along the beach, at sunset, right as the credits are about to roll.

Today, when I go to work, and I pass by the crazy homeless black guy who panhandles outside of my office building, I'm going to ask the crazy homeless black guy if he has any wisdom he can impart to me. I wonder what he'll tell me. Maybe he'll whip out his violin and do a little tribute to Yitzhak Perelman, or maybe he'll levitate and make sunbeams come out of his ears. I can't wait. Because I have become callous and out of touch with the rest of society. All I think about is me and my career. I don't spend enough time with my wife and kids. It's just go, go, go. Thank God there's a crazy homeless black guy to set me straight. There are by far the smartest people in the world, endowed with the magical capability to make me feel whole again.

comment #16

actionman says ...

This is based on a true story, no? So let's cut them some slack please. Of course, there will be inherent sentimentality to this story; it will all depend on how restrained the music is, how subtle the directing and performances are, and how much the script plays it straight with all the facts.

Wright is a more than solid up-and-coming director, I love Downey Jr., and Foxx can be great in the right role. The supporting cast is also first-rate and Susannah Grant can be a terrific writer when she wants to be. I also like that Seamus McGarvey is again working with Wright.

I've also been told that the script is excellent and not at all mawkish. So, for the moment, given the pedigree involved with this film, I'll bet on it being at least really good. Would like to see a trailer.

comment #17

corey3rd says ...

Major Payne?

comment #18

cm65 says ...

MilkMan, I'm sorry, but there aren't really any black men who levitate while asking for change. Except Obama.

comment #19

cranly says ...

Now that I know him, to give him money isn't charity. He gives me some knowledge, I buy him some shoes. (...) Uncivilized we call him, but I just saw him eat off the food we waste. (...) Is it his fault when we've gone too far, and we got too far, cause on him we walk.

I always hoped they would adapt the song "Mr. Wendal" into a movie one day. Something tells me Joe Wright is going to have a hell of a lot to answer for by the time he's done in this business. He's fast becoming a successor to Hugh Hudson.

comment #20

Marcello says ...

To be fair, the stories in the LA Times about this man WERE remarkable. And Erin Brock is a very good screenplay. That said, when I read they were making a movie about this man, my stomach churned. It's pretty much impossible for Hollywood to have an inspiring story and show any restraint, or keep the tragic elements in the foreground. This will clearly be a movie intent on making people FEEL GOOD, so we can be sure of lots of misty eyed pontificating and a rousing score, encouraging us to feel more than is humanly possible.

comment #21

frankbooth says ...

Victor, you make a lot of sense, when the subject is movies.

Milkman, you make a lot of sense, when the subject is life.

Romeo, you seem a little too passionate about this, as if you have something at stake. So I ask you: ARE YOU NOW, OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, A MEMBER OF THIS FILM'S PRODUCTION TEAM?

"There may be a time we will all be out there with our shopping carts with our broken lap tops and dirty blankets.. trying to buy a 30 dollar loaf of bread."

Have you read The Road? If not, you're in for a good time when the movie comes out. It will be nonstop action fun. Scrounging for canned food! Hiding from cannibals! Consider it a taste of things to come.

comment #22

frankbooth says ...

Hugh Hudson! Ouch.

As a wise person once said, if you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me.

comment #23

deadre says ...

well, at least it sounds a little more genuine than that will smith movie where he falls in love instead of committing suicide so he does a few good things for people. maybe they'll compete for the Oscar together.

comment #24

romeoisbleeding says ...

To whoever asked if I was a member of the production team.. no. My god I wish. I work in a small town in Oregon in a used book store. We have a huge homeless population here and I worry about a lot of them who come into our store. I worry about the ones I have to step over to get to my car. My lovely town that shall remain nameless cut funding for our mental hospital so these poor people are thrown out into the street to somehow survive. I don't know how it is in other communities but here it is a tragedy. So if I am passionate about this.. I guess I am . Like I said I read Steve Lopez. You can find his columns on liine. If you read him you may feel some passion too. But no I don't work in Hollywood. I read about this story some time ago and heard the NPR story about it. It really struck a chord with me then. I was looking forward to seeing the movie.. But I am abit let down that those who post here are seeing it in such a negative way. But that is all. If someone in Hollywood wants to give me a job go right ahead! :) right now quite honestly I am trying to find a way to help our homeless people here. We have a group that is just a very grassroots group and they get donations and feed the people in the park once a week. I am going to be involved in this soon and I can thank Lopez for inspiring me.

comment #25

Mgmax says ...

Well, then, for you I hope they don't screw it up, Romeo.

comment #26

antyonus says ...

Has anyone seen the French film The Eighth Day (Le huitième jour) starring Daniel Auteuil. It's the same story about redemption and the wisdom in an unlikely place. Here it was Daniel Auteuil learning about life and what counts from Georges a young man with Down Syndrome. As corny as that sounds, it was rather interestingly done with a few fantasy sequences for Georges and managed to treat the subject of Down Syndrome with respect and still be touching. I think both both Daniel Auteuil and Pascal Duquenne shared the Best Actor at Cannes for their efforts.

comment #27

frankbooth says ...

Romeo,

Your small town looks like the Tenderloin in San Francisco, with refugees camped out in every doorway? Freaky.

Smells like morning in America!