Successful Transition and Reentry Series (STARS)
Participants attend T4C twice a week for 90 minutes per session for ten weeks. T4C is the cognitive behavioral change program adopted by the department for cognitive behavioral change. T4C is a 10-week cognitive-behavioral program, endorsed by the National Institute of Corrections as a best practice approach for reducing recidivism. The script includes two sexual expletives, numerous profanities and scatological slang terms.Thinking for a Change (T4C). Mental illness and paranoia are portrayed. A man slips in urine during a medical test. Characters drink on several occasions, often to relieve stress. One man attacks another, hitting and kicking him. A car is set on fire and the sounds of a riot are heard. A man suffers facial lacerations after falling from his bike. People are shown sleeping on the streets or in makeshift shelters. Police conduct a raid on the homeless after a man is beaten. Why is The Soloist rated PG-13? The Soloist is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for thematic elements, some drug use and language.ĭealing with the plight of homeless people, this film portrays street fights that occasionally result in bloody injuries and threatening behaviors, along with alcohol and illegal drug use. Starring Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener. And though dollars and cents may help alleviate many kinds of suffering and hardship, The Soloist reminds viewers that simple human kindness can be its own catalyst for change. While scenes of street violence, illegal drug use and some profanities make this production unsuitable for younger audiences, the screenplay does give a face to the homeless (many of whom were hired to play themselves in the movie).
The fact that every broken soul isn’t mended and every sinner isn’t saved gives this film an unexpected potency. (Luckily the real Steve Lopez was and is still happily married.) Catherine Keener stars as Steve’s ex-wife who sees this chance encounter with Nathaniel as a way for her former husband to finally face his commitment issues. Despite the depressing circumstances he toils in everyday and the bleak future his clients face, his character remains dedicated to his work and he respectfully reserves judgment. Nelsan Ellis plays a man in charge of an inner city shelter. But as Steve’s honest desire to “help” Nathaniel increases, so does a nagging feeling of exploitation.įortunately, in addition to strong performances by Downey and Foxx, this script has some equally impressive secondary characters that give depth to the story. Then he shares what he learns with his faithful readers in his regular column. Intrigued by the events leading to this man’s current state, Steve begins to delve into the mystery that caused a life to spiral completely out of control. Like any journalist worth his salary, Steve follows up on the rambling comment and discovers that Nathaniel was indeed a student at the prestigious music school. Jabbering rapidly and almost incoherently at times, he talks about his roommates at Juilliard. It is soon evident, however, that the eccentrically dressed violinist has more challenges than just a few missing strings. Even though the musician is down to his last two strings, Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jaime Foxx) still manages to coax sweet sounds out of the old instrument. Then one day, while struggling to find inspiration for his writing, Steve stumbles upon a homeless man playing a violin in a city park. His latest assignment at the paper has him a little peeved too (and bodily fluids become an ongoing problem for this reporter). From all appearances, things aren’t going well for this divorced journalist who takes a tumble from his bike and ends up in the emergency room with severe facial lacerations.
Confronting social issues straight on, it examines some of the problems behind homelessness and the community’s ability or inability to deal with it.īased on a book by a Los Angeles newspaper columnist, this script takes a few liberties with the actual author’s life in order to create the film version of Steve Lopez (played by Robert Downey Jr.). The Soloist might not have been the kind of happy ending film I was expecting, but it is powerful and thought provoking on many levels.