Film Analysis The Soloist (2009)

Jose Cova Araujo

PSYC 203 Abnormal Psychology

Over the course of the film The Soloist (2009), Nathanial displays a variety of symptoms
which could suggest that he suffers from a schizophrenia related disorder. For example, his
memories of the past appeared to be fragmented, he purposely chooses to be isolated by himself,
he draws and self-injures, and he dons varying types of outfits. The most prevalent symptoms
would be a very warped sense of reality and what is going around him, hearing voices in his
mind talking to him, and having frantic, erratic thoughts that are manifested in rapid fire
sentences which created unusual connections. Comer (2011, pp. 365-368, 371) explains that the
symptoms of schizophrenia are categorized as positive, symptom behaviors that become part of a
person like delusions or disorganized speech, or negative, symptom behaviors which are not
present in a person like social isolation or loss of motivation. Based on the symptoms displayed
in the film, I would say that Nathanial suffers from schizophrenia disorder, as he suffers from
delusions of how he perceives reality, has auditory hallucinations that manifest as voices who are
protective towards him, and disorganized speech patterns.
Nathanials development is explained over the course of the film (The Soloist, 2009) as
something that began in his early childhood. As a teenager, Nathanial was very energetic, and
sentence structure had that same rapid fire speed, but the thoughts were not established as
disoriented. Comer (2011, p. 369) dubs this phase the prodromal phase, as his symptoms had
not fully manifested, but he had already begun to show the signs of strange behaviors, like a
great fascination with classical music and their composers. His music became a part of him, and
then he began experiencing visual hallucinations and displayed inappropriate behaviors like
drawing cello strings on his arms. Then during his college years, he went into the active phase
as he began to hear voices of people who were creating paranoia of the people around him. The
voices would influence Nathanial to believe that people were plotting against him and intending

to bring him harm in some manner. As Nathanial became closer to Steve Lopez, he would enter
his residual phase. The severity of his disorder would lessen, allowing for some clarity in his
mind, and Nathanial was able to express his emotions. I believe that Nathanial ended up on the
streets of L.A for the purpose of finding the most open space that he can. The noise of the city
was louder than the voices in his mind, so he must have moved from city to city looking for the
perfect loudness.
Nathanials relationship with his family was portrayed (The Soloist, 2009) as gradually
deteriorating as his symptoms intensified. The first instance in which any family member is
introduced is when Steve is attempting to gather background information on Nathanial. When
Steve talks to his sister Jennifer, she appears to be surprised that there is any information about
him present. Her first assumption is that something has happened to him, which may suggest that
they have lost contact and have not spoken in years. When exploring his childhood, his family
appeared to be proud of his gift as a musician and were expecting great things of him. After
Nathanial left Juliard, he moved back in with his sister, suggesting that she was aware of
instability. She grew frightful of him when he was convinced that Jennifer was plotting to murder
him. During his time at Juliard, his disorder interfered with his ability to perform well. His
teachers saw his decline as an inability to keep up with the curriculum, and his peers questioned
his abilities.
LAMP is a public state hospital (Comer, 2011, p. 380) run by the government which
provides institutional care for its patients. In the film (The Soloist, 2009), LAMP is a type of
hybrid of both an institutional facility, and a public skid road community. Comer explains that
overcrowding as a major problem for these types of facility, and LAMP is more than
overcrowded. People are littering the streets and the halls of the institution. Violence and police

brutality are rampant as well. After the community is given $50 million in funding, it is not seen
as taking immediate effect. The patients of lamp do not get the care they need, and are not being
observed closely. The funding LAMP requires is far greater than what they are granted, and as a
result, are not able to give their patients the care and help they need. There is also the matter of
documentation. LAMP is not able to give Nathanial medication and therapy without having his
legal consent, as it could be seen as a breach of ethics and malpractice.
Steve Lopez serves as Nathanials source of brief clarity and is the foundation to
obtaining moments of sanity. The movie (The Soloist, 2009) portrays their relationship as a
budding relationship. When Steve wrote his newspaper articles on Nathanial, it brought attention
to the struggles of a man struggling in poverty, and others like him. This form of social support
Comer (2011, pp. 390-391) is called Community Care, and it functions by members of a
community helping connect those who need help to programs and services. The largest problem
Steve had with getting Nathanial assistance was Nathanial himself. What began as modesty for
not wanting take the kindness of a stranger became a violent aggression. The voices in
Nathanials mind convinced him briefly that Steves kindness was a plot to conspire against him.
While it was inspiring to hear the movie was based on true events, and that the real
Nathanial Ayers was going through the processes of therapy, it did make me realize how there are
countless other of people going through the same ordeals, but are not getting help. They live in
poor areas, are not provided with the right medical care, and thus their symptoms worsen as a
result.

References
Comer, R. (2011). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.