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The Soloist

Date: Jun 10 2009

Themes: Health, Hobbies

Grammar: Adjectives

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Movies based on true stories are fun to watch because they’re like real life, only better. They have all the drama and excitement of something that really happened, but the actors are usually way better-looking than the real people they play. Plus, unlike life, most movies end happily and are over in two hours or less.

The latest movie to be based on true events is The Soloist. In the film, Jamie Foxx plays a brilliant musician who struggles with mental illness and ends up living on the streets. Robert Downey Jr. plays a journalist who tries to help him achieve his dreams. Listen to what Mason and Marni think about this movie.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Marni

Mason: I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about The Soloist again lately.

Marni: Oh that new film that’s based on the true stories of the…

Mason: Yeah the violin player guy, homeless dude.

Marni: Cellist, I believe.

Mason: Cellist. Cell-o.

Marni: You know what, actually, I think multiple instruments, so we’re both correct.

Mason: You know, the thing is they’ve actually been advertising that movie for close to a year. And then they delayed it because I think it wasn’t gonna come out in time for Oscar season.

Marni: Ah. Perhaps.

Mason: And you look at this trailer and it’s like Jamie Foxx playing some troubled person, and Robert Downey Jr. being serious and distraught. So they’re really going for the Oscar buzz there.

Marni: Perhaps. I think it is a compelling story, though, because it is based on this real individual’s plight, that he actually is mentally ill but he has this incredible gift, and it’s really hard for him to pursue that dream of playing music because he’s troubled, clearly.

Mason: I mean you know, there’s pretty much a large correlation between those kind of musical prodigies and being really troubled individuals a lot. Like there’s just some sort of thing, like if your brain works in that extreme musical way there’s kind of…other stuff.

Marni: Yeah it’s some, like, pay off. You have to be tortured mentally, but you…you’re a savant.

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Discussion

Movie studios release certain movies hoping that they’ll be nominated for Oscars. But in order to be considered for a nomination, the movie has to be released at a particular time. Mason thinks that the release of The Soloist was delayed so that it would have a chance to be nominated for an Oscar.

Marni thinks that The Soloist sounds like an interesting movie. Mason agrees that the storyline is compelling and wonders if there is a connection between being a musical prodigy and having mental health problems.

Do you like to watch movies that are based on true stories? Do you agree with Mason that musical prodigies are often a little troubled?

Comments

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Radiowagner

Brazil

I like watch movies based in real life how " A Beautiful Mind" and "The Pursuit of Happyness". I desagree with Mason, I think that musical prodigies can to live a normal life, without problems.

herryanto

Indonesia

this movies about someone life. i think we can learn from other people life and we never do same mistake what have done.

reeze

Uzbekistan

I very love to watch movies based on true stories. When you watch, you can find smth. looks like your own story. I haven't watched "The Soloist" yet, but I think It's great, because I like when the person in spite of the fact that he's ill tries to do smth. good, tries to get more impressions from his life.

alice197

China

i have ever saw another film ,the main actor was in trouble with his life and donate all his treasure to the others and help so many other people and then end his life.I didn't rememver the name of that film.but i think it is a good one .

aaraar

Qatar

Really I don't know anythig a bout this movie .. but after this lesson i'll go to the cinema to watch it if it's come out in my country ( Qatar ) ...

surely i prefere the movies that talk about a real story becaue when i see it i give a real emotions because i know that storey is really happend in somewhere in the world .. unlike the adventure movies that make you interesting , but you don't feel any thing when you watch it just interesting …

in my opinion if the movie doesn't have a real story it's really waste our time ..

aaraar

mukashi

Myanmar

To be honest I don't like to watch movie which based on true stories. That kinds of movies are my guilty pleasure. Mostly they are base on sorrow. And also I don't like romantic movies.

I prefer thriller movies. It makes me exicted.

sofree

China

Yeh, savant, god give you something and take something else away, quite justice.
Yesterday I watched a movie based on true story, The Pursuit of Happyness, very touched. I’m a big fan of Will Smith!
I agree with the actors are usually way better-looking than the real people they play. Will Smith is much better-looking than Chris Gardner, but I think the real Jamie Foxx are better-looking than Nathaniel Ayers, the guy who played him.lol~~

Alionchik

Ukraine

Oh! I just adore such movies about life. There is a lot to take. The more I see them the more experienced I am getting, because I prefer learning by someone's own mistakes

yewlsl

South Korea

this movie came out???? seems interesting. and i like the movie title 'the soloist' because it sounds similiar to cellist to me^^

julywidiawati

Indonesia

i really love movies that are based on true stories. as a matter of fact this is one of reasons i go to the cinema. I prefer cinema than dvd about premier.

I have no idea about that opinion, but in my point of view artist that played music prodigy always look like a freak.