„«'Points West» by Steve Lopez. A year ago, I met a man who was down on his luck and thought I might be able to help him. I don't know that I have. Yes, my friend Mr. Ayers now sleeps inside. He has a key. He has a bed. But his mental state, and his well-being, are as precarious now as they were the day we met. There are people who tell me I've helped him. Mental health experts who say that the simple act of being someone's friend can change his brain chemistry, improve his functioning in the world. I can't speak for Mr. Ayers in that regard. Maybe our friendship has helped him. But maybe not. I can, however, speak for myself. I can tell you that by witnessing Mr. Ayers's courage, his humility, his faith in the power of his art, I've learned the dignity of being loyal to something you believe in. Of holding onto it, above all else. Of believing, without question, that it will carry you home.” Robert Downey jr. într-unul din acele roluri consistente, tuşante, nuanţate din categoria „prea bun pentru Oscar” sau „execepţional, mulţumim, dar n-avem nevoie” (jurnalistul Steve Lopez).
Sigur, una din explicaţiile anomaliei poate fi aceea că studioul care a produs filmul (Paramount) din care am extras monologul de mai sus (The Soloist, dir. Joe Wright, 2009) nu s-a omorât cu firea să-l promoveze, iar alta că rolul acesta venea prea repede după unul relativ asemănător, cel din Zodiac-ul lui Fincher (2007). Dincolo de ele rămân pasiunea şi sinceritatea cu care Downey jr. impregnează o apariţie pe care alţii ar fi tratat-o convenţional sau schematic. Şi-apoi, poate că The Soloist n-o fi suficient de bun să se califice în ligă cu Through a Glass, Darkly (Bergman/1962), dar se poate bate parte în parte cu Spider (Cronenberg/2002) în ceea ce priveşte onestitatea „încadrării” unui subiect precum schizofrenia!