Downey, Foxx star in ‘Soloist’

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Lisa Gay Hamilton

Director: Joe Wright

The story: A Los Angeles Times columnist finds a story — and a friend — in a homeless, Juilliard-trained street musician.

The buzz: Originally slated for release last fall, this fact-based drama finally gets its shot at a less-competitive time. But while it’s based on Times writer Steve Lopez’s columns (and the best-selling book that followed), the movie takes a few liberties with the facts: In real life, Lopez is married and lives with his wife and daughter; in reel life, he’s divorced from his onscreen editor.