North Middle School Orchestra

NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA - Field Trip to “The Soloist”

Starring: Jamie Foxx & Robert Downey, Jr. Tuesday, May 12, 2009 Carmike Chapel Hills Theater 12:15 start time, 2:35 end time Leave NMS 11:30 a.m., return 3:00 p.m. Students $7.00/teachers & chaperones free

We have received permission to invite all 7th & 8th grade orchestra students to view the new movie “The Soloist”. Based on a true story and the book by reporter, Steve Lopez, this film is rated PG-13 because it realistically portrays the homelessness of the mentally ill and drug users. Nathanial Ayers is a homeless man in Los Angeles who had once been a promising student at Juilliard before mental illness cut short his musical dreams. The movie chronicles Nathanial’s life on the streets and Lopez’ attempts to help and befriend him. Before giving permission for your child to view this movie with us, please note the following content warnings (full review can be found at: www.pluggedin.com):

Profanity:  Two f-words.  About 10 s-words.  Characters misuse Jesus' and God's names close to 10 times (including one use of "g--d--n").  We hear half-a-dozen or more uses of such words as "h---," "d--n," "b--ch" and "p---ed." Drug & Alcohol Content:  Lopez drinks frequently at home, usually wine. After a particularly discouraging encounter with Nathaniel, he downs several shots at a bar. His wife, Mary, gets very drunk during another scene.  People smoke cigarettes.  Several scenes show the homeless on skid row smoking crack pipes.  A woman in group therapy says she doesn't like the way lithium silences the voices that comfort her.  One scene shows festering wounds caused by drug injections . Violence:  Nathaniel claims he's been mugged 14 times.  At one point, we witness a crime scene with a huge pool of blood.  When he learns that Lopez wants him to get psychiatric help, Nathaniel attacks the reporter, hitting him several times and threatening to "gut him like a fish."  Swerving to miss a raccoon, Lopez topples over the handlebars of his bike and smacks his head on the asphalt, causing a bloody wound on his face.  Nathaniel gets hit by a car. In a flashback, Nathaniel sees a burning car roll by his house in Cleveland in the mid-'60s. Police are shown roughly arresting homeless people on skid row.

Please return the bottom portion of this note to Mrs. Caplinger with payment in cash, by Friday, May 8 th , 2009. We will limit participation to the first 40 students. If you want your child to participate but have a substantial financial need, please contact Mrs. Caplinger or Mr. Bakalyan for help.

“The Soloist” Field Trip – Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Student Name: ______Grade: ______Age: ______

Address: ______Phone: ______

Parent Name: ______Daytime Emergency Phone: ______

Parent Signature: ______Date Signed: ______

□ I am available to chaperone on this trip, will ride on the bus □ I am available to chaperone on this trip, will provide my own transportation to the theater