Jamie Foxx's uncannily accurate performance isn't the only good thing about
Ray. Riding high on a wave of Oscar buzz, Foxx proved himself worthy of all the hype by portraying blind R&B legend Ray Charles in a warts-and-all performance that Charles approved shortly before his death in June 2004. Despite a few dramatic embellishments of actual incidents (such as the suggestion that the accidental drowning of Charles's younger brother caused all the inner demons that Charles would battle into adulthood), the film does a remarkable job of summarizing Charles's strengths as a musical innovator and his weaknesses as a philandering heroin addict who recorded some of his best songs while flying high as a kite. Foxx seems to be channeling Charles himself, and as he did with the life of Ritchie Valens in La Bamba, director Taylor Hackford gets most of the period details absolutely right as he chronicles Ray's rise from "chitlin circuit" performer in the early '50s to his much-deserved elevation to legendary status as one of the all-time great musicians. Foxx expertly lip-syncs to Ray Charles' classic recordings, but you could swear he's the real deal in a film that honors Ray Charles without sanitizing his once-messy life.
--Jeff Shannon More on Ray Charles
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (CD) |
The Genius of Ray Charles (CD) |
Ray Charles and Betty Carter--Dedicated to You (CD) |
Genius & Soul--The 50th Anniversary Collection (CD) |
Ray: A Tribute to the Movie, the Music, and the Man (book) |
More Albums by Ray Charles |
1 Worth 5 stars on acting, but...
"Ray" is a better-than-good movie. Unfortunatly it is merely better than most instead of great. The acting is incredible as Mr. Foxx IS Ray Charles. Showing his childhood in a series of flashbacks, as opposed to seeing it all at once at the beginning of the movie, was effective in keeping the viewer wanting more. The only knock against the film in my mind is the lack of theme. What one thing does his life, in this film, teach us or make us feel? "Work hard no matter your limits"? "Treat your loving wife better than your mistress"? "Don't do drugs in Canada"? The last few minutes devolve into an ABC Afterschool Special. Very interesting man. Less than perfect film.
2 This should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture
Jamie Foxx does a such a great job, I felt like I was watching Ray Charles himself. Foxx definitely deserved his Academy Award for Best Actor. Foxx talks like Ray Charles and moves like him. This movie does a excellent job in covering the struggles of a blind person to rise from total poverty to become one of the greatest musicians of the U.S. Yes, some of the faults of Ray are shown in this movie, but he makes it up for the creativity and openmindedness to music. Charles even talks about the reasons why he performed some country music. I liked how the movie gave a background of some of the songs that were created and performed by Ray Charles. I just bought a Ray Charles album before this movie, and this movie made me appreciate his music more. All music has a story to tell, and this movie gave a story to the music of a musician who we will honor in his contribution to American arts.
3 Bio-Pic of Ray Charles
"Ray" is an outstanding bio-pic about R&B superstar and innovator Ray Charles, who is played by Jamie Foxx. Ok, he 'played' Charles is an understatement; Foxx disappeared in the role. The only time I ever saw an actor get that deep in a role was George C. Scott as Patton. It is uncanny how Fox has all of Charles's ticks and movements down. Jamie Foxx richly deserved his Oscar. I here by formaly appologize for calling Foxx a terrible actor (I had just seen "Booty Call" and didn't have high hopes; this and "Collateral" changed my mind). And then there is the story itself, which is beyond inspirational. Ray fought against unbelievable odds (being blind and black was only two of them), both perfessional and fought some very personal demons. It also delves deeply into the less pleasent aspects of his nature. Ray had affairs on the road, he was also a chronic drug user; Ray wasn't always a good man. Taylor Hackford directs this film as a labor of love, he was involved in writing and producing as well. If you were a fan of the late musician, or you just enjoy good, solid drama, this is the movie for you. It is a testement to the film that it is a two and a half hours long movie, but it only felt like it was twenty minutes long! It is truelly a great film.
4 What a beautiful movie!
"Don't you let no body, nothin', or yourselself make you a cripple!" It brings tears into my eyes everytime I remember his mom saying that! She should have been a heart-broken woman who lost one of her bundle of joys to drowning and saw the other one go blind from glaucoma! Nothing could have been harder for a mother. But she was a strong, couragious woman who helped her son and watched over him even long after she was gone! I loved his mother! Sharon Warren, who played Aretha Robinson(Ray's mother) touched my heart, I guess she should have got an oscar too!
Ofcourse, Jamie Foxx did a superb job with this movie.
5 I can see why this movie was nominated for an Oscar
So often the biography films lack a certain something -- usually a message or central theme (other than the person). This movie reminds me of Pollack in being about a very talented person with some personal issues that cause problems for the people in his life. Ray Charles, as portrayed brilliantly in this movie by Jaime Foxx, was incredibly talented, but he was kind of a jerk in some ways, particularly his womanizing. What the film doesn't mention is that he actually had 12 children, 1 from his first wife and 3 by his second wife, both marriages ending in divorce.
In my opinion, a more interesting story line involves Ray's mother, who died when Ray was a teenager (after a difficult life, as portrayed in this film). You get her story "between the lines" as the film flashes back on Ray's difficult childhood -- a childhood so poor that it is miraculous that he survived and was able to accomplish so much, thanks to his strong as iron mother.
I highly recommend this film -- I could easily imagine watching it again and again.
6 An Oscar Richly Deserved
Director Taylor Hackford parlayed a biography of one of the most uniquely talented singers of the post-World War Two era alongside a commanding performance by Jamie Foxx to propel "Ray" beyond the ranks of the traditional biopic into much more, a soul searching reflection of a great performer seeking to overcome the temptations of stardom and overcome an affliction that threatens to kill him.
In the case of musical legend Ray Charles, the superstar that Foxx plays with total conviction and unflagging energy, temptations along with the road to stardom was all the more difficult due to the singer's blindness from youth. One of the film's most inspiring scenes unfolds when Charles's mother, at the time he is going blind, tells him that she will be his eyes and give him instructions, but only once. She reasons that this is the way life operates; you get one chance and after that you are on your own. This is the philosophy she repeatedly drives home when he is confronted with impending blindness.
Using extensive flashbacks, Hackford via Jimmy White's script directs us from Charles's early roots growing up poor in rural North Florida to the pivotal period when he seeks to make his mark in music. One city where he receives an opportunity to be heard is Seattle, where he meets a young Quincy Jones and they explore the local musical world together.
Another important element of the film is the exploration of how Charles fought back when those around him sought to take advantage of his blindness. He learned through experience to question the process of counting out bills in payment for his musical services after having been taken advantage of by dishonest music promoters.
Foxx's greatest challenge, which was surmounted with believability, was getting across the tortured side of Charles resulting from his addiction to drugs. The painful process in which, by film's end, he has thrown off the monkey from his back, is handled deftly with Foxx never going over the edge or underplaying. The sweating and trembling appear real and one can feel the pain emanating from Foxx as he transports us into the tortured world of a man under the influence of drugs.
The compelling performance of Foxx as a man under the influence of drugs is reminiscent of the brilliant effort of Ray Milland as a man addicted to alcohol in the sober and hard-hitting Billy Wilder 1945 drama, "The Lost Weekend," for which the British actor, like Foxx six decades later, was rewarded with a Best Actor Oscar. The arresting performance of Foxx was reminiscent of Milland's in that, in each case, we can feel the pain of the burdened individual overcome by a potentially deadly affliction.
Another area where "Ray" pulls no punches is in the presentation of the temptations Charles confronts when he moves into the superstar ranks. While his loyal wife stays home and takes care of their son Charles engages in affairs with singers who perform with him, including one who has his child.
Charles's vital link to the rapidly developing civil rights movement of the sixties is also dramatically presented. One scene presents Charles at his most admirable when he refuses to cross a picket line and perform before a segregated audience. Pressures are brought against him afterwards by furious music promoters, including the one on whom Charles walked out, but he admirably refuses to back down even when his career existence is threatened, confident that he is standing on the right side of history.
"Ray" is a film with heart and soul that, through Foxx's dominant performance, gives us a fascinating look into the life of a genuine performing genius.
7 25 mins. to long
I'm always into biography type movies and this one was pretty good.It was just 25 mins to long for me.They could have cut anice chop of the dryness.Jamie Foxx , does look like Ray Charles.He does a very good job acting , but I wouldn't buy this movie.It's actually worth 4 stars but I didn't give it to Ray because of the extra minutes of nothingness
8 Above-average movie ruined by a horrid disc.
This one's going to be tough to review. I've never been a fan of Ray Charles. It's not that I don't like his music, it's just that I never heard much of it aside from Hit The Road Jack and his early 90's Diet Pepsi commericals. So the movie gave me my first real look into Ray Charles and who he is/was. What I got was a well-done movie. It's good. Not perfect or life-changing, but they did a good job with everything. What hurts it, is the treatment the movie got. For something that got so many award nominations, and tons of critical praise, they shafted this like it wasn't anything.
The movie starts out with Ray's mom telling him not to let people treat him like a cripple. We see him boarding a bus to Seattle, where he hopes to get a gig. The bus driver however, doesn't want a blind person on his bus without someone to guide him around. Ray tells a little lie that he's blind from serving in WWII, and gets to Seattle. Here, he wows everyone in a club by playing popular music from that era (the late 1940s), and is signed up to play there regularily. What happens next though, is a long line of contracts and womanizing. Ray's life wasn't easy growing up, and even into adulthood, it was complicated. People pulling him between record companies, getting addicted to drugs, starting a family while getting with women while on the road, getting his own unique sound so he doesn't just sound like someone else, and fighting off the nightmares of his little brother's death when he was just a kid. There's too much for me to explain in detail here, but it's all interesting. We see how a few of Ray's hits were created, and how he made things up on the spot which were instant-classics. The movie doesn't cover his whole life, just until he overcomes the drugs in a pretty intense segment. Some scenes that really got me included one where he goes to play a show in Georgia, where the club doesn't allow blacks to come in (aside from performers). A student tells him that he can change things by not playing, but Ray mentions that he's not a politician and can't make a difference. But, he soon refuses to play, and leaves, making a huge impact. He was barred from playing in Georgia ever again [or for a few decades]. The other scenes are all the flashback ones with his mom and brother. I teared up at a few, including one where he goes blind and falls in the house, but his mom doesn't help him. She wants him to get around on his own, knowing no one in the real world will help him just because he's blind. When it was all over, I got attatched to a few characters (his producers and bandmates in particular), and wanted to know more about Ray's childhood. Really, the flashback scenes could make up their own movie. They're that powerful.
There's one big problem with the presentation of the movie- the extended version. Ringing in at almost 3 hours, watching this is a chore. Not because of length, but how it's done. When a new scene is about to play, a little music note appears in the bottom right corner, and it freezes for a second. The movie then goes into fullscreen, with better picture quality and lower audio for some reason, and it's very distracting. Most of these scenes are good, but there are two cases where they should've been left out. One shows how Ray knows the colors of his clothes, which is shown earlier as deleted footage, then later as part of the real movie. And another which is a series of bloopers, IN THE ACTUAL MOVIE. That's just uncalled for. I thought I was halucinating or my dvd player was messed up. Good job there guys.
The audio and visual quality are both bad. The picture looks faded, and suddenly gets darker (but sharper) if you watch the extended version for those scenes. At the same time, the audio gets quieter, which is a shame, because it really ruins some of the bigger musical numbers. For a movie dedicated to a musician, they sure layed low on the quality in that category.
On the first disc is a commentary with the director- Taylor Hackford. My god this guy never shuts up. And that's a good thing. Often, directors doing commentary tracks have lots of pauses and kiss the actors's asses, never really talking about the movie or the story. Here, Taylor comes off as an older Robert Rodriguez (-the- commentary master), talking about damn near everything. He explains the purporse of scenes, which ones were made up, and the backstory to many. There's just one minor problem here- he constantly says "I'll get to that in a minute", and never does. Oh well, the guy's great, and I'm glad he was on his own, not distracted by another person. There's a second disc for the special features, which in all honesty, could've been thrown on the first disc. First are the deleted scenes, which you can see all of if you watch the extended version. What's odd here is that you can watch them with the commentary on, which you couldn't do if you watched the extended version of the movie with the commentary on. Once more, the director goes all out, talking about everything in the time allowed. And again, most of the deleted scenes are great, and should've stayed in the theatrical version. But of course, the movie was long enough as it was, so time had to be taken into account. There are also two extended musical numbers: Hit the Road Jack and What Kind of Man Are You?, shown without the cutting to other events going on during the performances. Ray Remembered is a 3 minute memorial, mostly quotes and people talking about how important he was to music. While the idea is nice, for a movie dedicated to him, this should've been longer and had more going on. Stepping into the Part shows Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles himself kicking back in a studio, playing piano. The two get along really well, and Ray pushes Jamie to do even better, and basically approves of him for the part. There's also a bit showing Jamie getting makeup done on his eyes to look more authentic. Yes, these are all of the "special features". What's funny is that I've seen more on tv at around the same time the movie was released. Documentaries, interviews, and even a segment showing Jamie learning to play every single Ray Charles song blindfolded. Why weren't these included? Just more to be ashamed of on this disc. No joke- you can breeze through all of disc two in under 40 minutes.
I'm going to hold off on buying this one in case the problems get fixed. By all means, check it out, as it's an overall good movie, but putting up with the techincal things makes watching it more of an obligation than entertainment.
9 Ray Charles' Life in Real-time
Jamie Foxx does an excellent impersonation of Ray Charles, but that's only good for about 20 minutes worth of entertainment. The movie goes on long after the novelty wears off, retelling events sequentially with the occasional childhood flashback. Who would've thought a musical legend's life could be so boring? Well, ok, I guess you wouldn't call philandering and drug addiction boring, but watching it repeatedly is another story. Occasionally a caption pops up telling you what year it is (and you really do feel it's been a year since the last one). Then it ends abruptly, almost as if someone said, "Whoo-boy, this sure getting long. We'd better just stop here."
As for the story, Ray Charles is not portrayed in a very sympathetic light. Early on he says, "Don't feel sorry for me because I'm blind." Not only did I not feel sorry for him, I actually started to like him less because of his callous behavior toward others. He eventually does defeat his demons, but then what? Then the movie's over, that's what.
Instead of a quick blurb about the final four decades of his life, maybe we could've been shown how he matured during that time. Did he regret having treated those close to him so shabbily? Did he do anything to make amends, where possible? Was he able to mend his relationships with his wife and kids? Too many questions were left hanging--and those were the things that might have helped me to understand him better as a person. I guess a lot could be inferred from the ending, but then so could most of the repetition of his seamier activities, which were dwelled upon so heavily. I found the whole thing overrated and disappointing.
By the way, the extended version with added scenes was very poorly done. There was no effort whatsoever to be selective or to blend the addional footage in seamlesslely--it was disruptive to the movie's flow, adding to the overall feeling of disjointedness. At one point there are actually four different "takes" of a brief scene, one after the other; it was disturbing and almost comical. If you do rent or buy this, I recommend you skip the extended version, at least the first time through.
10 True, Raw, passionate life story
This movie has true passion in it. Jamie Foxx IS Ray Charles for this movie. He actually plays the piano, actually keeps his eyes closed for the whole shoot.
This movie shows how one man, a blind man can have such an impact, more than most of us with all the faculties for normal life. Focus and motivation can change your life, no matter who you are.
11 "Ray", Not the Best
The movie, "RAY" was not the best movie I saw and was one of the worst I saw! The movie is 3 hours long and all the scenes are like 10 minutes each. BORING!!! I do have some advice for one thing that JAMIE FOXX did an unbelievable job in the movie and deserved, Best Actor! Some of the things in the movie don't even take place in Ray Charles's real life! Do not see, rent, or by this horrible movie!
PEACE OUT, A-TOWN DOWN!
12 Wonderful Film!
I remember Jamie Foxx when he was on "In Living Color" ages ago. It's nice to see that his talent didn't stop at the TV. When you watch this film, you completely forget that it's Jamie Foxx you're seeing. Charles' younger brother's tragic drowning death (in a difficult-to-watch scene) and his mother wanting to run and help him whenever he fell down are unbelievably poignant. The scene at the end when he takes off his sunglasses and can see his late mother and brother as they were are especially emotional. I didn't know he'd had a problem with heroin, and this film does not glamourize it. Foxx really deserved this Oscar.
13 Oh, oh, oh...that's what I said
Jamie Foxx is Ray Charles. Add a strong performance by Regina ("227") King as a Raelette, another by Kerry Washington as Ray's long-devoted and put-upon wife, Sharon Warren as Ray Robinson's strong mother ("Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple," "I'll show you how to do something once, I'll help you if you mess up twice, but the third time you're on your own. 'Cause that's how it is in the world"), and wonderful music...yowza, it's no wonder Jamie won the Best Actor award.
It took a long time to get this movie made, and Palm Springs is partly responsible for its success. Alise Benjamin and the owners of the Cinemas Palme D'Or in Palm Desert, CA invested in Taylor Hackford's vision. Thanks to the success of this movie indie movie fans in Palm Desert can "Ohhh...ohhh..." over other great movies. As Ray says, "Man, you told me if I think pennies, I get pennies. I'm thinking dollars, man."
I voted for "Ray" or "The Aviator" to win over "Million Dollar Baby." No disrespect to Clint of course. But "Ray" offered the pursuit of a dream despite obstacles, and added music rather than boxing, with a terrific empowerment message for everyone but especially the African-American community. I love this exchange between young Ray and his mother:
Aretha Robinson: Somebody'll fetch you when the bus gets to St. Augustine. When your there, show'em this.
[name tag]
Aretha Robinson: Tell them your name is Ray Charles Robinson.
Aretha Robinson: An' the sandwiches I made, don't eat them all at once... ya hear me?
Young Ray Robinson: [starting to cry] Mama... please don't make me go away. I'll keep up with the normal kids. I'll be good, just like George.
Aretha Robinson: This got nothin' to do with George... I've taken you as far as I can, baby. The teachers at St. Augustine know things I can't teach you. An' you need an education in this world.
Young Ray Robinson: I don't want no education!
Aretha Robinson: Shh! don't say that!
Young Ray Robinson: I don't! I wanna stay here with you!
Aretha Robinson: Stop it, Ray! I won't have you livin' hand to mouth like me, you hear?
[after Ray nods]
Aretha Robinson: Now... If you wanna do something to make Mama proud, promise me you'll never let nobody turn you into no cripple... You won't become no charity case. An' you will *always* stand on your own two feet.
Young Ray Robinson: I promise.
Aretha Robinson: I love you baby... I'm so proud of you.
This along with the superlative "Coach Carter" makes the Bill Cosby Daily Double for African-American self-reliance. And Jamie Foxx pays homage to strong women in our lives both with his relationship with Ray's mother in the movie and his love for his deceased grandmother.
14 One of the best films of the decade...
Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Ray is a captivating and inspiring true story about a man beloved by millions around the world. Based on the life and times of Ray Charles Robinson, the film follows the popular singer's life from the earliest days of his youth to the day of his triumph over a heroin addiction. Featuring a soundtrack second to none in the history of cinema, Ray is the total package in terms of a blockbuster film - great characters blended together with an inspirational personal journey and an unforgettable musical score. Actor Jamie Foxx gives an Oscar Award winning performance so lifelike that it's difficult to distinguish his character from the real Ray Charles. In short, Ray is a film that appeals to a wide audience and one that literally transports its viewers into another era...
Jamie Foxx plays the role of Ray Charles Robinson, a black youth growing up in Florida during the Great Depression. Forced to deal with the tragedy of his kid brother's death, and the loss of his own vision at a young age, Ray nevertheless triumphs over his disability when his mother refuses to let him feel sorry for himself. Learning to play the piano from a neighborhood musician, Ray strikes out on his own in the late-1940s for gig in Seattle.
Ray's amazing talents are instantly recognized, and he's never short of a gig. However, while traveling on the road with several jazz bands, Ray begins using drugs, and he eventually becomes addicted to heroin. When Atlantic Records buys Ray's contract, Ray's career accelerates, culminating in several number one hits. Eventually, Ray strikes a deal with NBC worth more than any other performer of his day, and he and his wife Bea buy a luxurious Beverly Hills home with the world spread out before them.
But things aren't as perfect as they seem. Ray's infidelities have taken a toll on his marriage, and his drug addiction threatens to ruin his family, his relationship with his children, and his dealings with longtime friends. Having already accomplished more than most men, Ray Charles must now face the greatest challenge of his life - overcoming his heroin addiction and living a clean life...
Jamie Foxx is simply astounding in his portrayal of the larger than life figure Ray Charles, and his effort was more than acknowledged by his Academy Award victory and widespread critical acclaim. But less attention is given to the outstanding supporting cast that surrounds Foxx. The role of the young Ray Robinson's mother, Aretha, is played by Sharon Warren with such passion that her character leaps off the screen and into one's memory as the second most influential character of the film. Aretha's dedication to her son's future and her demanding, yet loving, attitude toward his self-sufficiency are admirable qualities. And the mother's influence on Ray is apparent in his drive not to be treated by the world as a cripple.
Further adding to the allure of Ray are performances by Kerry Washington (Della Bea Robinson), Regina King (Margie Hendricks), and Clifton Powell (Jeff Brown). Through the interaction of each character, the viewer sees a reflection of the passion and driving life forces that moved Ray Charles toward his musical destiny. Ultimately, Ray is a film about relationships and dreams. The astounding heights of success achieved by a blind man (and a black man in a segregated society) leave the impression that any individual can achieve any feat to which he puts his mind. This is the true gift of Ray, a feel-good film with a happy ending about a man who showed the world that anything is possible. And that's why Ray is an absolute must-see movie...
The DVD Report
15 Ray's Review
Many critics have summed up this movie in a few simple words:
Movie by itself= mediocre
Jamie Foxx= OH MY GOD!!! HE'S SO FRIGGIN' AWESOME!!
These reviewers weren't too far from the truth. The movie probably won't stand the test of time, but it's one I'm glad I saw. I definitely felt its best picture nomination was uncalled for, especially since more worthy movies such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind were ignored.
I got bored about a third of the way through it, and decided to go take a shower, while my family continued watching it. When I was finished and came back to resume viewing, I followed the story perfectly. This proves one thing: It was very, very long and it had too many extraneous parts. A good film, in my definition, will grip you until the very end where the emotion hits you like a cement wall. Shall I bring up the example again of Eternal Sunshine? THAT'S a good movie, if I should say so myself!
Buuuuuuut, no one can deny the fact that Jamie Foxx was superb in the role. He very much deserved that Oscar he received. Hats off to Mr. Foxx!
Uhh, I really can't think of much more to say about it. In summary, the movie was slow, long, but holy crap! Jamie Foxx was good!
16 Wow.
My mother really wanted to see this movie so we rented it and watched it together. She was of course a big fan of Ray Charles' music, but I am 25 years her junior so I didn't have the same connection to his music as she did. I didn't know a lot about Ray Charles, but I was completely floored watching this movie. Aside from his amazing life, the movie itself gives a whole new spin on the sandard 'biopic' genre. The cinematography, music (of course!) and performances were far superior to what you'd see in your regular old biopic. This isn't just a regular movie, it's a movie about Ray Charles! And hands down to Jamie Fox. The performance he put in as Ray... there really are no words for it. You'd have to see it yourself. Watch the movie, and then pick up the Soundtrack. You will NOT be dissapointed!
17 A stunning masterpiece!
As applied to millions of others, I was deeply saddened at the passing of Ray Charles back in June of 2004. He was an amazing pianist and had among the most amazing talent that I have ever seen in my entire life.
The movie "Ray" is a brilliant and vivid intake into the first 30 to 40 years of his life from his childhood glaucoma that led to permanent blindness to the turbulent but ultimately triumphant rise to being the most beloved entertainer in the world up into the last days of his life.
Played by Jamie Foxx, I was absolutely amazed at how well Fox portrayed Ray Charles in this movie. Throughout the entire film I wasn't even aware that it was even Foxx who was playing Ray Charles himself because he looks so much like a younger adult Ray in this film.
I've always had a great respect for his music and how he played the piano so well without the use of his eyesight for the latter 66 years of his life (He was completely blind by age 7).
This is a highly recommended movie that you must pick up today ASAP.
18 An Amazing Film
I thought this was one of the best films I have ever seen. I had only heard the nam 'Ray Charles', I never really got to listen to his music. After seeing this movie I went out and bought a Ray Charles CD.
Pros:
This movie portrayed Ray in two different dimensions. The good side: and the less good (drug addicted) side. Both portrayed realisticly. This movie was well put together and all of the parts were merged together into one great life story. I really think that they did a good job picking the important things out of his life and putting them together. Jamie Foxx did an amazing job portraying Ray Charles, and I don't believe there could have been a better acting crew.
Cons:
There are none
Overall 10/10:
I believe this was one of the best movies ever made. I advise you to buy it now whether you like Ray Charles or not.
19 Much more than a Homage
It's interesting to know that Ray Charles himself had a great deal of input into the movies content before his death in 2004, as well as selecting the recordings (some old, some newly adapted).
I've long been a fan of Ray's music, but knew very little about the man, and herein discovered the many sides to his character. A devoutly religious man, he was also a heroin addict who suffered with habitual infidelity, and many a bad decision along his road to fame and fortune. Many have noted the connection between his drug addiction and his lyrical talents, but the movie delves deeper into how Music was not only his salvation, but also a shield and an extension of his inner self that helped him try to overcome his blindness. Being a black man in racially segregated 1948 America, and coming from very humble beginnings in Florida would have been hard enough; but carrying the disability of no sight also from aged 7 leaves one hardly being able to imagine the difficulties he overcame. The movie centers on the 50's and 60's predominantly, and the period detail and recreation are excellent, as is the supporting cast. Another review has mentioned how you forget that you are watching an actor, such is the strength of Foxx's portrayal, and that in itself is a mammoth task when dealing with any biopic, let alone a musical icon of Charles stature. Well deserving of the Oscar for best actor, Foxx undoubtedly carries the film. The music is great, and the selections chosen for the movie mirror perfectly the era shown before you. I highly recommend this movie, not only to those who enjoy Ray's music, but to anyone with a love of great drama, and an interest in one of the great entertainers this country has produced. The DVD is also packed with extra's that I didn't have time to view (as I had only borrowed the copy I viewed) and the sound and picture quality are excellent, especially when used through a surround or auxiliary speaker set up. Great Movie - Enjoy!
20 Ray (Widescreen Edition)
Great Movie a must see for a music lover. Acting and singing could't be better. Ray, we miss your music, the one you havn't sang and written yet.
21 An Apt Tribute, an Evocative Performance & Rousing Music.
"Ray" is the story of the life and career of singer/pianist Ray Charles, whose music crossed charts, cultures and generations of fans. This is a straightforward biopic, but it's a good one, driven by an impressive lead performance, bolstered by a talented supporting cast, and punctuated with great music. "Ray" follows Charles' professional progress and personal life from 1948, when he played with a jazz trio in Seattle that led to his first record contract, through his emerging career and success with Atlantic Records in the 1950s, to his move to ABC and international fame in the 1960s. Periodic flashbacks reveal the formative events of Charles' childhood in rural Florida, where he was raised by his poor but resolute mother who had the heartbreaking misfortune to lose one child and watch helplessly as the other went blind.
Before settling on a style -or styles- of his own, Ray Charles claimed he could mimic just about anybody. Jamie Foxx's performance would have done him proud. It doesn't just involve mimicry, of course; Foxx gets at Ray Charles' underlying ambitions, fears, and faults. But Ray Charles' mannerisms and voice are distinctive, and Foxx adopts them naturally. Blind since he was 7 years old, but never lacking in wit or ambition, Charles talked himself into opportunities that no one wanted to give him. I found it interesting that being blind put him at a disadvantage, not so much because he couldn't see, but because it caused an inordinate number of people to try to take advantage of him. Ray Charles had great talent and a sharp business sense that served him well. He navigated using his extraordinary hearing instead of a cane or guide dog. He was gutsy when he pioneered a rousing blend of gospel and blues, and then again when he gave the same fans a country & western album. He was that rare musician who could change genres, pursue his artistic impulses, and keep his audience. But the most courageous thing he ever did may have been early in his career: Touring with a band in strange cities, Ray Charles' blindness made him constantly dependent on people whom he couldn't trust. He used heroin to cope with the stress, which eventually became an impediment. "Ray" is the story of his professional successes, personal failures, and how the man and his music embodied them all.
22 A remarkable performance!
Jaime Fox takes a daring role of one of music's greatest legends. At first I was a bit hesitant, considering that Fox has often held less serious roles. But, I was indeed surprised and taken back. This man can definitely act. The performance was solid gold and right on the dot with the amount of research that went into its developing.
This film was unlike most musical artist biographies in that it focuses less on the marvelous music that he produced and his musical career achievements and instead delivered more about his family life and personal struggles. Charles deals with the trenches of severe drug abuse, blindness since early childhood, and a traumatic occurence that holds back his emotional development as an adult (To be revealed in the film; I don't wish to spoil for those who haven't seen).
There is hardly a moment in the film in which the plot remains still. We are shocked, awed, and driven to tears throught every moment of this story. The fact that Charles had the opportunity to watch this film before his untimely death in 2004 (when it was released) and enjoyed it speaks to the accurate nature of its appeal.
There are some scenes that are quite mature, sexual, and with a few parts crude violence. But, overall, this is a family film if parents can stick around through the enture flick. I'd recommend it to teens over 14, but not anyone under that age, as it contains messages that might not entirely be understood.
Overall, 5 stars for the performance and directoral choices. It's a piece I most certainly will consider adding to my permanent collection.
23 Outstanding
Great acting is displayed by Jaime Foxx in the title role of this movie. Jaime Foxx uses all of his gifts in the movie. His talent for music, comedy and acting come together in this movie to bring to life his portrayal of Ray Charles. The DVD contains some funny deleted scenes. If you haven't seen this movie do yourself a favor and go see it now.
24 Outstanding biopic
Jamie Foxx was remarkable in his alarmingly accurate portrayal of legendary musical genius Ray Charles, deservedly lip-syncing his way to an Oscar. So powerful was his performance that is overshadowed some excellent acting performances. Kerry Washington and Regina King playing respectively Charles' wife Della Bea and his girlfriend Margie were wonderful in their roles. Clifton Powell playing his personal handler Jeff was excellent in a supporting role.
Taylor Hackford used a good combination of story telling and flashbacks to give us insight into the tumultuous life that Charles lead. His hardscabble early life was engineered by his hard working and concerned single mom Aretha, played terrifically by newcomer Sharon Warren. My only criticism of the plot was the blaming of his later life personal demons on the tragic drowning death of his younger brother George.
Charles overcame glaucoma related blindness at the age of 7. At the urging of his mom, learned music and life skills at a school for the blind. Taken advantage of due to his disability, his talent ultimately propelled him to musical stardom. His music, touring on the road and bad peer influence lead him into a life of heroin addiction and promiscuity. He eventually overcame his dependence on drugs and philandering ways. With the help of his steadfast and loving wife Della Bea, he re-established a solid family life.
This powerful flick was a honest look into the celebrated life of a musical phenom complete with warts. Charles himself approved of his portrayal having seen the film shortly prior to his death.
25 Great way to spend an afternoon
Being twenty years old and not knowing enough about the musical genius of Ray Charles I decided to give this movie a try and I was very impressed with everything from the acting to all the great music. It was one of the best movies i've ever seen and I have to say I will probably buy it sometime.
26 Outstanding!
This is a great movie, hands down. The only downside to it is a little "embroidery" by the studio to make things more dramatic. For example, Ray was never banned from performing by the state of Georgia, yet the movie makes it happen. Charles' experiences in the segregated South were quite compelling, and I think such dramatic creations take away from the genuine. Thankfully, these instances are rare. Enjoy the film, the performances are superb, just follow up with a little reading for the facts.
27 Great performances. Way too long.
It was pretty much the talk of the town after the film came out. That Jamie Foxx, the star of Ray, would win the Oscar. And sure enough, he won it. It is quite a performance but looking at the rest of the film, there's parts where it just unravels slightly and looks like a better editor needed to be on.
Ray Robinson became blind at the age of 7 and had to grow up with not only a loving but kind of stern mother, he had to live with his brother's accidental drowning, since Ray froze and hesitated. He does become quite a piano player so we follow him as people take advantage a bit as he's in a club only to have the manager become his woman and have him being paid less than everyone else.
He starts to come onto his own when he starts to marry rhythm and blues with gospel music(with the not unexpected outcries from religious people) and meets Della, who ends up becoming his wife and mother to his children. However, he's quite a womanizer and has some other women on the road. Not to mention he starts a heroin addiction.
One thing that is quite a watch is seeing Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles. Many people say he's channeling the late legend, but personally it's almost like he becomes the guy a good portion of the time that it practically looks eerie. Kerry Washington is quite good as the wife but her character is a bit unbelievable: she knows her husband has an addiction and has strayed yet she stays with him and doesn't really have that commanding "don't do that anymore" that wives like to do with their husbands. Regina King has one of his mistresses and backup singers, well I never did like her in any movies. She always seems to come off as bitchy and needy for some reason.
The other issue I have is the dramatic license that tends to happen. Like the water scenes(you'll see what I mean). It seems a bit too over-the-top and too sappy, especially the rehab scene where he "confronts" his demons. Not to mention it's way too long.
As for the music, there's no denying Ray Charles's talent but I just couldn't get to liking his music. That one song he plays after he just sleeps with Della for the first time is good but the rest of it I couldn't get into it. However kudos for putting in my 3nd favorite Beethoven piece Moonlight Sonata(first being Fur Elise and then Ode to Joy).
It's way too long but watch it for the performance. He deserves that Oscar although he's by no means a flawless actor(he did do Booty Call after all).
28 Ray Charles' courage and conflicts. A perfect film. Bravo!
I think that Ray Charles would have been pleased with the quality of this film about his life. I understand he was involved in the project until shortly before his death. No wonder Jamie Foxx did such a good job of depicting him. He really did study the man and seemed to morph into him for the film. It's not surprising he won an academy award for his performance.
From the very beginning I was drawn into Ray's story which I had expected to be maudlin. It wasn't. Yes, he became blind as a child. And yes, he had a traumatic childhood experience before that in which his little brother drowned in a washtub. Through his child's eyes, he didn't realize the seriousness of the accident and didn't make any move to save him. This incident had to effect him for the rest of his life.
Ray's mother, however, wanted her little boy to be strong. As he was going blind she refused to let him feel pity for himself. Instead she taught him to cope with his blindness and even sent him off to a school for the blind in order to complete his education in becoming self sufficient. And he certainly did become self-sufficient, traveling across the country by bus to find work in a club playing piano. He was great. And he was also exploited, especially because he was blind. Eventually, he wised up and his career soared.
He married a sweet woman and started a family. But she never traveled on the road with him. And he soon became involved with a whole series of other women. He also became a heroin addict and fought these demons for most of his life.
This is just the basic story. How it was put together was what made this film glow. The director wisely focused on Ray's courage and conflicts. And, after a while, his being blind became only a part of this complex human being who we saw evolving on the screen. What an extraordinary life this man had. And what an extraordinary performance that Jamie Fox did. The film was perfect. I wouldn't change a word of it. Highly recommended.
29 I like this movie better than his music
The adulation this movie received was, to my surprise, deserved, instead of just being a sentimental nod to the memory of a much-loved musician or an affirmative-action gimme.
I am not even a Ray Charles fan, but everything about this movie was superb: the script, Jamie Foxx (who I hope to see in future films reading lines from scripts just as good as this one's), the supporting actresses and actors, the refreshingly frank admission of Ray Charles' vices, and the set.
Dig the inside view of the music biz of several decades ago and of Ray's interesting private life.
30 More documentary than drama.
"Ray" is a decent prestige picture with a piece of excellent, Academy Award-winning mimicry at its center. Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. The honors are deserved.
But Foxx inhabits the late soul singer instead of interpreting him, making for scenes that approach documentary. But the performance sets a slightly distant emotional tone that renders every flourish from director Taylor Hackford as contrived or sentimental.
Some of them are - a drug rehabilitation sequence, for example, is faux art crap - but some of them probably wouldn't be if Foxx had approached the role with more humor. Though it touches on his flaws - heroin addiction, adultery - "Ray" so reveres the man and his struggle that the movie is less a celebratory trip than a two-and-a-half-hour life lesson.
It's kind of edifying. It's kind of a bore.
We watch Foxx bounce from gig to gig, town to town, signing to old recordings of Charles (they sound good but, again, distant, as if heard through a radio filter), getting hooked to smack, collecting mistresses, recalling with horror the death of his younger brother when Ray was boy himself. Kerry Washington and Ragina King play the two most prominent women in Ray's life, wife Della and mistress Margie Hendricks - the homemaker and the artist. One survives the turmoil of Ray's life and the other commits suicide; that juxtaposition alone allows one to see the duality of Ray Charles. The movie sees it, too, in a sobering kind of way, without the joy that accompanied many of Ray's best musical work.
31 The good, the bad and the ugly...
The Good:
Jamie Fox's performance is bizarre in it's believability. I felt like I was watching the real Ray Charles. His oscar was well-deserved!
The Bad:
The movie only covered the first half of Ray Charles' life and didn't seem to have any other point other than to show that Ray Charles wrestled with personal demons and overcame his blindness to become successful in life. I was disappointed that we learned almost nothing about who Ray Charles really was, especially in his later years.
The Ugly:
The movie is WAY, WAY, too long! Three hours of little more than RC playing in clubs, doing heroine and hitting on women. If you fast-forwarded past the middle third of the movie you wouldn't miss much.
Overall:
JF's performance makes the movie well worth watching.
:)
32 Great Musician....boring movie
Ray Charles was a great musician, no doubt about that. But his "life story" in this movie is just boring. 1949 got noticed, found heroin, slept around, did heroin, got married, did heroin, cheated with backup singer, heroin, made it big, heroin, etc....1965 quit heroin, end of movie, oh yeah 1979 Georgia did something....that's it? Best movie of the year? Not even top 10, best actor? Not even top 15. More music and more about who this guy reall was would have helped. Not just Foxx impersonating him and scratching himself because of...you guessed it, heroin addiction. It wasn't horrible but I expect more out of best movie nominees and more of the great art that made this guy so interesting.
Hit the road Jack.
33 One of the GREATEST movies ever.
I am so speechless after seeing this breathtaking masterpiece, I can only type. Ray has to be one of the greatest movies of all time, and should have won best picture over the almost as great boxing movie, Million Dollar Baby. This movie so thoroughly goes through the mangled mess that was Ray Charles' life, afterwards you feel that Ray is one of your closest friends or relatives. Jamie Foxx gives an absolutely stunning performance as the legend of R&B himself. This movie inspires the heart and stirs the soul. While sometimes disturbing, this movie also touches the deepest part of your being, as you go through his life "in his eyes". Great movie. I recommend it to everyone, I mean EVERYONE.
34 Dont believe the hype.
This movie wouldn't have got the recognition that is has received if Ray Charles were still alive. The movie is mediocre at best and Jamie Foxx's performance is lackluster. Just because he is a good impersonator doesn't mean he is a good actor.
35 Deserves WAY more than 5 stars........
How far Jamie Foxx has come. From a pretty much unknown comic on In Living Colour, to an Academy Award winning actor who now is in the upper-echelon of the "best actors in Hollywood" category after his outstanding performance in this flick. Many times throughout this movie, I totally forgot that I was watching Jamie Foxx himself instead of the actual Ray Charles. I had to literally remind myself of this many times, the movie was just that good. This movie was eye-opening in many ways to me. I had no clue that Ray Charles had a drug problem early in his career, which, when I was watching the parts where Jamie was putting the drugs into his body, were some of the saddest parts of the movie.
Also, not to forget the excellent performances by Regina King (playing one of Ray's many mistresses thru the movie), and Kerry Washington (playing Ray's wife). I rented this movie, but I might just make it apart of my very small movie collection. Pick it up now...
36 Started out weak, but grew on me
I'll be straightforward--I didn't like Ray Charles or his music that much and I wasn't expecting much from this movie (even with all the hype). But it turned out to be pretty good.
This movie wouldn't be much without Jamie Foxx. He makes you forget you're actually watching an actor play Ray Charles and not Ray Charles himself. He is a very good actor and I'm looking forward to seeing more from him in the future.
The filmmakers' also develop Charles' character well. He is not approached from only one side, but is a multi-faceted, round character. You learn about him as a person, and as a musicmaker. It approaches empathy. It really works.
Besides Ray and Jamie, this movie is basically nothing. The other characters are either facilitators or background actors for Ray. I wish they were devloped more. An exception to this is Regina King who an excellent job in a spirited role.
37 Very good
I watched the movie and at times think I was watching the real Ray Charles.Jamie Foxx was the right choice to play the legend.The life story of Ray Charles made me want to cry and get angry.The crying part was the story about his tragic childhood from seeing his brother died,losing his sight to the pain his mother went through raising him.The anger was aimed at those who hooked him on drugs,to the way he was treated because of his blindnessI would like to ask thsoe who treated Ray Charles like dirt how would they feel if they didn't had sight.I love the movie and I would tell my friends,WATCH THIS MOVIE,PLEASE.
38 THE best movie
THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER. It is about Ray Charles, a blind musician who took drugs and had affairs. There was a good ending, just so you know. It made me cry. When Ray was young, his brother died from drowning in a small laundry basket, which left Ray with a feeling of guilt, as if HE was the one who was responsible for the brother's death. Ray struggled throughout life because of his blindness. He, in a way, knew it was wrong to take drugs. Although he cared, somewhat, about his family, he had a couple affairs, but stayed with his wife.
Ray's music was the best part about this movie. He was a great musician, and, as his wife pointed out, loved music more than anything.
I think Jamie Foxx was WONDERFUL as an actor. I totally forgot it was Jamie and practically thought it was Ray Charles. The other actors & actresses were great, too. All in all, this was a fantabulous movie.
39 Love the music
Who could not love the music by Ray Charles. Be prepared this movie is very long....and very very good. So sad to how he was treated in the beginning of his career. This wonderful man will never be forgotten...buy the movie and a CD also!!!
40 The One And Only Ray Charles
"Ray", released in 2004, garnered much critical acclaim from the critics. The quality of this film proves them all as well-deserved, earning seven Oscar nomination including Best Picture and winning two (Best Sound Mixing and Best Actor). It stars Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, and others. This film portrays the life and times of legendary musician Ray Charles. It shows how he changed music history through his songs, his piano, and his vocals. Through a grueling work schedule, heroin addiction, multiple sex partners, racism, and blindness, he overcomes every life obsticle wonderfully. Meanwhile, it portrays his struggling childhood. These past images haunt him through the whole film, namely his brother's early death. All of the shown glimpses show how he began his life journey where the film begins.
These scenes and events are written beautifully. Between the two simultaneous timelines, the film flows smoothly. It successfully distinguishes his music often played in whole and his personal life without any major distractions. Therefore, this is not just a musician "biopic". It's a drama. Few other films have accomplished this difficult task to this magnitude ("Amedeus", 1984). This film gives Ray Charles the recognition he deserves as a musician and a person. Led by director Taylor Hackford, the series of events remain entertaining, yet heartfelt in certain scenes. Such quality proves that the fifteen years of struggling to create this film was worth the wait. The emotional stance continually builds, leading to a powerful conclusion.
Words cannot describe Jamie Foxx's performance as Ray Charles. His mannerisms and appearance resemble exactly Charles's, ranging the performances style to the reaction of excitement to the speaking tone to the heroin reaction. Therefore, watching Foxx is just like watching Ray Charles. This difficult task proved well researched since he never leaves his "Ray Charles mode". Occassionally does a film feature an actor portraying a real-life figure maintain their preciseness. Though the actual Charles sings in the film, he expresses his own musical passion through the film. The crew couldn't have hired a better actor for this role. This truly was the performance of 2004 and of his career. His hard work before and during filming paid off.
Though Foxx's performance is the main showcase, the other actors also portray their roles beautifully. Through drug addiction, heartbreak, financial struggle, and betrayal, the actors' talents take this film to further emotional stance. Some supporting roles could have received an Oscar nomination without complaints from the critics, namely Kerry Washington and Regina King.
The costume design and the make-up are accurate to the mid-1900's styles. Jamie Foxx's appearance amazingly resembles Ray Charles to the degree that viewers often difficulty distinguishing the two. Many characters, especially the women, could be mistaken as actual 1950's footage because of the make-up, the wardrobes, and the hairstyles. The costumes also resemble Charles's actual suits worn on stage.
Such overall film quality makes "Ray" unforgettable viewing experience. The DVD is a great essential for any Ray Charles or Jamie Foxx fans as it will surely please its audiences for a long time. Other material that film fans may like are Ray Charles's final album "Genius Loves Company" and the "Ray" Sountrack.
41 Jamie Foxx is Ray Charles!!!
As 2003's Charlize Theron was deserving for her Oscar, Jamie Foxx is deserving as well as for his outstanding portrayal of the musical genious. Director Taylor Hackford waited 15 years to make this film and it's a good thing he did. I don't think anyone else could have done a better job in the role.
42 Ran the opposite direction of "The Incredibles".
I didn't like "Ray" too much. "The Incredibles" is one of my favorite movies, but "Ray" was so over-rated and ran the opposite direction.
43 Foxx is best actor
Ray Charles works his way, blind, on a cross country bus trip from Florida to Seattle. He wanders the streets seeking to get into the local jazz scene. He forms a romatic relationship. He gets married then cheats on his wife. He gets hooked on heroin and begins to jerk arond and scratch himself, as so many addicts do. He sits at the piano, playing and singing with a huge grin on his face. He goes into rehab and undergoes the agonies of detoxing. He.... wait, what was that? That wasn't Ray Charles???? That was an actor named Jaime Foxx? No it can't be, it's too real!!!
Anyway, you get the picture. Jaime Foxx was the incarnation of Ray Charles. A great contrast would be a competing actor for best picture. Like Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio also played a public figure, Howard Hughes. However, in watching the Aviator, you always are aware that it is DiCaprio portraying Hughes. Foxx, on the other hand becomes Ray Charles. You forget that it is an actor portraying Charles. This is one of the most convincing acting jobs I have ever seen. Jaimee Foxx truly deserves his best actor Oscar.
44 Jamie Foxx gives a remarkable performance
This stunning bio-pic stars Jamie Foxx as legendary singer Ray Charles. We see in flashbacks how Ray grew up in utter poverty, was blinded by glaucoma at the age of seven, lost both his brother and mother by age 15, yet rose to become a world-famous singer and song writer. Ray had a serious drug habit and was an unfaithful husband, yet his remarkable talent and determination helped him move from playing in smoky dives to elegant theatres, with numerous gold records and Grammy awards to his credit.
I had heard so much talk about Jamie Foxx's amazing performance I didn't think he could possibly be that good, but his performance was indeed astonishing. He looks and acts so much like Ray Charles, that I forgot it was an actor playing a part. Foxx absolutely deserved the Academy Award for Best Actor. The supporting cast is also excellent, the story is fascinating, and there are many exciting musical performances of Ray's hits that are sure to put a smile on your face. Heartily recommended.
Kona
45 GIVE CREDIT, WHERE CREDIT IS DO!!!
Eric Bishop (Jamies real name) made Ray Charles,
come back to life! I knew this movie would receive
some awards, after I saw it! I found out alot of
things I never knew about Ray Charles, in this movie.
Jamie is a great actor, and comedian, he diserves
the awards he received from this great film! Anyone
who didn't like this film, is worthless!
46 Fantastic performance, inspiring story of a genius!
I loved Jamie Foxx's performance as Ray Charles! This guy continues to floor me all the time. He's a great comedian, sure, but as a dramatic actor he's even better (Ali, Collateral, this movie). His impersonation of Ray Charles was so believable that, after a while into the movie, you're not sure if you're seeing the real guy on the screen any more.
On top of Foxx's performance, the movie serves as a very good view of a brilliant man (a genius, indeed) who faced the challenges of heroin dependency (much like most succesful jazz, blues and soul musicians in the bulk of the twentieth century). But most important, it presents him as he was able to overcome that. The power of his upbringing by his single mom cannot be overlooked: that woman left an indelible mark on Ray Charles Robinson, which accompanied him and urged him up and forward until his end.
It must be said this may not be a movie for all audiences. There is more than one scene that may be strong for some viewers. However, I cannot give "Ray" anything other than five stars. Well deserved Oscar for Jamie Foxx!
47 I see it. I'm hooked.
When Ray was in the theatres I did not go see it. It seemed like everyone would come up to me and tell me to go see Ray but I didn't want to. I guess I don't like movies that are about famous people. I thought it was going to be boring and dramatic all throughout the movie. So, I pop the rented DVD in and before you know it I am buying the DVD. Two days later I am buying the cd. I'll hurry up and get to the review. The movie Ray is fantastic. There is a good word for Jaime Fox in this movie and it is "cool." Jaime Fox (Ray) is cool! I had never even cared about Ray Charles or his music until I saw this movie and now Ray Charles is one of my favorite singers. What this movie did was affected me. I believed Jaime Fox was the real Ray so much that I think Jamie Fox when someone says Ray Charles. One more thing is the music in the movie. My least favorite parts of a movie with music is the music itself! However, in Ray the music was my favorite part, hands down. Bottom line, do not rent the movie. Just go ahead and buy it because you will after you see it. Just trust me.
48 My God! Jamie Foxx WAS Ray Charles!!
I'm one to poo-poo critical acclaim on most movies (I prefer to judge for myself). Usually the hype far outweighs the content of a so-called Academy Award Winner.
This film, though, brings so much more to the viewer than what the media has presented. Foxx played an incredible role, that of Ray Charles Robinson. Foxx' uncanny ability to become Charles was evident from his introduction in his first scene. The twitchy smile, the soft spoken way in which Charles spoke, the sway, the pigeoned toed swagger--Foxx had it all!
Charles' affliction and battle with heroin was portrayed powerfully throughout the course of the film, as was his triumphant defeat of the addiction. His battle with his own conscious, manifested in the self-tortuous memories of seeing his younger brother drown in their mother's wash basin, is stirring and difficult to watch. Overcoming racism, having women fawn over him (and his apparent addiction to the female gender as well!), and his breathtaking ability to move both white and black audiences was mesmorizing.
Charles defeated many personal deamons; Foxx shows us how he did it.
If you haven't seen this movie, or you haven't purchased this DVD, you have no idea what you are missing.
Kudos to everyone who played a part in its production.
49 Foxx's Show
Never having been a major Ray Charles fan, I did not really think much about whether I should go see this film. Did I really care about a musical genius who was a musical innovator and later a force against segregation (who also happened to be blind) struggled against inferior treatment (first because of his blindness, second because of his race)? Did I care that he succumbed to the same demons that afflict many entertainers (infidelity/womanizing and heavy drug use/addiction)? On the surface, no, none of this is particularly noteworthy. However, Ray Charles, for all his very human faults, loved, lived and breathed music and changed the face of music and was a pioneer in the music industry (both from the standpoint of being a shrewd, cutthroat businessman and from the standpoint of defying musical barriers and traditional lines between musical genres). He started out from humble beginnings but used his talents to climb from this "station" and used his hard won experience (being cheated, being treated differently because of his handicap and/or his race). He could easily have been defeated, but he had talent and drive and a shrewdness born of bitter experience and of being wronged one too many times. Unfortunately, his shrewdness crossed over into his indiscriminate choices in his personal life, but this does not appear to have affected his professional life in the least. He succeeded and thrived against all odds, making state of the art deals for himself, forging his own way in the business, doing what he wanted to do. Unfortunately, as this biopic, handled expertly in the hands of director Taylor Hackford, his music did come at a price for others. Charles's long-suffering wife and a long string of other jilted lovers suffered a great deal at his hands.
The truly remarkable part of this film is not only that it tells a story of such a gifted man who had a sense of self and a sense of what he wanted to do (that led to great success) but that it was possible to make a film that so exactly captured the essence of this man. Jamie Foxx was a revelation; his astounding likeness to Ray Charles (in appearance, mannerisms) created a deeply authentic feel, which made one forget they were watching someone else playing Charles. This WAS Ray Charles reincarnated in a sense. Personally I did not know Jamie Foxx had it in him; I knew he was talented as an actor but had no idea he possessed this kind of gravity and versatility. Having seen all the films for which actors were Oscar-nominated for their roles this year, Foxx unequivocally was the hands-down winner with very tough competition. His performance, though, was in a league somewhere far above the performances given by the other actors. The supporting cast was excellent too but this was really Foxx's show.
50 GOOD ACTOR...DECENT MOVIE
I am a black man who loves the fact that so many black actors and movies were nominated for the Oscar 2005, but I am not one of those typical black people who believes that no matter how crappy a black movie is, it should receive the award, no matter how good the "white" movie is, especially if I've never seen the competition. All of my friends (African-Americans) say that Jamie Foxx should have gotten the award, but they haven't even seen the AVIATOR, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, HOTEL RWANDA, FINDING NEVERLAND, and others. Just like when Kevin Spacey beat Denzel Washington for best actor for American Beauty. The Hurricane in my opinion was good, but American Beauty was better. The black community didn't see it like that, but most haven't even seen American Beauty. As far as RAY, he did an uncanny impersonation, but Don Cheadle did the real acting. But the rest of RAY just wasn't as good as the hype made it out to be. It looks as if all RAY did was drugs and women. Elvis did the same but you would never hear about it from Hollywood. The ending was also thrown together. Once again, the Oscars have turned into another hype machine. At this rate, every actor who impersonates someone who's made history deserves the Oscar.
51 Charles In Charge
Going into Ray, I had known almost nothing about Ray Charles' life, outside of the fact that he was blind and despite that, he didn't that the disability stand in the way of his talent and goals. After watching the musical biographical drama of the American legend, I was taken aback by just how human this superstar actually was. While the film isn't as perfect as its buzz hyped it to be, it's still a must see, for sure.
Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx) went blind at the age of seven shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental death. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother (Sharon Warren) who insisted he make his own way in the world, Charles found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his inimitable style. As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists' rights within the corporate music business.
As Ray Foxx is very good in the movie and is almost indistinguishable from the late real life counterpart. He owns the part. Director Taylor Hackford, who also collaborated with writer James L. White on the script gives us an unflinchinging look at his life and times, warts and all. From rampant drug use, to infidelity, to the top of the charts and in the throws of chasing his demons--its all here. I knew none of the personal issues that the man had to wrestle with. Mr. Charles took quite a risk exposing his faults like this I'm glad he was still around as the film was being made The musical numbers were recreated, giving off the same energy that he had in real life. The supporting cast that includes Regina King as mistress and back up singer Margie Hendricks and Kerry Washington as wife Della Bea Robinson, turn in compelling performances that are top notch. Hackford's flaw as a storyteller here is that he lets too many flashbacks and overwrought symbolism tell the young Ray's (C.J. Sanders) part of the story. The film could have done without all that imagery. The narrative is watered down by this and that's a distraction the film doesn't need.
The 2 disc limited edition has a wealth of bonus material aside from the film itself. Viewers can choose between the original theatrical version, and an extended version via (not so) seamless branching, that includes 14 deleted scences. Most of the "added" footage was nice to see...but the theatrical cut is indeed a less distracting experience without the jarring jumps to deal with. If you've ever heard an audio commentary by Hackford before, then you know how talkative he is, and that's not nesscessarily a good thing take a breath man. It's a long film. You'll get it all in...After all, there are some featurettes on both the man and the movie. "Ray Remembered" has friends and the filmmakers talking about the man and his talents. "Walking in his Shoes" takes us through the transformation of Foxx as he becomes Ray for the film, as well as the actor meeting Charles. "A Filmmakers Journey" focuses on Hackford's work on the biopic, while the "Women of Ray" profiles his mom, wife and Margie. Additional bio details can be found in an "American Story", you'll see no less than 9 more musical performances, as well as a retread of the extended scenes with the optional commentary option with Hackford. The theatrical trailer and cast and crew bios tops off the set.
Ray is a worthwhile biopic that gives us a well rounded potrait of the man and his talent
52 He Lived On the Edge Of Music, Fear, and Love
Everyone knows the music of Ray Charles but very few people know his real life story. This is a wonderful if sad movie about the musician's life. I
can now understand why Jamie Foxx won best actor. The role he had to
perform was both physically and emotionally challenging. What I found even more amazing is that I didn't once think 'this is Jamie Foxx and I wonder what he is thinking,' during the whole movie.
Jamie as Ray was excellent. I also liked how at the end they showed clips of the real Ray Charles and some photographs. One of the things I couldn't help but think about during the movie was how strong Ray's mother was.She lost one son to a horrible, fatalÊaccident and then her other child went blind. I couldn't even begin to imagine what that was like. She had o act cruel so that Ray could learn how to defend himself, and she said to Ray 'Don't ever let anyone make you become a cripple.'Ê (Or words to that effect.)
All of the other actors gave very strong performances as well. I especially loved Curtis Armstrong as Ahmet Ertegun. For some reason I just thought that he was great to watch, although everyone was good. I didn't know a lotabout Ray but not only did I learn about Ray but I also learned about the time that he lived in. I thought it was so sad at the beginning of the movie, when Ray and the other African Americans had to sit at the back of the bus and how they had a sign with the word 'colored' on it.
Ê
I didn't realize how much Ray was so deeply into dope. It was really hard to watch the rehabilitation scenes. This is one of those parts in the movies where I felt the film should had been rated R. These scenes where very graphic and intense.
I hadn't known that Ray was friends with Quincy Jones or the fact that he had a mistress. I thought that was very sad. But I found it even more sad that his mistress O.D.'d and left behind their illegitimate son.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. This is a really good movie. It was not only entertaining but it made me really think about the time that Ray was living in as well.
53 Very honest biopic...
...which doesn't try to cover over Ray Charles' darker side, namely his heroin addiction and serial adultery. Usually most biopics either gloss over or moralize about such things, this film mercifully just tells it like it is.
Jamie Foxx most certainly deserved his Oscar for this performance, and he's backed by a strong cast. Of course the music is sensational, and it was usually very hard to tell when Foxx was lip-syncing.
My only disappointment was that this film seems to suggest that Charles simply up and quit heroin once and for all---which if true would be extremely remarkable since heroin is the type of drug that usually takes years and years of falling off the wagon and getting back on, before you finally break free.
54 Ray, A Life of a Black Blind Man
The movie Ray describes a man's life who lost his sight at
seven years old, however, gifted an inherent talent in music. Although
he grew up in a poor family, he struggled to survive in the
white-centric American society which was too crucial for a colored
blind man to live. At last, he made a great commercial coup in the
music industry and recognized as a famous million-selling musician
all over the world.
One of the most impressive scene to me was that by
overcoming his childhood trauma, he finally succeed in withdrawing
from heroin as he promised his family and the public. On the other
hand, this movie exaggerated a man's life aiming at a dramatic effect,
which makes a little difference between his real life and the story of
the movie itself.
Ray is a success story giving a message that all careers are
open to talent even a man of humble origin. I recommend this movie
to people who experiencing great hardships or lovers of soul music.
55 PROPS!!!! Jamie Foxx
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and Jamie's performance. He captured Ray's essence! I know Ray blessed the movie and Jamie's performance. Jamie's acting in the latest three movies (Redemption, Collateral and Ray) has shown the depth of his ability. I also commend the entire cast. Regina King has certainly come into her own as well.
56 Interesting with a realistic portrayal of Ray Charles
Hollywood spun documentaries will always have an allure based on peoples curiosities of the subject. However, this movie gets 4 stars based on Jamie Foxx's brilliant performance and portrayal of the late Ray Charles. I found it interesting to discover what Ray Charles went through during his life. If you enjoy good acting, period films, an interesting story, you'll like Ray. Now this film does pull allot of skeletons out of Rays past and into the limelight. You might end up disliking Ray Charles based on the kind of "man" he was. This in turn, might make you dislike the movie. However, Ray Charles fought for what he believed in, despite his physical handicap, and triumphed above adversity even with his often crippling, post-traumatic, childhood stress. This movie relies on brilliant acting from Foxx, interesting film directing, soundtracks and and a documentary type story to pull you through. There are no high-tech special effects, except for the flashback scenes. Some progressive movie fans might find this film to be a little dry and slow. But I feel it's a good movie and I recommend it.
57 Stellar Performance!
This is a stellar performance by Jaime Foxx. The film, however, is not as good, and drags along in many spots. There are the usual stereotypes with drug use, seeing the light on Jim Crow, nasty and racist whites, money-grabbing friends, and so on. But Foxx saves it. He certainly deserved that Oscar! It is a worthwhile movie with which to spend your time . . .
58 WOW!!! 10 STARS!!!
JAMIE FOXX WAS BRILLANT! MADE ME GO OUT AND BUY RAY'S SOUNDTRACK!
59 Bad man makes it Big
black, blind, junkie, woman-hater pianist/singer overcomes the odds to achieve success in the recording industry
60 One of the Best Bio-Pics I've ever seen!
Jamie Foxx more than earned his recent Best Actor Oscar win with this brilliant portrayal of the one and only musical genius of Ray Charles. Perhaps more than Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, Lawrence Fishburne as Ike Turner, Angela Bassett as Tina Turner, or Will Smith as Mohammed Ali...Foxx's performance made me forget that it was anyone other than Ray Charles himself on the silver screen. To call it merely an "impersonation" is to belittle a skill that many actors can't pull off. Watch "Saturday Night Live" for impersonations of famous people, but can any of those actors carry an entire film, causing the viewer to forget that its merely an impersonation and getting absorbed as though we are watching Ray Charles' life play out before our very eyes.
I read some critiques of this film suffering from the usual bio-pic pitfalls of what angle to present a famous person's life story and where to begin and end such a film. This film does everything right in terms of how a bio-pic should be made and the creative license that convey a person's inner demons was well done in this film. The flashback sequences were well done and weren't confusing, and they helped the viewer understand the underlying motives of a childhood tragedy and how it helped create the person Ray Charles came to be.
What I loved most was seeing just why Ray Charles was considered a genius, as he knew when to move on to bigger and greener pastures with an impeccable sense of timing and what he is owed. He could easily have wasted years if not decades at the hands of some craven club owners in Seattle who knew they had a rare and profitable talent on their hands and weren't thinking in his best interest, but their own greed. People might have thought they could pull things over a blind man's head, but he always got the last laugh.
That's not to say that he was a perfect man. The scenes of implied heroin use were heartbreaking, but redemption comes in the end when an arrest and drug treatment forces him to face his demons once and for all to kick his habit. The scenes of his going cold turkey should be a warning lesson to anyone considering using drugs without regard to aftereffects. That Ray Charles kicked his habit cold turkey and never relapsed is another testament to his genius.
What got the most laughs and applause in theaters where I saw it, was when Ray Charles refused to perform in a segregated venue in Georgia, causing the state to ban him for life. The irony of it all as we watch the film in 2004/2005 is that we know that his "Georgia On My Mind" is the official state song of our state and he was given the hero's welcome in the state capitol in 1979.
This film is an impressive tribute to one of the greatest musical geniuses of our time and worth seeing and owning in your personal dvd collection. If you buy this dvd, you'll probably want the cd soundtracks as well...as the first thing I did after seeing this movie was running out to buy a greatest hits cd since I regrettably didn't have a single Ray Charles cd in my collection. That'll change after seeing the movie. Ray Charles' music is diverse enough for everyone to like at least some of his songs.
61 A story definitely worth telling..
I was skeptical when I heard about the release of the movie Ray. I thought, how could anyone play Ray Charles and truly sell the role and be believable? When I finally saw the movie, I was very surprised. Not only did I think the movie was very entertaining, but I thought (like many others) that Jamie Foxx did an excellent job as Ray Charles. Throughout the movie, I become so involved with the story and the music that I really didn't associate Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. The music throughout the movie is the best part. If you see the DVD on an enhanced sound system, you will not be disappointed. The DVD also has some touching special features showing Jamie Foxx with Ray Charles rehearsing music at the keyboard. The music of Ray Charles is really something special. The movie did a great job of showing the story of how a blind kid from the South rose to become on of the most prominent music figures in American history. Truly a very inspirational story that deserves to be told.
62 "My Confession: I have a crush on Jamie Foxx!!"
There, i said it! I just love this man! Jamie Foxx can be added to the rare list of actors who has taken acting to the highest level of acheivement: actually "becomming" their characters. this is a task not too many actors can achieve when protraying a significant icon in history. Denzel Washington did it in "Malcom X", George C. Scott did it in "Patton", Cicily Tyson did it in "Jane Pittman", and Will Smith in "Ali". Jamie Captured the true essence of Ray Charles and when he died, it's as if he told Jamie, "Ok man, let me use your body for this film". and they became as one. after seeing this movie made me beleive in the power of reincarnation, because Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles became one on this one. i love this movie and i seen it two times and i will look at it again and again. i will put this one up there with my other favorite movie "Now Voyager" with Bette Davis. i love you, Jamie Foxx! i wish you all the best and keep remembering what your Grandma says: "stand up straight and act like you got some sense!" lol! Now THAT was a Grandma, cause she raised the BEST!
63 I Think Not......................
Slap a pair of sunglasses on a lame comedian and have him lip sync (poorly) some tunes and then even the suggestion of an Academy Award (bhb). I think not....... Wake Up People !!!!!!!! Unfortunately, I cannot submit a rating lower than 1 star. Liked him more in "The Blues Brothers".
64 I'd be embarrased to post less than 5 stars for this
This is an awesome movie, PERIOD. Ray Charles was like many of his peers during that era, so one shouldn't be too surprised to know of his herion problem & womanizing.
As painful as it is to watch, it needs to be shown---Life has those kinds of turns for a lot of people. Providence must have been on Ray's side though because of his ability to stay productive during during those years, and most importantly, in they way he overcame it. He deserved being honored with this movie.
As for Jamie Foxx, how far can this guy go? My gosh, what an amazing actor he has become. I found it difficult to take my eyes off of him throughout this movie---you just sit there & keep thinking, "Man, this guy IS Ray Charles."
65 Best I've Seen In A Long Time
Jamie illustrates the genius of acting by morphing into the character portrayed. The entire cast and flow of the movie come across without a false note.
It was a brilliant decision to make this film PG-13, proving superior storytelling needs no gutter language or nudity. It was refreshing to see emotional power, which is what good movies deliver. Direction was excellent, with music and story successfully blended.
Ray's darker side with drugs, infidelities, ego, and self-absorbtion are clearly shown, as well as his amazing achievments over blindness and racism.
66 for the music alone
he played a blind black man.hes black.the blind part isnt the hardest of afflictions to portray.he will probably follow up this gift by showing up in catwoman part 2.
67 Someone please wake me up!!!
I can tell you that this movie is not for everyone. I thought it was terrible. Ray has these powers to tell what a lady looks like by feeling her arm. It was very boring. I will say Jamie Fox played Ray very well and deserved the award for best actor. The movie in my opinion was bad. Ray was a man who was a good performer like any other good performer except he was blind. How good of a movie could it of been. The best part is watching Ray create his songs by real lift situations. Other then that I did not like it.
68 Compelling music & a great story
Starting with so much to work with (an amazing story and some of the best rock and roll ever created) you'd think it would be hard to go wrong--but Hollywood does it all the time. They hit the mark with this one, though, layering superb acting on top of an excellent script and a can't live without it sound track. Rush out and see this film. You'll be glad you did.
69 Grand story, great music and an unforgettable performance
This movie will be remembered for a long time due to two factors. The first one is bringing the music by Ray Charles to the attention of the newer generations, allowing the genre to resurface in its popularity. The second is the outstanding performance of Jamie Foxx, who demonstrates that when you do something from your heart, things usually turn out right. And this is basically what this movie is about, a story that shows us the good and bad moments of one of the most renowned figures in music history, and how he had to follow his heart to liberate himself from the unforgiving clutch of drugs.
The director Taylor Hackford was lucky to wait fifteen years for the right actor to come along, but he also shows that he played an important role in the success of this movie. For example, the way in which he presents the different events in the life of Ray - jumping back and forth in time instead of using a linear sequence - helps the viewer understand better the motivations behind most of the artist's actions. Events like losing his brother, losing his sight, being preyed upon by others due to his blindness and meeting people that introduced him to the drug world affected how Ray Charles lived his life. Those that see him as a flawless man will have a tough time watching some of the scenes in this film. But if you understand that he was not perfect, but someone who learned to overcome adversity, you will likely be pleased with the final result.
Those that love the music of Ray Charles are in heaven with this movie, since it has a myriad of music segments (more than ninety), and one of the most amazing facts is that Foxx plays the piano himself in all of them! This is one of the factors that make his performance something special, but it is not the only one. The actor played the role blind; instead of wearing dark glasses and watching what he was doing, his eyes were shut together with silicone all through the day. I think this helped a lot in achieving a more believable performance, and his ability to imitate the way in which others talk helped a lot too. One thing is undisputable: Jamie Foxx received one of the most deserved Academy Awards of the last few years.
70 Most Deserved Oscar Ever
I'm fortunate enough to have witnessed a large part of Ray Charles' career, and very fortunate to have seen him perform live in Las Vegas in 2000. At 70 years old, he was still just as captivating and electrifying as ever. He was a brilliant musician, and a brilliant performer, and contributed more to the field of music than many people realize. Truly a stellar name.
As such, when I heard of a movie about him, I figured they would hopefully do at least a fair job, but didn't think they'd ever truly capture him. I was wrong.
The casting of Jamie Foxx is either the luckiest act in the history of movies, or practically deserves an Oscar of its own. What in Foxx's background could possibly have hinted he could pull off a performance of this magnitude?
You've heard people say it -- you forget it isn't Ray up there on the screen. It's true. Frankly it's rather eerie at times. Foxx truly captures Ray -- the look, the mannerisms, everything. If this is truly the level of his ability, I look forward to more.
My hat's off to you, Mr. Foxx. Bravo.
71 Oh my god!!!!
What alien took over Jamie Fox's body and turned him from a good actor into one of the world's best. Jamie did Ray just as good as Val did Jim Morrison. It was the most amazing piece of acting work I have seen in years. I raise a glass to you Mr. Fox and the cast of Ray.
72 Made me a believer of Ray Charles and of Jamie Foxx
The most heartfelt compliment I can give to Taylor Hackford's RAY is that it inspired me to seek out more of Ray Charles' music, and thus discover what a truly great and inspiring musician he was. You can only have the greatest respect for a man who dealt with his blindness and a childhood tragedy (the drowning death of his kid brother) by making great music and revolutionizing the sound of R&B in the process (his mixing of R&B with gospel sounds was scandalous at the time). And what versatility!---from early original hits like "I've Got a Woman" and "What I'd Say," he eventually put his brilliant interpretive stamp on country music, which is where his classic rendition of "Georgia on my Mind" comes from. But, above all, Ray Charles' soulful voice was his calling card; very few musicians feel the words he sings quite the way Brother Ray did.
All of this comes through brilliantly in RAY, as does Charles' manipulative dark side: he ruthlessly switched labels when one couldn't match another's offer, and he had a tendency to coldly cast off friends as quickly as he made them. "Music is a business, baby," Ray (Jamie Foxx) says in the movie, and he certainly treated it that way. And of course there was his drug addiction, which he eventually kicked cold turkey.
The achievement of RAY is that both Hackford and its star, Jamie Foxx, do not shy away from Ray Charles' less savory characteristics, but nevertheless do a good job of depicting the man and the impact he had on music. The only major flaw of the film is that at times it lapses into biopic cliches---especially the ending, which throws in a silly dream sequence that suggests that, only after he was able to move on from the terrible memory of his brother's drowning death was he able to cast off his demons, an explanation that, as most biopic explanations tend to be, seems much too pat. But what RAY gets right---how well it explains what a major impact his music had---is what makes this a cherishable movie.
Among its other achievements, RAY has also made me a believer of Jamie Foxx. Anyone who can pull off such a stunning portrayal of such a musical giant, and do it without a hint of vanity, deserves all the respect he gets. Foxx's performance is not so much an imitation as it is an inhabitation: he gets Ray's famous physical mannerisms right, but he also paints Ray as a flawed but spirited individual who, despite his attitude toward women and the business side of music, loved to perform and loved to live. As you watch the film, you barely feel Foxx there; he is so immersed in Ray Charles that he almost becomes the man (at least, until that silly concluding dream sequence, in which he has to take off his sunglasses and open his eyes). 2004 really was Foxx's year: he not only did justice to Ray Charles; he also nearly acted poor hard-working Tom Cruise off the screen in Michael Mann's COLLATERAL. He now has an Oscar to show for it, and one that is well-deserved.
RAY is not a great movie, but its good points far outweigh its lapses into conventional moralizing. Such a seminal musician as Ray Charles deserves a movie that touches at the heart of why he was so special, and RAY, more often than not, does that admirably. Recommended.
73 Not that great and badly miscast
Ray Charles was a shameless womanizer and a druggie with no regard for human decency. So why does this movie make him look like a saint? I thought Jamie Foxx's performance was overrated. It may as well be another skit from "In Living Color." A better choice to play Ray would be Woody Harrelson or Jude Law. They're more talented and resemble Ray Charles a lot better.
74 RAY OF HOPE
The best segments concerned Charles' childhood, sweeping vistas of rural Southern life brushed in the deep color tones only apparent to the young, and "Ray", although still little more than a standard Hollywood bio, escalates dramatically in the first half and sort of surrenders to the rigorous biographical schedule at hand in the second half. The music is superb and the recording sessions and live performances come alive with a fly-on-the-wall authenticity. His heroin addiction though, seemed lacking in true dramatic depth but steeped in nobility as he requests no medicinal help during withdrawl and later we're told, as it is written on the screen, "Ray Charles never did drugs again". It's not enough to say so, the movie could have continued on showing Charles' basking in the reverence finally awarded him and living the drug-free climate he apparently earned. I love Ray Charles though and I very much enjoyed this movie.
75 Excellent Performances and Outstanding Music
This movie is definitely one of my favorites from the past year. The acting was truly inspired and the music portions stand out as some of the best sounding and mixed that I have ever heard in any movie. This is a worthy tribute to Mr. Charles.
76 Brilliance
A great film about a great man. Jaie Fox really looks and acts like Ray Charles. This is why he deserved and won the Oscar for Best Actor. There are no other words to describe this film, other than brilliance, or pure genius. I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.
77 WHO CARES!!
Who cares about acting and story about this movie...movie was boring, was just a OK movie if u like that ray guy beside that is just a one time seen or not at all, and throw the DVD in trash..Glad didnt waste my money,in the DVD or theater ticket.alotssss better acting and great movies out there beside this trash.!!!I cant even believe that, this trash went to academy award, should go to soul train award instead,B.S! C
78 Foxx is terrific in this flawed film about a great man
Any film adorned with the music of Ray Charles will fill audiences with excitement and awe, and any performance comparable to Jamie Foxx's depiction of Ray Charles warrants viewing. But other than those two elements, this theatrical version of Charles's life is not much better than what could be expected of a made-for-TV biopic of a man who broke conventions and genres and helped shape modern music.
"Ray" follows the performer from his teenage beginnings through his thirties, climaxing on an important moment in Charles's life when he made a moral declaration. Like many artists, Ray Charles's youth haunted him for years. Once he became blind at seven, his mind replayed one of his last images (the death of his brother), and those constant visions drove the married Ray to dull his pain in the arms of other women and with the euphoric release gained from heroin.
But with those counter-productive outlets, Charles also escaped with his music. He immersed himself in the craft, building on an unexplainable gift for throwing different musical styles together and allowing them to instantly create new, exciting sounds. Sometimes country, sometimes blues, sometimes gospel...but always brilliant.
Maybe the virtuosity of his music and the strength of great acting performances is enough for a film, and if that is true, "Ray" works (because that's about all that is to be admired). 2004 will be the year of the biopic (Hughes, Kinsey, Alexander, Jesus, Berrie, etc), and many of these motion pictures could learn lessons from the great depictions of historical figures in past films. "Ray" makes the same mistake made by recent films based on Andy Kaufman, Muhammad Ali and others. These movies believe their subject matter's strength is all a film needs, ignoring the potential to use the lives of great individuals as a catapult for statements on important issues or to shed light on the human spirit (see films based on Larry Flynt, Jake LaMotta or Mozart).
"Ray" fails to become anything more than an attractive telling of the life of an American icon. The immediate critical praise for this film will diminish in years, as the current reviews have no doubt been affected by the recent passing of Charles and the undeniable love for the man and his music by many (including myself). The criticism found here for the film should not be applied to the man or his music, just the lackluster manner in which both were presented on screen.
79 Great Movie and Good actor
I loved ray, and even though I think the Aviator was robbed for best picture and director, I would have put ray in second. Foxx really is excellent as ray charles and totally confident. Even though I felt Leo Dicaprio should have won best actor, foxx was my second choice and I was happy he won. Leo will be back and so will Jamie!! Great Movie!
80 Don Cheadle was robbed!
Was this film supposed to be funny?
I found myself laughing at the obvious "impersonation" of Ray Charles as opposed to the acting that was required.
The fact that a brilliant actor such as Cheadle could be passed over for this obvious piece of pure hype is enraging.
The only thing that would have made this film better is if we had seen Foxx re-creating Charles's appearance in Spy Hard. "Next stop Melrose...I think"
81 SUPERB
This movie allowed people to see Jamie Foxx in a bigger and better way. I always perceived he had the talent to perform like this but the opportunity just hadn't made its way to him. He deserves his Oscar!
Of course I was concerned like many other African Americans that his effort would be over looked. I am a hater of the Oscar it self becuase it is an idol. I feel that the society who created the Oscar attempted to teach Americans to discreetly serve Idol gods for the purpose of causing the problems that arise over this little golden man. Yet that is all the Oscar community could come up with to award a persons efforts. I will accep that for now.
I really loved Regina King in the movie she is an excellent actress and she plays the role of a "girlfriend" good in Ray. Bravo Girl!
82 Jamie Foxx earned his Oscar!
Ray Charles himself annointed this young talent and now Foxx has joined the ranks of Poitier, Denzel Washington and now Morgan Freeman, as one of the great African American actors of our time! I am so godly proud of him tonite on his special nite of recognition and like Jamie said in his acceptance speech, his Grandmother is certainly looking down on him tonite, smiling a big smile of approval and blessing and indeed, they will have a great conversation and much to talk about in his dreams! CONGRATULATIONS JAMIE~ you deserve this and you definitely earned it and we are all proud of you in Texas!
83 Sastifies Your Cravings
The movie is a great depiction of Ray Charles life. Jamie Foxx is absolutely brilliant, he makes you smile, cry, and just glow all at the same time. I wish they had more features on the DVD however, one of favourite movies of 2005.
84 SOUL BROTHER NUMBER ONE
This is truly one of the most inspiring and amazing films I have seen in recent years. Ray is a stunning visual spectrum of the life of Ray Charles, the architect of soul. Impossible to take one brilliant man's life and squeeze it into a two and a half hour cinematic spectacle, director Taylor Hackford did an amazing job with what he could conjure into our hearts and minds. Hackford's directing is superb. But beyond even that, one name continues to reasonate in the psyche: Jamie Foxx. Jamie Foxx becomes Ray Charles. This is no imitation. Foxx gets beneath Ray's skin and sinks inside a complicated, unpredictable but beautiful man and makes us feel Ray's joys, pains, angels, and demons. But his is not the only honorable performance in the movie, this movie wouldn't be half of what it is without the powerhouse performance of newcomer Sharon Warren as Ray's mother. The same way she haunts Ray's subconscious, she haunts the audience with her emotional and tough-as-nails portrayal of a poor black woman raising her two boys. Regina King is a fireball as the soulful Margie Hendrix, Ray's long-time mistress and Kerry Washington is remarkable as Ray's incredibly loyal wife. Outstanding performances make this movie so truly captivating. It may sound cliche, but it is a movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled. You can't help but feel connected to the life of Ray Charles. He is a great historical figure who provided a soundtrack to the black experience by taking gospel and rhythm and blues and creating soul music, which expressed the existential love and pain of the black experience and it was revolutionary at that time and still revolutionary when you think about it today. It's amazing how a gifted, blind man with a piano could change the world.
85 A GREAT MOVIE!!!!!!!
Ray is one of the most sad and touching movies ever! I never believed how life would be like if I was blind. It's so amazing how one man can change the world. Jamie Foxx has to win an Oscar!
86 what a horrible DVD effort for a fine film
the movie Ray was very enjoyable, great performance by Jamie Fox indeed, but what in the BLUE HELL were they thinking when putting together this DVD? one of the poorest efforts i have ever seen. the "extended version" of the film is an insult to film lovers everywhere. did someone's 3rd grade class do this as a project? it is just horribly done, completely wrecks the flow of the film, it just has such LITTLE effort.
the filmakers, director, editor, and production team should be ashamed for so quickly throwing out a lazy, uninspired DVD like this. i hope that they fix this train wreck someday.
87 Bad movie
I saw the movie a few days ago with a friend, because we heard so much good stuff about this movie.
But we didn't like that movie at all. We thought it was boring and Jamie wasn't that good, like everybody said. He was ok, but not that good to win an Oscar. Leo is much better in "The Aviato".
88 Who Knew Ray Charles?
This will be the film that puts Jamie Foxx on the acting map. I can't say that I've been such a big fan of Ray Charles and his music but this movie has placed the man squarely on the mind. There is a powerful story to be told in Ray Charles life but more than that this movie connects with audiences due to the essence of the music combined with one really powerful and believable performance by Foxx.
What held this back from a five-star review is that the scenes in which Charles' Mom appears come across as too one-dimensional. The acting between the lady playing Charles' mother and the children seemed forced and put-on. It reminded me of a made-for-TV movie and too much was made of Ray's demons being tied to his early childhood experiences with the accidental death of his younger brother. But don't let this minor detractor distract you from the powerfully told tale of a person overcoming seemingly overwhelming odds to make it in the world.
You will completely forget that Jamie Foxx is playing Ray and the actual persona is brought to life on the screen in front of you. The music drives the movie and you will find yourself impossibly moving along to the gospel R&B fueled tunes gaining an appreciation for the life of Ray Charles. Not to be missed.
--MMW
89 Before Oscar Has His Say...
Some movies spotlight great actors in weak stories. Others use great cinematography with little substance. "Ray" does what all deserving Best Picture nominees should: it blends the art of a fantastic director with the raw power of a dynamite actor, then paints the story in subtle hues of emotion and color.
I've always appreciated the music of Ray Charles, but this film took me behind the scenes to experience the heartache and courage that fueled his soul. Using flashbacks to perfection, the director allows us to feel the guilt of Ray's childhood, as well as the backbone that his mother fostered in him. Using every nuance of voice and movement, Jamie Foxx takes us into the mind of this legendary man. The movie never glorifies the drugs or womanizing of Ray Charles; it shows them in an honest, often painful, but ultimately liberating light. I was moved to laughter, tears, and applause.
With Oscar night coming up, I can't resist praising this great film before the Academy has its say. Whether Oscar gets it right or not, this movie will stick around. And Jamie Foxx's performance will not be forgotten.
90 Ray Charles' Complex Life Matched by Superb Jamie Foxx
I like "Ray." The music is strong, using Ray Charles' own tracks for both background and performance shots. The storyline is complex, flashing back to Charles' youth as he reflected on the loss of his eyesight and the death of his brother.
From his days as a child in a poor rural community, through his early days as an unknown musician struggling to get a fair deal, to his mid-career with management problems, affairs, hits, and drugs, and then, finally, as a one of our national heroes, we see Ray Charles in full color.
We learn how he manipulated women, cheated on his wife, became addicted to heroin, found his sound, got his name, and learned to work aggressively as his own musician. He deals with racism at first by avoiding it, and then quickly, takes a harsh stand, shaming the bigots and segregationists. Now, in a state where he was once banned from playing, his work, "Georgia on My Mind" is now the state song.
Biopics of celebrities are difficult to describe because of the chronology required to produce the movies. People don't live out plots written by screenwriters, but lives that have events that do not always make sense. Ray Charles' life didn't always make sense, but he lived it.
We have two views of Ray Charles. One is as a fighter, working hard against adversity to become the musician we now know. The other is as a womanizing addict who used his charm, position and trust of his wife to diminish all that was good about him. He eventually beats the drugs, holds onto his marriage, but these failures brought down my respect of him.
Jamie Foxx never impressed me before this. I found his comedy more off-color than I prefer, and expected that his version of Ray Charles would be mediocre. I heard the hype that his performance was Oscar-worthy, and watched the movie with the eyes of a skeptic. Now, I am impressed.
Jamie Foxx has a new fan. I hope he gets roles that allow him to shine like he does in "Ray."
The DVD for "Ray" adds to the movie. Normally, a DVD brings little extra that is interesting, but watching Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles interact was touching, as was hearing Foxx describe his experience in learning the role. We learn Foxx not only can play piano, but is trained at a high level. Those are his hands on the keys, and not movie magic. He respected Charles and the difficulty of playing an icon, and earned Charles' respect in the process.
Anthony Trendl
91 See Jamie Foxx's Powerful and Heartfelt Performance
Jamie Foxx is Ray Charles. That's what you would feel after watching Taylor Hackford's bio-pic of late Ray Charles. Not only Foxx moves like Ray, with his characteristic, jerky body movements, but he represents the soul of the great musician himself.
Despite the long running time (more than 150 minutes), the film never shows lull, covering the life of Ray Charles from his childhood to the stardom. Despite the too familiar ways of showing the psychological aspects of his life, the film is skillfully edited, and shows his genius as musician and strong will for success, both of which are no surprising matters. Made with the artist's own saction, the film is fairly honest about the negative sides of his personality -- about use of substance, womanizing habits, and dubious judgements influenced by money. But they are also part of Ray.
[MUSIC] But the film's greatest strength lies in the interpretation of Ray Charles' music, or how his style came to be what it is. It is easy for anyone to portray him as genius, but the director knows rightly that his talent lies in innovation -- fusing gospel music with rhythmn and blues. And 'Ray' presents us the innovator's way of thinking, or inspiration, by cleverly putting his classic songs in the context of his own history. How and where did he think of 'I Got a Woman'? How did people (including his future wife) respond to it? The music history is never so accurately and succinctly interpreted as in 'Ray.'
For all the hit songs like 'Georgia on My Mind' or 'I Can't Stop Loving You,' the film suggests that the culmination of Ray Charles's career is 'What'd I Say.' The whole film is great, of course, but that scene showing the birth of that song (my favorite) alone deserves 5 star rating. At that moment, the music gets irresistible. From there, the film's latter half is slightly weak, for after all, Ray Charles sitting behind the executive's desk is much less attractive Ray Charles singing in a travelling band.
But all the actors, especially Jamie Foxx and Sharon Warren as Ray's mother are so memorable that you won't just stop watching it. My only complaint is that Taylor Hackford should not have let Foxx take off the glasses at one scene -- you will know where -- in which he looks like not Ray, but Jamie Foxx, for he revels his own eyes. You know, Foxx has eyes that remind us of puppy, and in that scene only he stops being Ray.
But for all its small flaws, 'Ray' will remain in your mind as a great tribute to Ray Charles and his music. Watch and listen to it.
92 Great Acting, Okay Film
"Ray" is a bit tough to review, but only because I absolutely loved Jamie Foxx's performance. Like Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and Marlon Brando as The Godfather, you just can't picture anyone else playing Ray Charles other than Mr. Foxx. His acting was superlative, his knowledge of the material (Ray Charles himself), mind-boggling. It was worth the price of admission just to see how much he "owned" this role.
But one great actor does not a great movie make. I will give credit to the filming, cinematography, and the other minor characters in the film. The problem I had, though, was that I felt the psychological impact of Ray's childhood was forced upon me as the viewer. I felt like the screenwriters were saying, "Okay, here we need to have the audience in tears", and "Here we need them to have empathy with Ray for his horrible childhood". Because of this, the emotional impact on me was negligible.
I will say that I did learn a thing or two about Mr. Charles' life. For instance, I had no idea that he had such a horrible heroin addiction for so long. I remember reading about some of this in the papers years ago but I wasn't aware that it had started so early in his musical career, and how much it affected his life and music much later on.
And here's an interesting thing to me: I actually BOUGHT this film on DVD. Even with the flaws in the script, I just couldn't take my eyes off of Jamie Foxx's portrayal whenever he came on screen. He deserves the Best Actor award at the Oscars, and I'll bet dollars to donuts that he gets it, too.
93 "What a great movie about an even greater man"
One word. WOW! As "Gladiator" is with Russell Crowe, "Top Gun" is with Tom Cruise, and "Star Wars" and "Raiders" is with Harrison Ford, "Ray" will be known as the film where Jamie Foxx made his mark. As good a performance as I have ever seen on a movie screen, bar none. Taylor Hackford's straightforward and purposeful direction is right on target. The pacing of the film couldn't be any better. Simply put, this is a masterpiece of a film, in an age where film excellence in very much on the wane.
94 Great Movie, Mediocre Extras
Incidentals: The packaging is classic, just black and white. Get used to hearing "Georgia On My Mind" for all of the background music for the menus on both DVDs. Now it's stuck in my head and I don't even like the song that much.
Extended edition: The cover advertised an additional 40 minutes of footage that wasn't in the theatrical release (which I saw a couple months ago).
IMO, they did a very poor job adding it in; it was the exact opposite of Lord of the Rings, where the additional footage was seamlessly added. Here, a little three-note logo would pop up, the movie would freeze for a second or two, then the extended scene would play, then another freeze and cut back to the original. After about three of these, my husband and I said "Screw it, this is really annoying" and went back and just watched the theatrical version.
The Movie: The movie itself is fantastic. I loved the early scenes of the rural South -- for me, personally, it was a treat to actually see a bottle tree. It doesn't flinch from showing the truth of those times: Jim Crow, the colored section of the Greyhound bus, segregated concerts, an illiterate woman trying to raise two boys by herself.
It doesn't flinch from showing the truth about the negative side of Ray Charles, either: the womanizing, the heroin, the paranoia (sometimes justified) that people were trying to scam him.
You also see his musical courage and genius, and his hard-earned business savvy. Some of his best-known songs are woven throughout the narrative, along with occasional flashbacks to Charles's traumatic childhood.
The Acting: What can I say about Jamie Foxx that hasn't already been said? You will believe he's Ray Charles. Yes, he's that good. There's an interview with Charles's son Ray Junior who said it was downright spooky; if he caught the light the right way, he thought he was looking at his father instead of Foxx.
Curtis Armstrong, who my generation knows as the sidekick from "Risky Business" and "Better Off Dead" and as Booger from "Revenge of the Nerds," does an outstanding job of Atlantic Records exec Ahmet Ertegun.
I didn't know any of the other actors by name, but they all gave very convincing performances, especially the unknown who walked in off the street to portray Charles's mother, Aretha.
In fact, it seems to me that this is one of those perfect casts that happen when the stars align just so, and you get a "Gone With the Wind" or a "Casablanca."
The Extras: Here's where the special edition disappoints, surprisingly. There are five or six featurettes -- yes, they run together so I don't recall the exact number -- and they almost all use some of the same quotes over and over.
Each one has Taylor Hackford talking about it taking 15 years to make the film and how astounded he was to find out that Jamie Foxx could play piano.
Each one talks about the women in Ray Charles's life and how they were muses for him and what a strong influence his mother was on him -- how she taught him to be self-reliant and until the day he died he never used a cane or a seeing-eye dog.
Each one talks about how Hackford and Co. were really nervous the first time they sat down with Charles to show him the film in the making, until he said "You got it, that's right."
I would have much preferred they make two longish "making of" features instead of all these little ones that repeat themselves endlessly.
That said, there are some real gems in the extras, including footage of Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles meeting for the first time, and sitting down at keyboards beside each other so Charles could hear for himself what Foxx could do. They trade blues licks for awhile, and Foxx talks about how nervous he was, until Charles got up, threw an arm over his shoulder, and said, "The boy's got it!"
There are interviews with Quincy Jones, Della Bea Robinson (former wife), and Ray Junior. You see how this was obviously a labor of love for many people involved in the project. It's a good behind-the-scenes look, even if it does repeat itself too much.
Overall Grade: B+. Loses points for the ham-handed way the additional footage is added, and for the repetitive extras. Pluses for honesty and kick-butt music.
95 Beautiful music, beautiful movie
Ray is a beautifully made movie that flows from beginning to end, tying in his past to his life as he lived it. What I found particularly telling was the director's ability to not gloss over the more unsavory aspects of his life. His drug use was there and played a huge role in how he grew and to the man that he became. His affairs and wommanizing, despite being married and having children, is right in front of the viewer. The ability to show the beauty of Ray's music alongside his life, both good and bad, is why this movie is so good.
I must say as well that the music is key to making this movie so great, which isn't a surprise considering who Ray was. Most telling of all, though, was when the songs were played and how they were incorporated into the movie. The lyrics match perfectly with the scene and adds character and humor to a story that is already moving.
96 I see Foxx winning Oscar, but not the film.
It feels like I've seen this movie once before (but with hollywood aging inevitably, what movie is very original?) but I sure haven't seen the preformance. Jamie Foxx is outstanding. I think that's the main attraction of this -film.-
One of the few thing that really did bother me was the "brother" scenes. The suitcase and the bathtub. They just weren't as subtle as I would have liked them. I could see them almost a mile away. Don't get me wrong...it's a brilliant idea. A blind mans version of seeing shadows. I get it. I just didn't like the way it was interpreted onto film. I would have also liked to see a lot more on the subject of how he learned to play the piano when he was a child, and more story on how he dealt with being blind, rather than his drug usage and extensive love triangles.
All and all...It's an alright movie, has amazing preformances, and is a good remembrance piece.
97 Over Rayted
Yes Jamie Foxx does a good job, yes Ray Charles was one of the giants of the second half of the twentieth century, and yes "Ray" is one of the better movies of 2004, but it does not live up to the hype.
Foxx's impersonation is a good one, but I've seen comics doing that blind musician head rolling thing forever.
While Charles' genius is emphasized and his boorishness to his wife, his mistresses and his managers is glossed over.
For too long the film dwells on the obvious, and in a didactic way it goes on and on about the evils of the segregated south and heroin addiction, and the decency of a loving mama and a long suffering wife.
Once youve sat through it once, you will see it, as The Man said, "no more, no more, no more, no more.
98 Fox's performance is spooky if not lively...
It would be very difficult to fault Jamie Fox's performance as her portrays Ray Charles. His portrait of Charles is SO real that you tend to forget that this is an actor and not the man himself...I don't think that anyone could deny that THAT is acting. Like a lot of performances detailing the character of real people, the actor puts a lot of time into the physical details and the "character" begins to look a little one dimensional--like most portraits (on canvas or film) tend to.
If you know nothing about Ray Charles, this film is really informative and quite touching. It's touching given the fact that Ray Charles himself was closely involved in making sure that even the ugly truth was told. It takes a certain courage to lay all that out in the cold light of public judgement...I had to admire that.
Unf
