Ray Charles was a man who inspired and delighted fans of all ages. The legendary singer and performer, with his mastery of the piano, played with passion and soul, unobstructed by his loss of vision at a young age.
Charles passed on a short time ago, but now his legend lives on in the form of a brand- new motion picture. Simply titled Ray, this movie follows the singer from his humble beginnings to his reign as one of the premiere personalities and performers in popular music.
Movie Facts:
Rating: PG-13
Format: Color
Director: Taylor Hackford
Screenplay: Taylor Hackford, James White
Theatrical Release Date: October 29, 2004
Movie Length: 152 Minutes
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Regina King, Harry Lennix, Sharon Warren, Bokeem Woodbine, Aunjanue Ellis, C.J. Sanders, Curtis Armstrong, Larenz Tate, Richard Schiff.
Contents of This Movie:
“Ray” begins with Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx) boarding a bus heading for the west coast to begin a new career as a musical performer. Hassled and hustled by many different people along the way, Charles is determined to succeed, following the advice of his mother that he should persevere on his own and not play on other’s sympathy and charity because of his blindness.
Charles falls in love and gets married to Della Bea (played by Kerry Washington) and his career continues to climb. He develops problems with drugs and is prone to fall for the beautiful women he meets at his shows and in his band. He also becomes embroiled in controversy at one point, refusing to perform at a scheduled gig because the audience was forced to segregate. This action got him banned from performing in the state of Georgia, but he stuck to his word and refused to give in to pressure to perform a make- up show, even though he was threatened with a lawsuit.
Ray’s other major problem is his addiction to heroin, and it nearly brings down his life and career. Busted for drugs after getting off an airplane after flying from Canada to the United States, Charles is arrested and threatened with prison time if he doesn’t sober up. The film at this point depicts Ray Charles going through treatment and withdraw at a local hospital, and the results are scary and dramatic.
The movie ends with Ray Charles cleaning up his act and receiving a full apology from the state of Georgia for banning his performances back in the late 1950’s. As an added form of penance, the state names “Georgia on my Mind” the new state song. An elated Charles soaks up the moment with great appreciation, always remembering the support from his mother, his fans, and the great gift of music he was given at a young age that helped lead him to superstar status.
Final Thoughts:
Ray is a film about a musical legend- a man respected and loved by many not just for his musical genius, but also for his hard work and the way he redefined the music business. Ray Charles was not born blind- he was able to see for the first few years of his life, up to the age of seven. But even though his vision failed at a young age, Charles didn’t let this inconvenience get in the way of his determination to entertain and to live life to the fullest. He still worked as hard as ever, and he became one of the music industries most beloved performers.
I first heard about this movie many weeks before its initial release and my first reaction to the film, upon hearing the subject and the names of the actors taking part, was one of skepticism. First, I was concerned that the directing would not be good enough to pay Ray Charles the respect he deserves. Second, I was skeptical that Jamie Foxx could adequately fulfill his role playing the legendary singer. “Jamie Foxx is going to play Ray Charles?”, I grimaced. “What is the director of this film thinking? Jamie Foxx is a comedic actor, he can’t possibly handle a task like this”.
Well, I am now ready to humbly admit that I could not have been more wrong in my judgment of Mr. Jamie Foxx. Jamie is not only adequate in the lead role, he goes over and beyond what I could ever have expected. He has the mannerisms, the physical appearance, the voice, the style, and the persona of Ray Charles down to a science. His portrayal is almost spooky. Watching him on the big screen, you forget that Foxx is the man behind the dark glasses. You feel you are really watching Ray Charles.
Besides being a great, memorable movie, “Ray” also serves as an educational lesson about the legendary singer. His actual name, as you learn in the film, was Ray Charles Robinson. But promoters convinced him to go by just his first and middle names, in order to avoid confusion with Sugar Ray Robinson. The drug usage and womanizing were also part of Ray Charles life, and director Taylor Hackford devotes much time to this troublesome part of Charles’ personality. I knew about the drug usage, but I didn’t know about Ray Charles’ reputation as a ladies’ man. I didn’t know he had a child with another woman, either. These facts are all brought out in the open, for all to see, in this movie. Ray Charles himself consulted with Hackford and the others responsible for bringing this movie to the big screen, and he confirmed the accuracy of the material. I can’t say that everything is completely, 100 percent accurate. But enough is true that moviegoers will be educated as well as entertained.
The plot of the movie doesn’t follow in chronological order. The movie covers Ray Charles’ childhood, but it does so in flashbacks. Charles will say something he learned about from his mother, or hear or feel something that reminds him of his youth, and the movie will then flashback to his younger days growing up poverty- stricken in Florida. The significance of water, and Ray Charles adverse reaction to it, are not known at first. But the viewer understands more fully as the film progresses. Also, you need to keep in mind that this movie is a little longer than most others. But it doesn’t drag and Foxx’s performance is so vibrant and entertaining that you won’t mind the extra minutes spent in your theatre seat.
Overall, “Ray” is an excellent movie that will delight older fans of Ray Charles music and younger people who are interested in this era in American history when racism was still part of American life and non- white individuals had to fight the elements harder than others in their quest for recognition. The supporting cast of this film, the direction and screenplay of Taylor Hackford, and others responsible for its production all deserve congratulations for a job well done. Kerry Washington is great as Charles's frustrated yet loyal wife. I also liked actor Clifton Powell as Ray's friend and business associate, Jeff Brown. But these performances, while all very noteworthy, pale in comparison to Jamie Foxx. The comedic actor steals the show. You cannot take your attention away from him and he definitely deserves Oscar consideration for his outstanding portrayal of Ray Charles. His performance is so good, it will likely open up more acting doors for the young comedic actor- doors that were once kept tightly closed due to Foxx’s typecasting as a comedian and his penchant for not being taken very seriously.
Ray Charles died on June 10, 2004, just a short time before this movie debuted on the big screen. He is now departed from the earth, but his legend lives on in the world of music. And “Ray” is a testament to his often difficult but ultimately triumphant life. It’s a movie to look for when movie award nominees are announced early next year.
The true story of American musical legend Ray Charles. Ray is born into poverty in rural Georgia and loses his sight at the age of seven, but his adve...More at HotMovieSale.com
Jamie Foxx (Collateral) stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. Ray is the triumphant and ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.