Ray

Pros: Wonderful performances, great soundtrack, great insight into Ray's life
Cons: Some unanswered questions (probably deliberate though)

Ray, a biopic of singer Ray Charles, is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year (or in the case of us Brits, the following year!), and it doesn’t disappoint. What it does do (for people like myself who have basically no knowledge of ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx, Well done biography, provides insight to Ray Charles
Cons: seemed rushed in parts, didn't provoke an emotional response from me

When I first heard that Jamie Foxx was going to be playing the role of Ray Charles, I thought to myself that it would be interesting to see if he could pull it off. As time went by, and I learned how much work he was putting into the film, I began to ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx, supporting cast, the music of Ray Charles
Cons: No cons for me

Ray Charles was a man whose music is among the most unique of the twentieth century. He was not content to find one style and stick with it. He incorporated many styles into his sound during his long career. "Ray," the movie that chronicles the life of ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx is Ray Charles! Good script, able directing from Hackford
Cons: None

I normally avoid watching movie biographies of celebrities and politicians; Hollywood has a tendency to take liberties with "biopics," often whitewashing pasts (The Glenn Miller Story) or exaggerating heroics (PT-109) to make the movie ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx; The storyline; The supporting Cast
Cons: It's a long movie, but worth the extra minutes

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, ...

Pros: Ensemble cast, photography, musical editing, master recordings, Ray Charles' own motivations, Jamie Foxx, Sharon Warren.
Cons: A curious number of jaded critics find the film a mass of cliches. A Pity!

Is genius "its own excuse"? Is being blind "its own excuse"? Certainly, in our politically correct New World Order, being black can't be its own excuse. That a surprising number of reviews give RAY so-so or failing marks (while, to be ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx and the music of Ray Charles
Cons: Badly written and directed and horribly edited

This may not be a long review [Author's Note: It turned out plenty long], which pains me to say as a man for whom prolixity is as second nature as breathing. However, even as a semi-retired film critic (and a semi-functional television critic), I look ...

Pros: unusually strong drama for a biopic
Cons: a little long; sometimes predictable

There's a danger in making biopics, especially when the story may be too big to tell, or the subject is someone as beloved as Ray Charles. If you're not careful, you'll wake up and realize you've just shot Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius. It is ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx has just defined his career
Cons: Length, if anything, but I think it's justifiable

Jamie Foxx's career can only go downhill from here. Well, let's back up slightly. I'm not sure about anyone else, but when certain actors make it big that I identified with early on in their careers, (Will Smith, Rock, Martin Lawrence and now Foxx) I ...

Pros: Phenomenal cast, excellent depiction of a musical legend; brings a tear to your eye
Cons: Nothing for me

Wow! I finally made it to 300 reviews. This is quite an amazing feat and it seemed only fitting that my 300th review be on this movie. I hope you enjoy! You know sometimes when a movie or song or anything seems to be getting a lot of hype ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx, music, good direction and story line
Cons: none for me

I can only surmise that it is both frightening and a privilege for an actor to be asked to portray someone so well known that almost everyone in the world is familiar with them. It would also, no doubt, be both a burden and a joy. An actors duty is to ...

Pros: Jamie Foxx literally becomes Ray Charles. Shows both sides of the man.
Cons: Few. Perhaps a tad overlong.

When I first saw the previews for Ray back in August (when I went to see The Manchurian Candidate), my first reaction was "that sure was quick". Ray hadn't been dead for two months yet and a film on his life was already in the can. It wasn't until I ...

Pros: Music, Foxx's performance, some supporting performances
Cons: Heavy handed writing and plot points, too long, bad pacing, excuses drug addiction

When I saw the previews for this film, I looked forward to seeing it. As often occurs with highly anticipated events, the payoff isn't as good as you anticipated. By all accounts of Ray Charles life I have seen, he was not the nicest guy. Ruthless in ...

Pros: The performances by Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, and Regina King are outstanding.
Cons: Over 2 hours long - Could definitely use a bit of a trim.

There is no greater joy than watching an artist in performance of his art, whether he is a painter, a writer, or as in this case an actor. Jamie Foxx's performance of his art in Ray, the screen biopic of one of the most talented ...

Pros: Foxx. The music.
Cons: The finish wasn't quite right; neither was the ratio.

If you're one of those dweeby girls who is going to see this movie just for Jamie Foxx, turn around, and never read one of my reviews again. I condemn you. Anybody who goes to see a film about the great Ray Charles just for Jamie Foxx simply doesn't ...