Ray

2004  PG-13  DRAMA  2h 32min

CAST— Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Terrence Dashon Howard, Larenz Tate, Richard Schiff, Regina King

MUSIC— Craig Armstrong  DIRECTOR— Taylor Hackford  BASED ON— True events

     Here we have the incredible true story of a man who changed the face of music and pop culture, smashing through the color barrier of the 1950s and 1960s, touching people with his talent, heart and emotion. The name of this man is Ray Charles Robinson (better known minus Robinson, of course), and his life story unfolds in this gripping drama with great direction, excellent performances, and set to great songs by Ray Charles himself. After losing his sight at a tender age, young Ray’s mother, a poor southern sharecropper, taught him never to let anyone treat him as someone with a disability, but instead, to live life with pride and dignity. Sadly, that’s easier said than done, and Ray finds that out as a blind man trying to make his way in a seeing-man’s world. Ray is an amazing pianist, playing with any group he can, from jazz to country, but when he finally gets a job in Seattle that has a future, the story of Ray Charles really begins. His talent moves him through life, though it’s barely enough to keep him alive. He falls into the trap of drugs (among other things), which hampers him from fully enjoying life, even though he has a loving, long-suffering wife and children waiting back home. As Ray takes everything that life has to throw at him, he walks through it all with a song or two and a sharp wit. He has a record contract and everything that comes along with it, but he finally comes to the point, many years later, that he realizes that life shouldn’t be complicated with avoidable troubles. This area is where the heart of the film truly lies. Ray is forced to confront his demons head-on, and we’re along every painful step of the way. After all is said and done, the true highlight is the Oscar-winning performance of Jamie Foxx, one of the best in years. His performance is so good, in fact, that for the two and a half hours of the film’s duration, he is Ray Charles, in every way. This film is destined to become a classic. Oscar-winner for Best Sound. DVD contains both theatrical and extended versions.

OUR RATING— ****