Director:
Taylor Hackford

Cast:
Jamie Foxx
Kerry Washington
Clifton Powell
Regina King

Official URL:

http://www.raymovie.com

Country: USA
Rating: PG-13
Studio Name: Universal Pictures
Running Time: 2 hr 33 mins
Release Date: October 29, 2004

Critics's Rating:
(4 Reels) 

October 29, 2004

By Veronica Mixon

Watching Jamie Foxx deliver an emotional, finely crafted performance as the extraordinary Ray Charles, it’s evident that Foxx has come a long way since his comic career as Ugly Wanda on TV’s In Living Color. He’s perfectly cast in Taylor Hackford’s dramatic look at the singer’s early life in Ray. The epic film reflects Ray Charles’s ambition, pain and courage.

Hackford, who is best known for An Office and A Gentleman and Against All Odds, reveals Ray Charles’s amazing journey from an impoverish childhood in Florida to his rise as one of the most gifted and influential musicians in America. First, he was traumatized by the accidental drowning of his younger brother at age 5 and then, by the loss of his sight by age 7. Orphaned at 15, Ray Charles remembered the sage advice of his hard-working mother Aretha (powerfully played by Sharon Warren) as he dealt with deceptive friends, managers and musicians while performing on the chitlin circuit. Charles began taking heroin to easy his loneliness and erase the pain of childhood even as he met married sweet Della Bea (Kerry Washington Save the Last Dance) and became a best-selling recording artist on Atlantic Records. Foxx easily captures Ray Charles physical movements and distinctive little laugh which he used to finesse his way through difficult situations and cleverly seduce the ladies. It is amazing to watch because Foxx is totally mesmerizing and believable.

Hackford’s film not only recreates the life of a remarkably talented man who was an accomplished businessman but the flashbacks of Charles’s barefoot youth is a poignant look at black life during Jim Crow South of the last century. Aretha Robinson’s raw anger and intense pride reflects the stubborn will of many African Americans who refused to live without hope. Her insistence that Charles not become a cripple gave him an inner strength to forge ahead. When Della Bea discovers that he’s an unrepentant junky, he screams, “When I got out that door, I’m alone and in the dark!” Charles’ pain always shined through his music and the songs sung by the late singer himself are awesome.

Ray has an incredible supporting cast. Regina King (Jerry Maguire and Enemy of the State) plays Charles’ feisty background singer and lover, Margie Henderson; C.J. Sanders is magnificent as young Ray Charles; Curtis Armstrong (Revenge of the Nerds) is incredible as music mogul, Ahmet Ertegun; Clifton Powell (Never Die Alone) as Charles’ manager Jeff Brown; Annjuanue Ellis as one of Charles’s many lovers on the road; Larenz Tate (Why Do Fools Fall in Love) as Quincy Jones; Richard Schiff (TV’s The West Wing) as music mogul, Jerry Wexler and David Krumholtz as agent Milt Shaw. All of the actors are simply excellent.

Jamie Foxx has emerged as a major talent and fine actor. Frankly, I found his early comic roles in Booty Call and on television unimpressive. But, when he turned up in Oliver Stones’ Any Given Sunday, he was absolutely stunning. Like Ray, Foxx’s character was a talented man dealing with the glamorous trappings of fame while struggling with self-doubt. In Ali opposite Will Smith, Foxx’s quiet portrayal of Muhammad Ali’s corner man, Drew Bundini Brown was inspirational. Then, this past summer, Foxx shared the screen with Tom Cruise and stole the show in Collateral. The buzz surrounding Ray has been intense and he should not be forgotten around Oscar time.

Ray is one of the best films to open this year!

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