This is How Movies Should Be Made

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Ray is a biographical movie and focusing parts of Ray Charles' private life and music career. Ray Charles is a legendary musician, as many people know. He tried to integrate different kinds of music and helped to social change in American culture. He was lost his sight when he was a kid because of a disease, and he had to learn to live without seeing when his childhood. The movie built two main images. One of them is his little brother and other is his mother. His brother symbolized his fears because he died when he was a child and Ray couldn't save him and blame himself because of his death. And the mother image is symbolized his strong parts, cause his mother was the one of the supporter and teacher about the new life without seeing. Actually, I don't want to give too much specific information about the movie, I want to talk about being a black blind person in 1950's USA. It is important because racism had strong effects on all over the country those years. People were not equal and the black people were discriminated because of their skin colors. So, Ray Charles was the black and blind people in such an environment. Also, the regulations for disabled people were not developed properly, and there was not enough consciousness about being disabled. Therefore, he had to rely on only his remained senses to continue his life. It should be really hard to get used a life without seeing, especially if you know the better option.

The story of Ray Charles, music legend. Told in his adult live with flashbacks to his youth we see his humble origins in Florida, his turbulent childhood which included losing his brother and then his sight, his rise as pianist in a touring band, his writing his own songs and running his own band and then stardom. We also see his addiction to drugs and its affect on his working life and family life.Great biopic. Tells the Ray Charles story well and demonstrates his influence on musical history. Also shows his demons and how he overcame them.Quite emotional too: we see how, once he had lost his sight, his mother forced him to be self-reliant and how this paid off for him in later life.Superb performance by Jamie Foxx in the lead role. The movie could easily have been a standard blow-by-blow account of the Ray Charles story but Foxx inhabits his character and captures his mannerisms and personality very well. Even more impressive in that he is a sighted man, playing a blind man. Foxx deserved his Best Actor Oscar.

Ray (2004): Dir: Taylor Hackford / Cast: Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington, Sharon Warren, Larenz Tate: Fascinating account of the life of R & B musician Ray Charles who became blind at the age of seven and orphaned at fifteen. He developed a fear of water as a traumatic result of witnessing his brother drown. He becomes tremendously successful by blending gospel music and soul but he also struggles with a heroin addiction. There is a lot here and the detail that director Taylor Hackford puts forth is convicting. Jamie Foxx is absolutely brilliant in speech and posture. As Charles we witness his upbringing, relationships and the switching of record labels, which is played out almost like a breach of trust since one company has remained loyal while the other has a bigger offer. Strong supporting work by Kerry Washington as his wife who puts up with his shortcomings and aids when addiction surfaces. Regina King plays a singer whom he has an affair with. The difference between the two women is where he remains. Sharon Warren plays his mother with authority who commanded that he not become a cripple and to face life's challenges. Larenz Tate appears as the legendary Quincy Jones among other musicians gracing this project. Film demonstrates the physical and emotional defects of one great American icon who overcame it all. Score: 10 / 10

It's 1948. Ray Charles Robinson (Jamie Foxx) leaves his home in northern Florida to go to Seattle. He meets Quincy Jones (Larenz Tate) playing the trumpet on the street. He's taken advantage of by Marlene Andres and Gossie McKee (Terrence Howard). There are flashbacks of Ray Charles as a boy who went blind at the age of seven and witnessing his younger brother George drown. His willful mother insisted that he be independent. He would rise in fame and success but is always haunted by the water and his guilt.This is fairly standard biopic fare. Ray Charles is a great subject and this is a well made movie. Jamie Foxx does a great job but one gets the sense that the movie pulls its punch a little. It's also a bit simplistic by laying so much with the death of George. However the mother character is terrific. Sometimes simplicity is a good thing. When you add the great music, this is a good music biopic.