Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King

Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental death. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he ma...( read more  read more... )ke his own way in the world, Charles found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his inimitable style. As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists' rights within the corporate music business.

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87% liked it

193,978 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

190 critics

PG-13, 2 hrs. 33 min.

Directed by: Taylor Hackford

Release Date: October 29, 2004

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DVD Release Date: February 1, 2005

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Stats: 8,696 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (8,696)


  • February 16, 2009
    As in so many of his movies, Jamie Foxx outshines the film itself - a well-deserved Academy Award. It wasn't the greatest movie in some regards, particularly when trying to speak of Ray Charles's influence: being the first to fuse gospel and R&B, for example, is such a niche genr...( read more)e point that said so much less about the character than did the portrayal itself. The ending as well felt a bit like a "we ran out of flim" sort of moment, when the captioning covered about half his life in a sentence, but at the same time, I can see the staying power of this one: beautiful to look at, with great music and good acting, I wouldn't complain too loudly if I found myself watching it again.
  • February 8, 2009
    Slightly dissapointed in this, heard good things but found parts boring. Jamie Fox, however took a great part as Ray
  • August 31, 2008
    A little too long, but Jamie Foxx was amazing as Ray Charles. It was a really touching film.
  • June 2, 2008
    Jamie Foxx is stunning in his role
  • April 27, 2008
    "I hear like you see. Like that hummingbird outside the window, for instance."


    Ray is a film that instigated a craze of music-orientated biopics in Hollywood, and there's little wonder considering the quality we're presented with here.

    Before this film, Ja

    ...( read more)mie Foxx had a limited number of memorable performances on his résumé. Suffice to say, Foxx proved an able actor and delivers a truly outstanding performance. Throughout the whole movie he seems like Ray Charles. He physically looks like him and talks like him. The resemblance is uncanny. The man we see on screen does not appear to be Jamie Foxx; it feels like it's actually Ray Charles. It's no wonder that Foxx got an Oscar for his remarkable portrayal.

    Ray is the story of the life and career of singer Ray Charles - a man who lived an extraordinary life. The film traces his humble beginnings when he sang in night clubs right up to his clash with fame and creating a title for himself as one of the most legendary soul performers in music history.

    One of the more interesting aspects of his life that the film examines is the man's drug addiction and the problems it posed towards his career. The sound editing also won an Oscar, and there's little wonder why it did. Whenever we see the character of Ray singing, the words appear to be in perfect sync with his mouth. Although Foxx never actually sang the songs himself, but rather used recordings of the real Ray Charles singing, you would never notice.

    The whole film is made even more heart-wrenching during the tragic scenes, especially with the thought in mind that it actually happened. The whole film is made in an engaging style, and it's filmmaking at its finest.

    Truthfully, I was never really a Ray Charles fan before watching this movie. But after this experience I felt compelled to begin listening to some of his songs, and now it's impossible not to enjoy the man's music. Kerry Washington and Regina King both are stunning here as the leading ladies in Ray's life. And with each new character added to the story, the performance from the respective actors is tremendous.

    Ray is a cinematic masterpiece. The whole film is brilliant, heart-wrenching and powerful. Quite simply, this film cannot be missed. The real Ray Charles died during production.
  • November 16, 2009
    Ray is an"Amazing,Rising Spectacle" filled with "Passion,Heart and Soul."

    Ray is simply put: "Endearing and Entertaining"
  • November 7, 2009
    une belle biographie véridique d'un très grand chanteur avec une super bande son
  • November 5, 2009
    Jamie Fox was born to play this role.
  • November 2, 2009
    I thought Jaime got waaaaay too much credit here, but it was a good movie
  • October 16, 2009
    very interesting. Jamie did an awesome job portraying Ray

Critic Reviews


October 29, 2004
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It takes all of five seconds, tops, to believe that Jamie Foxx is the young Ray Charles. full review

October 29, 2004
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

The music is inspired and the cast terrifically committed, but Ray is still a long way from being a good movie. full review

October 29, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie would be worth seeing simply for the sound of the music and the sight of Jamie Foxx performing it. That it looks deeper and gives us a sense of the man himself is what makes it special. full review

October 28, 2004
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

It's a shame about Ray, because Foxx is trapped in a movie that takes the music icon's unique story and turns it into cheesy, sentimental American Dream cliches. full review

October 28, 2004
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Despite a plodding, mechanical approach to dramatizing his life, Ray occasionally hits peaks of energy and delight worthy of his finest songs. full review

October 28, 2004
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Taylor Hackford's biography of Ray Charles is a potent and invigorating portrait of genius, thanks to Jamie Foxx's performance and to the music of Ray Charles himself. full review

October 27, 2004
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

Foxx's mannered performance fails to convey the complexities beneath Charles's trademark twitches. full review

October 21, 2004
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Jamie Foxx gets so far inside the man and his music that he and Ray Charles seem to breathe as one. full review

View more Ray reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • nbhatti3000
    September 17, 2007
    Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental death. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he make his own way in the world, Charles found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard.hi acting is great but he love to have sex with different women.
  • MrQtip1
    May 22, 2007
    Asolutely amazing acting by Jamie Foxx. I got to give this five stars.
  • Phiemma
    February 26, 2007
    Jamie Foxx is awesome.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Ray Trivia


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