Ray (2004/I)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers (WGA):

Taylor Hackford (story) and
James L. White (story) ...

Release Date:

29 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

The extraordinary life story of Ray Charles. A man who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought possible.

Plot:

The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles.

Plot Keywords:

Blind Boy | Gospel Music | Drug Addict | Racial Discrimination | One Word Title

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 38 wins & 37 nominations

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Ray Charles
Kerry Washington	...	Della Bea Robinson
Regina King	...	Margie Hendricks
Clifton Powell	...	Jeff Brown
Harry Lennix	...	Joe Adams
Bokeem Woodbine	...	Fathead Newman
Aunjanue Ellis	...	Mary Ann Fisher
Sharon Warren	...	Aretha Robinson
C.J. Sanders	...	Young Ray Robinson
Curtis Armstrong	...	Ahmet Ertegun
Richard Schiff	...	Jerry Wexler
Larenz Tate	...	Quincy Jones
Terrence Howard	...	Gossie McGee (as Terrence Dashon Howard)
David Krumholtz	...	Milt Shaw
Wendell Pierce	...	Wilbur Brassfield

Also Known As:

Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements.

Runtime:

152 min | USA:178 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:PG-12 | India:A | Hungary:16 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Malaysia:U (DVD) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Anvil Films

Trivia:

During the scenes where Ray refuses to play in Georgia because of Jim Crow laws, which were actually filmed outside of the Municipal Auditorium in New Orleans, you will notice Mounted Police Officers. The were actual members of the New Orleans Police Department Mounted Unit.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the end of the movie when Ray is being honored by the Georgia legislature in 1979 it shows his wife, Della Bea, standing with him. However, Ray Charles and Della Bea were divorced in 1977.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Aretha Robinson: Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jarhead Diaries (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Route 66

Unexpectedly Brilliant Performance

Given that Jamie Fox's former leading credentials not that long ago were limited to the Fox comedy series In Living Color and the atrocity of film, Booty Call, this is a truly pleasant surprise break-out performance. Jamie Fox is Ray Charles in this movie. You never question it or even think of him as Jamie Fox. It truly is uncanny. He physically looks like him, especially with the glasses, but the true magic of the performance is that he acts just like him. He walks around and performs like him, smiles like him, and just does everything like him. This is the best rendering of a real-life character in film since Jim Carrey's depiction of Andy Kaufman in Man On The Moon. However, I'd venture to say that Fox's rendering of Ray is even better. The film itself is good too, though it fails to make a smooth transition in several parts of it and lulls in some parts, while not lingering long enough in others. Of course all films of this nature that are essentially biographies to some extent tend to suffer somewhat from things of this nature. It's hard to pack 70 years into 2 1/2 hrs. Thus, the script mainly traces his early days starting out in music up into the late 60's, with a few flashbacks into his childhood and a brief jump to a single event in 1979. This is the only film I have ever seen in which the entire audience, myself included, stood up and gave a standing ovation after the last scene. It's a celebration of the life of Ray Charles that must be seen by all of his fans. The film doesn't pull any punches though. Two of the main dramatic focuses of the picture are Ray's infidelity on the road and his heroine addiction. All-in-all, a good movie, a great Oscar-worthy performance, and a good way to spend 2 1/2 hrs. This movie held my attention so well throughout its entirety that I really couldn't believe it was nearly as long as a lengthy epic like Titanic. A few quick notes: Jamie Fox spent a lot of time with Ray Charles in preparing for this role. Jamie wore prosthetics during the entire filming of the movie that made him unable to see, so if you wonder why he acts like he's blind so well, it's because he was for the movie. Also, he did all the piano playing himself, as he is practically a professionally trained pianist himself. However, for the singing, Jamie lip syncs perfectly to Charles' vocals. Overall, 8/10 movie...10/10 Jamie Fox performance.