Jamie Foxx really does knock it out of the park.

Rating: 9/10 (23 June 2013)

I have never really been a fan of Jamie Foxx. I think it's probably for two reasons: One, I hated his character in Law Abiding Citizen. And two, I just couldn't accept that fact that he beat Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, and whoever else was nominated for that best actor Oscar back in 2004. I love all three (and probably the other guy too) much more than Jamie Foxx. But, that said, I was judging a book by its cover. I had never actually seen Ray. Until last night.
Jamie Foxx is actually extraordinary as music legend Ray Charles, and I now understand why he won the Oscar. Apparently, now this may just be a myth, but apparently he made the whole movie with his eyes closed. That's talent. Even though Daniel Day Lewis could do that without trouble. Not to bring his performance down in any way, because I know that I couldn't do that.
The movie chronicles the good times and the bad times of Charles, who is actually named Ray Robinson. Robinson lost his eye sight at age seven, and yet never needed a dog or a cane to walk. Kerry Washington stars as his wife, and Regina King stars as Marcie, one of the "Raelettes" (they sang "Hit the Road Jack" with him). As the film gets deeper, we see Charles struggle with addiction and he cheats on his wife.
I liked the movie a lot, and the acting is very impressive. But I just wish that we could find a movie about a musician that didn't cheat on his wife or become a drug addict. I hated 2009's Notorious, mainly because Notorious B.I.G. is just somebody I couldn't sympathize with. I'm not saying that I sympathize with Ray, but it is a very well crafted and directed film from director Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman, Blood in and Blood Out).
I really liked this movie. It's a thoroughly entertaining and fascinating biopic which is one of the best of its kind. I just wish it didn't suffer from the "Musician Biopic Syndrome". I'm glad that it didn't deal with racism very much either (I really didn't need to see another one of those). Ray is long, but in the end, it sure is worth it. Did Fox quite deserve it? I'm not sure. But he did a better job than anyone imaginable, so he has that going for him.
A-