Where the Music Flows

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2005)

This film compassionately highlights the career and personal life of the legendary Ray Charles (played to uncanny perfection by Jamie Foxx), in depicting the torments, troubles, and huge talents of the man behind such unforgettable melodies as "Hit the Road Jack", "Unchain my Heart", and "Georgia On My Mind". "Ray" hardly sugarcoats any detail of Ray Charles Robinson, as it searingly explores such tragic experiences as his little brother's shocking, untimely death, his gradual deprivation of sight, his getting financially deceived in due of his blindness, and the degradation of his lifelong heroin addiction, which eventually tainted his music career and his family. We also learn that Ray Charles, aside from these disfiguring tragedies, also encountered many troubles when he reverted to adultery with one of his singers, Margie Hendricks (Regina King) while on tour and away from his wife and son. And "Ray" also, of course, chronicles Ray Charles' overcoming extreme adversities and rising to the top as one of the greatest, most beloved musicians the world has ever known, covering: how he got there, his troubles behind-the-curtain, and his dazzling performances on stage. In short, Jamie Foxx virtually steals the show here, perfecting every "twitch", idiosyncrasy, accent, gesture, whim, and emotion of this legendary and very human figure, and he literally disappears into this role, with such conviction and empathy that one can hardly accept that he is acting, but living the role of Ray Charles. The rest of the performances are top-notch, especially Sharon Warren as Ray's mother (deep, true, and heartbreaking) and C.J. Sanders as Young Ray (if this is this boy's debut, then he has a dream career ahead of him), as well as the accompanying roles of Kerry Washington as his wife Della and Regina King as his afflicted mistress Margie; some genuine and terrific talent all around. Loved the art-set direction, from the prominent star-studded studios and clubs to the gentle fields of Ray's childhood farm. The direction of Taylor Hackford is mostly rich and absorbing, especially when depicting Ray Charles' demons, tremors, and flooded memories of his troubled childhood, except when it seems hurried, snapping from one emotionally involving scene to another extraneous story, as if compelled to seem more lively than affecting, which compromises the emotional depth of some otherwise powerful, engaging scenes. "Ray" is mostly a comprehensive, endearing, rewarding, and enormously well-acted study of the challenged life of a marvelous musical genius, who overcame one adversity after another to aspire to becoming more than just another Nat King Cole, yet as the legendary, unforgettably adroit and captivating, Ray Charles. Jamie Foxx will certainly garner a much-deserved Oscar for his vivid and seamless portrayal of this remarkable figure, and for ultimately carrying this decent film, perfecting perhaps one of the most dynamic and imitative performances in cinema. You needn't be a major fan of Ray Charles to get engaged with this fantastic drama and touched by Foxx's charismatic performance. "Unchain your heart" and experience the rave of "Ray", at the very least for Jamie Foxx's impeccable performance... ***1/2 out of ****