Ray: Your Typical Entertainment

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2004)

Ray, a film chronicling the life and times of Ray Charles, is a thoroughly watchable, enjoyable, and unoriginal movie; it easily slides into the genre of films about pop stars' lives, and is filled with all that one would expect from such films - a rise to stardom, an addiction to drugs, a stage of high fame and isolation, a crisis and breakdown, and finally a reconciliation and feel good ending. Yet despite it being stereotypical, it has nonetheless completely mastered its type; the music is fabulous, the plot is smooth and enjoyable, and the acting is superb. It is the latter quality that really gives this movie its edge - Jamie Foxx seems to capture every nuance, tick, and motion of the real Ray Charles. While his performance may be critiqued as merely an 'imitation' of the real thing, it is nevertheless incredibly gripping. Thus, with all these things in mind, I give Ray a 7.5/10. For an enjoyable evening, Ray is recommended, for a surprising and unique experience, perhaps it is best left behind.