Brother Ray is done good by Hollywood here.....

Rating: 7/10 (12 February 2005)

It's a very well told if formulaic bio-pic carried along by one great performance and a few good ones in support. You cannot go wrong w/ Jami Foxx here--it's almost as if he is channeling The Genius throughout this. Amazing. You almost believe you are seeing the real thing.
I enjoyed the musical numbers, appreciated the brutal honest blunt depiction of his heroin use, and the fact that Brother Ray certainly Did screw around his fair share. Regina King's character prob. stood in for many more like her I think.
I would have liked more of his post-mid 60's career shown, at least hinted at some; and it's true that this is a pretty routine biopic plot. As in all movies, it's not the formula its what you do w/ it--and I think they did very well here.
Here is hoping Foxx gets his Oscar(TM) and they keep on playing Ray's music.
*** outta ****