This Biopic Immortalizes Ray Charles

Rating: 10/10 (30 September 2012)

Ray is a biographical film focusing on life of musician Ray Charles. It starred Jamie Foxx in the title role together with Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell,Harry Lennix,Terrence Howard,Larenz Tate,Richard Schiff and Regina King.It was directed by Taylor Hackford.
Despite humble beginnings and the loss of his eyesight due to glaucoma at the age of six, Ray Charles would nonetheless become an icon in both the music industry and the civil rights era. While this biopic delves into his problems with drugs and women, the bulk of the story details his career. Among the highlights of that career are 12 Grammy awards and 11 R&B chart-toppers, such as "Unchain My Heart","Hit the Road, Jack","Georgia," "Doin' the Mess Around" and "Hallelujah I Just Love Her So".Also,it provides a portrait of him as a musical genius as he overcomes heroin addiction while transforming into one of his country's most beloved performers As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists' rights within the corporate music business.
When watching this film,the viewer can't stop loving Jamie Foxx's performance in Ray.His uncannily accurate performance isn't the only good thing about it. He also proved himself worthy of all the hype by portraying blind R&B legend.Despite a few dramatic embellishments of actual incidents,the biopic does a remarkable job of summarizing Charles's strengths as a musical innovator and his weaknesses as a philandering heroin addict who recorded some of his best songs while flying high as a kite. When watching it,the viewer will notice that it was an engrossing and energetic take on the musical icon's achievements and demons but it nevertheless immortalizes him just like how Ritchie Valens was in La Bamba as director Taylor Hackford gets most of the period details absolutely right as he chronicles Ray's rise from performer in the early '50s to his much-deserved elevation to legendary status as one of the all-time great musicians.