A Nutshell Review: Ray

Rating: 10/10 (18 February 2005)

Somehow I was drawing narrative parallels between Ray and The Aviator. Both tell the story of an enigmatic genius, their prime 20 years, their love and relationships, their acute business sense, and their struggles with inner demons.
Ray Charles Robinson is an icon, though I've never really paid attention to his gospel/r&b/country music, I've found myself tapping my feet and grooving in my seat, thoroughly enjoying the hits that the film showcased. Brought up by a single mum, he witnessed the death of his brother, before glaucoma claimed his sight. His initial road to stardom was hampered by difficulties, always being on the road, travelling with a band.
Whilst he never allowed his blindness to be his handicap, he allowed himself to be handicapped instead by his addiction to heroin. As all addicts would say, they know when to stop, so long as it's not hurting life or music, it's OK. But he was wrong, as we see him using his addiction as a crutch to cope with his infidelity when on the road. While his fortunes get bigger, so does his addiction problem, until he decides to kick the habit the cold turkey way.
I'm a Jamie Foxx fan, ever since his early days when I watched re-runs of "In Living Color" and his sitcom "The Jamie Foxx Show" on TV. After his acclaimed performance in Collateral, he has proved himself once again in Ray by mimicking the real mccoy so well, you'd think that it was Ray Charles on screen all the time. I salute character actors, and I salute Jamie Foxx.
The music brings this show to life too. My bet is even if you're not a Gospel/R&B fan, after watching this show, you'd want to give this genre a listen, starting with Ray Charles' hits.