Astounding piece

Rating: 8/10 (26 December 2008)

I did not know much about Charles' life before watching this, so I can't tell you how accurate it is(though I am aware that a certain thing or two were fabricated, meanwhile, it ain't a documentary, so a degree of freedom in that area is acceptable). I can tell you what I'm sure you've already heard about this: Jamie hands in an amazing performance. If you look at Foxx at any point in this and see anything but the real Ray, I will be immensely impressed. The acting all the way is fantastic, everyone does well. Regina King actually manages to not spend nearly every frame of the film she's in being utterly intolerable, that alone is a feat worthy of awe. The editing is impeccable and spot-on, start to finish. Whilst using techniques that could become flashy or annoying through overuse, it never slips into either unwanted state. The music... is it possible to not love it? If so, you probably should consider skipping this, because there's plenty of it. The story is well-written and told well. Dialog and delivery are marvelous. The pacing is good. This evokes genuine emotion and contains characters to care about. I did feel that a sub-plot or two seemed somewhat unresolved by the end. This has thematic material, including relatively(with one obvious exception) vague sexuality and drug abuse. I recommend this to any fan of Ray Charles and/or quality drama. 8/10