An Oscar level performance from Jamie Foxx

Rating: 7/10 (1 January 2005)

I am not personally a fan of Ray Charles. So I went into this film not expecting too much. A pleasant surprise. "Ray" is a fine biography with a captivating and impeccable performance by Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. The successes and turmoil, genius and vices, are all portrayed in believable detail in this Ray Charles story. To its credit, "Ray" manages to begin and end with a sense of completion to the Ray Charles character. We know why he is like he is, why he struggles like he does, and how he comes to deal with his personal demons. In short, "Ray" succeeds in building empathy for its main character. "Ray" is a convincing film with fine acting and solid musical deliveries. If I was a fan of Ray Charles, I would undoubtedly rate it even higher. 7/10