Though clichéd, the music and the performances make it an interesting biopic.

Rating: 8/10 (7 September 2014)

Though clichéd, the music and the performances make it an interesting biopic.
Jamie Foxx surely gave a performance that deserved all the adulation it got. The Academy Award seems to be the tip of iceberg for this film. Thanks to Jamie for surrendering himself to the role and giving us one heck of a show.
Charles Ray, on whom this biopic is based on was an exemplary music talent. He generated sublime music and got rewards equally. He was for most of the good time, rage of the nation of USA. He had the knack of breaking records, creating chart busters and being on top through 1950's and 1960's. But he had one challenge that was gifted to him, he was blind. Now despite that, he became something of a magician with the piano, with music, in arranging the choir and managing his own band. Wow, these are great feats that very few people have done and he was the one who seems to have started it all.
Now, this film just does not show the white picture of Ray, he has some Grey shades like getting into narcotics, using heroin and had some infidelity too. Now, this makes the character of Ray colorful, The colors are well brought by Jamie Foxx in the role and he made it effortless. Under those dark glasses are eyes that had seen a great part of life and world, that rarely few get an opportunity to witness. And through this film, the director Taylor Hackford tried to show us a good glimpse of what Ray had been through in his times.
It can be commended for the setup, the periodical art direction, the cinematography, the editing, the writing. But if there is an aspect that stands above all is the music. The very important usage of music makes this film completely interesting and fun to which. The selection, assembling of music well and making Jamie perform to the music I believe was the masterstroke of the director and this paid of well.
The screenplay is laced well with the past coming back infrequently and helping us understand the reactions of Ray. Yet, I believe it was kind of preachy and would have liked it more active than the passive character of his mother. I give the flaw away, because even the junior Ray performed his tiny role competently well and took this away from me.
It's an effortless watch and a wonderful Biopic. Above all else, watch this for an encompassing and endearing performance by Jamie Foxx. A 4/5 for this.