Great Movie, Fascinating Life

Rating: 9/10 (4 February 2005)

First, this movie has many positive points. Jamie Foxx does an absolutely stellar job portraying Ray Charles Robinson. As I watched this movie, I found myself wondering if Jamie Foxx really WAS Ray. If Jamie doesn't win the Oscar for his portrayal, then the Oscars are truly fixed and bias. The life of Ray Charles Robinson is a rocky one, full of peaks and valleys. This movie does a lot to capture many different emotions. I like the way the movie presents the story, and doesn't try to make you fall in love with Ray. Ray did some bad things in his life and this movie did not attempt to sugarcoat them. The movie tells the story and allows the viewer to decide whether they will embrace the fledgling musical mastermind, or simply toss him aside. There were only a couple of things that I didn't like about this movie. I did not like how the youth of Ray Charles Robinson was portrayed. Flashback sequences seem to break the rhythm of the movie and seemed over-dramatic and out of place. Other than that, I think this movie could give "The Aviator" a run in the Oscar race. Jamie Foxx gave a performance worthy of an Oscar and the lenghty movie will defiently hold your interest. Check it out!