Most Deserved Oscar Ever

Rating: 10/10 (3 March 2005)

I'm fortunate enough to have witnessed a large part of Ray Charles' career, and very fortunate to have seen him perform live in Las Vegas in 2000. At 70 years old, he was still just as captivating and electrifying as ever. He was a brilliant musician, and a brilliant performer, and contributed more to the field of music than many people realize. Truly a stellar name.
As such, when I heard of a movie about him, I figured they would hopefully do at least a fair job, but didn't think they'd ever truly capture him. I was wrong.
The casting of Jamie Foxx is either the luckiest act in the history of movies, or practically deserves an Oscar of its own. What in Foxx's background could possibly have hinted he could pull off a performance of this magnitude? You've heard people say it -- you forget it isn't Ray up there on the screen. It's true. Frankly it's rather eerie at times. Foxx truly captures Ray -- the look, the mannerisms, everything. If this is truly the level of his ability, I look forward to more.
My hat's off to you, Mr. Foxx. Bravo.