It Was Like He Was There

Rating: 10/10 (11 January 2017)

Ray Charles defines soul and country. He was at times a harsh man, a man desiring perfection. His discography is massive and the quality of his performances are stunning. All this after growing up blind. Instrumentally, he drove the train. For Jamie Foxx to take on this man as a dramatic character calls for real courage. Not only does he capture the physical presence of the man, he captures his movements, his idiosyncrasies, his voice. What criticism there is of this performance seems to bank on there being no reason to have a bio-pic because to treat a contemporary subject is always lacking--the person is still too fresh in our minds. This may be true with Oliver Stone because he not only presents a character, but he gets in his own political agenda. Here, the movie is a way of doing honor to a great performer. There are also criticisms of Charles holding back on supporting civil rights. Well, nobody said he didn't have his failings; it's all the more reasons put forth an accurate portrayal of the man. Foxx is superb.