Oscar-Worthy Performance, Powerfully Funny and Tragic, Lousy Ending

Rating: Null/10 (1 November 2004)

Most people say you gotta see Ray because of Jamie Foxx. This is certainly true. Foxx delivers a performance that is nothing short of magnificent. He never impersonates Ray Charles, he becomes him. It is truly a sight to see.
But, there's more to enjoy than just superb acting. Ray is filled with sly humor cleverly woven into the story and used as set-ups for new songs and milestones in a career filled with both. Each one of these delivers perfectly, sending folks into the aisles with laughter. Conversely, Ray delivers on the drama of his life as well; there are scenes from his youth that will tear your heart in two.
Certainly in telling a man's life story, details will have to be omitted, but there were some questionable choices made. The most glaring was why Ray went blind. There is no mention in the film of glaucoma, the disease that took his sight. Instead, we're led to believe--perhaps as Ray himself believed--that his blindness was psychosymatic in reaction to witnessing his brother's death. While I appreciate the beauty of showing Ray's logic, it changes the story a bit to assume this remarkably strong, independent character could cause his own blindness. Many people seemed confused when filing out of the theater, asking each other for the medical reason.
The ending likewise fell short. Feeling more like a tacked on Oscar tribute than genuine closure to an otherwise powerful film, we are left with a tacky montage of supers and photos summing up his life.
All in all, however, Ray is a terrific film and is sure to deliver for his fans (like myself) and create a hero for new fans around the world.