Read User Reviews and Submit your own for Ray

10

JuanoloApr 2, 2012

First off, this would be a 9.5 out of 10. Acting is really. Especially Jamie foxx. He was outstanding. Well deserved for his Oscar. Score is good. Story is really good showing the life of ray charles. Overall, this is a great movie. All ofFirst off, this would be a 9.5 out of 10. Acting is really. Especially Jamie foxx. He was outstanding. Well deserved for his Oscar. Score is good. Story is really good showing the life of ray charles. Overall, this is a great movie. All of the good music, great performances, it just really good. Highly recommended.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

10

Wavy_YeezyMay 5, 2019

I would rate this just a 8, but Jamie Foxx's acting alone bumps it up 2 scores. His acting performance was the best I have ever seen in a movie. Nobody could've done better.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

All this user's reviews

8

YoursTrulyNov 9, 2012

The life story of Ray Charles is a solid one. And here it is portrayed well. But, overall, this travels on the shoulders of Mr. Foxx.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

10

MrPajamasSep 7, 2020

I was just hanging out and watching TV when a film called Ray from 2004 started at that moment. I was fascinated by the film, so I kept watching. He watched and watched until I finally watched the whole movie and I must say that it was anI was just hanging out and watching TV when a film called Ray from 2004 started at that moment. I was fascinated by the film, so I kept watching. He watched and watched until I finally watched the whole movie and I must say that it was an absolute experience. I love dark stories in movies, and this one was perhaps the darkest I've ever seen. Excellent music and especially the excellent acting performance of Jamie Foxx, who played Ray himself here. I don't even think you need to like music for this movie. This film is a masterpiece and I definitely recommend you watch it.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

All this user's reviews

9

OscarOrNotDec 27, 2011

Jamie Foxx's performance in "Ray" is one of the best since Marlon Brando was "The Godfather". Up there with Colin Firth's The King's Speech and Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Capote as the best historical movies. Exploring the life of Ray Charles,Jamie Foxx's performance in "Ray" is one of the best since Marlon Brando was "The Godfather". Up there with Colin Firth's The King's Speech and Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Capote as the best historical movies. Exploring the life of Ray Charles, Ray shows his depressing life, which is hidden behind his great music.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

All this user's reviews

6

NickHNov 20, 2005

Jamie Foxx may give a wonderful performance as Ray, but the movie on a whole isn't all that good. Outside of the character Ray, most of the dialouge is akwardly written. Regina King is the only one in the supporting cast who takes the Jamie Foxx may give a wonderful performance as Ray, but the movie on a whole isn't all that good. Outside of the character Ray, most of the dialouge is akwardly written. Regina King is the only one in the supporting cast who takes the script by the horns and really shines. Hackford, while a decent director, didn't seem ready to go out and make this movie - the whole film has a sort of "made for TV" look about it. Sometimes I wonder that if Ray Charles hadn't died, would this movie have been so "amazing" to so many people? I doubt it, but Foxx and King would have still gotten the credit they deserved.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful

10

caseyk.Dec 10, 2005

It was the best movie ever! i loved it because i cried and smiled! ray charles is a strong man!

0 of 3 users found this helpful

1

egovirusMar 18, 2013

Putting aside Charles' incredible body of music, and his impact on American (if not global) culture, I'm reviewing the movie, which is not a great one. I'm still pretty amazed, nearly a decade after this movie came out, how few people seemPutting aside Charles' incredible body of music, and his impact on American (if not global) culture, I'm reviewing the movie, which is not a great one. I'm still pretty amazed, nearly a decade after this movie came out, how few people seem unperturbed by the degree of bad or over acting in this movie. Literally every single scene in this film has an example of it, and given the talent on call, the blame, as far as I am concerned, falls squarely on the shoulders of writer/director Taylor Hackford. Another issue I have is the editing/pace of dramatic scenes, which I found to be rushed, and therefore ineffectual. Perhaps laughably so. It's just hard to take this movie seriously at all, which is a big problem since it's so long. In it's rush to get to the end, the viewer is hustled along through Mr. Robinson's life like pilgrims through a museum with definite profit targets. Anything worth notice gets rushed, while everything that can be crammed in is. And then, at the end, we get crummy reading scenes that describe the rest of the movie. That's our reward for enduring this mess. More mess. In sum, "Ray" is overwrought, over-acted, corny, and too long.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

All this user's reviews

4

juliankleissJan 7, 2011

The movie claims it is not the blindness that cripples one, but the drug abuse. Explains how to get along without one's eyes. A lot of music, but little insight into his music making. At times boring if you are not a Ray Charles fan.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

9

PaxsterOct 16, 2010

One of the few films that has made me cry (and I have no pain in admitting that). Jamie Foxx is brilliant,the music is still brilliant and the directing is superb.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

5

ryancarroll88Aug 26, 2010

"Ray" is definitely worth the watch for Jamie Foxx's performance alone, but it's a far shot from becoming a classic simply because it doesn't take any unexpected strides to make itself memorable. As far as biopics go, it's miles behind "I'm"Ray" is definitely worth the watch for Jamie Foxx's performance alone, but it's a far shot from becoming a classic simply because it doesn't take any unexpected strides to make itself memorable. As far as biopics go, it's miles behind "I'm Not There" and "American Splendor" (and it might be unfair to bring up "Lawrence of Arabia" or "Raging Bull")… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

6

avatar16Mar 21, 2012

Ray est l'exemple type du biopic classique. A savoir, on choisit une cÃ©lÃ©britÃ© (ici, Ray Charles) et on en fait un film sur sa vie, sans rÃ©aliser la moindre prouesse question mise enRay est l'exemple type du biopic classique. A savoir, on choisit une cÃ©lÃ©britÃ© (ici, Ray Charles) et on en fait un film sur sa vie, sans rÃ©aliser la moindre prouesse question mise en scÃ¨ne, le tout reposant sur les Ã©paules de l'acteur principal (Jamie Foxx) et Ã©galement sur la bo (c'est quand mÃªme Ray Charles!). Sans compter dans le lot un montage rapide et brouillon. Mais fort heureusement, Ray est un film qui se laisse suivre sans dÃ©plaisir, et ce grÃ¢ce Ã une certaine Ã©nergie, dÃ»e justement Ã la rapiditÃ© du montage (en l'occurence avantage et dÃ©faut Ã la fois), la distribution et les chansons de l'artiste. Un biopic animÃ© et qui nous dÃ©voile (tout de mÃªme) quelques vices de ce personnage (drogue, adultÃ¨re...).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

SpangleMar 12, 2016

A fantastically moving biopic of Ray Charles, Ray is a powerhouse of a film. Jamie Foxx is magnetic as the musical legend and turns in a career-defining performance. Sharon Warren, Kerry Washington, Regina King, and CJ Sanders, are allA fantastically moving biopic of Ray Charles, Ray is a powerhouse of a film. Jamie Foxx is magnetic as the musical legend and turns in a career-defining performance. Sharon Warren, Kerry Washington, Regina King, and CJ Sanders, are all fantastic as well here, turning in fantastic and authentic performances. Ray is a film packed to the brim with passion and it truly overflows. The music in the film is infectious and fantastically worked into the film and subtle direction from Taylor Hackford really pays off as he allows the music and the actors to really take center stage in this one. Ray also expertly handles balancing Charles' youth, rise to fame, stardom, and struggles, with each carrying the required weight and none of the scenes coming as being filler. Rather, they all presented their own set of positives and really combine to be an entirely moving film. In particular, scenes involving Charles as a boy interacting with his mother got to me the most and were some of the best emotional scenes I have seen in a film in a bit. Overall, Ray is a fantastic biopic that manages to avoid feeling like a generic music biopic by being completely authentic and unwilling to compromise our inside look at Charles' life. Thanks to good direction, phenomenal acting, and strong writing, Ray is a winner.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

alejandro970Apr 23, 2021

I am not sure how close it is to the original story, what cannot be denied is that Jamie Foxx was the best suited for the role of one of the greatest African-American musicians, who put a before and after in the gospel genres and soul,I am not sure how close it is to the original story, what cannot be denied is that Jamie Foxx was the best suited for the role of one of the greatest African-American musicians, who put a before and after in the gospel genres and soul, without omitting his difficult childhood and his battle against drug addiction. Melomanos should not miss it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

6

amheretojudgeMay 8, 2018

i hear like you see..

Ray The structure of the feature is similar to any other biography, so there is no element of surprise and addition to that, another major conundrum is the overlong runtime, ticking for more than 150 minutes. James L.i hear like you see..

Ray

The structure of the feature is similar to any other biography, so there is no element of surprise and addition to that, another major conundrum is the overlong runtime, ticking for more than 150 minutes. James L. White's screenplay is smart yet somehow fails to keep the audience engaged into it despite of having some high pitched dramatic sequences. Taylor Hackford has done an amazing work on executing the script and the characters onto the screen and create something colossal out of it with the help of amazing cinematography and fine editing. The performance is where the feature steals the show and the heart of it lies with Jamie Foxx who is supported by a great cast like Karee Washington and Regina King. Ray is a character driven feature that shouts out the affection that makers had for Ray which is what helps it work like a charm.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

FilipeNetoJul 24, 2020

I've lived all my life listening to my dad saying that Ray Charles was one of the great musicians of the 20th century, and yet I never had the curiosity to listen to his music. But my father was right: when I decided to see this film, and inI've lived all my life listening to my dad saying that Ray Charles was one of the great musicians of the 20th century, and yet I never had the curiosity to listen to his music. But my father was right: when I decided to see this film, and in order to get to know Ray Charles's better, I try to inform myself about the facts of his life and also listen to some recordings. He's a really great musician.

I think the film does not require any detailed description about the script, which is provided by director Taylor Hackford. Crossing a good part of the singer's life, we followed his meteoric rise and, also, his most troubled moments in life. The film exaggerates a little in its length, but that will not be a major problem. But the fact is that Ray Charles, despite his genius, was an unpleasant, promiscuous drug addicted person. The film shows that, but softens it a lot. I have no doubt that the real Ray, nowadays, would be arrested for possession of drugs or would face several law suits for sexual harassment. This leads us to one of the problems with this film: that we like Ray enough to care about the character. At times, I felt that he deserved the problems he was going through, and that says a lot about how much I cared about him.

Jamie Foxx, however, proved his worth as an actor. Like it or not Ray, he is an excellent actor and was able to perform at the highest level, worthy of the Oscar he came to win. The film also features actresses such as Kerry Washington and Regina King but none of them proved capable of meeting Foxx's overwhelming performance.

The film also has excellent production values: we can particularly mention the elegant and careful cinematography, the post-production and editing work very well done and the enormous quality of the soundtrack, where jazz, gospel and, of course, themes abound. , songs from Ray's repertoire. Being a period film, set in the mid-twentieth century, all the sets and costumes were particularly designed to reflect that time and deserve a positive note for their verisimilitude and historical rigour.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

DawdlingPoetNov 20, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I liked the cinematography used in this movie, it seemed to use some old 1950s footage of New York and LA to give you a good idea of what it was like back then, with the large cars and old buildings, which still has a bit of a modern feel to it and the shots of old, somewhat jazzy bars and clubs that he would perform in. I felt at times as if I wasn't sure what to think of Ray as the character in the movie, I have to say I'm not overly keen on Jamie Foxx as an actor although his portrayal of Ray did seem pretty genuine and well done, portraying a blind person who lives for his music and women and has to deal with regret about something that happened a long time ago but in terms of the character himself, at times you could wonder whether its right to feel sorry for him - sure he doesn't want people to feel sorry for 'the poor old cripple' but seeing his downfall with mistresses and drug use, you could wonder why you should feel much empathy or even interest in what happens to him? surely its obvious that he's going to overdose or disappear into obscurity? (again I'll re-iterate that I wasn't that familiar with his life to really know either way) but there is something about him and especially his poor wife Della that has to deal with his ways and try to confront him about his drug use before the authorities get involved, that keeps you watching to see what if any outcome there is for him. I guess its the usual sort of rock and roll lifestyle story in a sense, of an artist who gets increasingly popular with hit records, earning a good amount of money and getting married, starting a family but as their popularity increases, their personal life gets more complicated and starts going downhill, as is rather the case here.

I liked Kerry Washingtons portrayal of his wife Della, I thought Foxx and Washington interacted quite well and you could tell that Della was really quite concerned for Ray and what was happening and watching her trying to keep an eye on what he got up to on the road was quite sad.

It was interesting to see how some people reacted to Rays music, the combination of gospel and R&B which was clearly, at the time (the 1950s I believe), quite controversial and indeed a priest enters one of the venues he performs in at one point and insists he stop singing sacreligious songs but when Ray asks the general audience whether they want him to stop or play on, there's a resounding call for him to keep playing.

I also liked how Quincy Jones features near the start of the movie, he introduces himself to Ray and this is clearly before he hit the big time, he's in his 20s at this time and it makes you wonder what things must have been like at that time, with what are now such big names in music only just starting out then. It makes you wonder who's not know now that will be huge in the future too, of course!

All in all, I thought that while this was rather a long movie and indeed I think the length of the movie had put me off watching it before (its about two hours and 20 minutes long), I'm glad I finally did see it as its a well made movie that its quite obivous has had alot of thought put into it. I do tend to avoid Jamie Foxx movies, he seems such an arrogant actor and tends to play somewhat arrogant roles from the little I know and I feel like I have no interest in such movies but I was curious enough to want to see this, to hear the music and get an idea of what Ray was presumably like and his life story, though I obviously can't vouch for the accuracy of the story but presumably he had a bit of a say in it before it came out, which was coincidentally the same year he sadly passed away, in 2004 I believe. I liked that there was a fair amount of music and fun scenes of his performances and of the crowds reactions to him but there's also a proper story that highlights his different struggles and his background too. The cinematography did seem particularly good, I do like a movie with good shots and there are some particularly good ones here, there's one shot thats shown a few times of coloured bottles tied to a tree from where he lived a a young boy, which seems to be part of a hallucination flashback I think. Anyway I think this movie would look good on a large screen and the soundtrack is good too.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

DogeGamer2015Sep 5, 2021

Es una película excelente; la trama es muy buena y la actuación de Jamie Foxx es sublime; Ray Charles merece ser recordado.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

ALAMLEDPJan 21, 2023

"Ray" is a powerful and moving biopic that delves into the unexpected achievements and intimate struggles of one of America's most beloved artists, Ray Charles. The film, nominated for Best Picture and earning Jamie Foxx an acting Oscar,"Ray" is a powerful and moving biopic that delves into the unexpected achievements and intimate struggles of one of America's most beloved artists, Ray Charles. The film, nominated for Best Picture and earning Jamie Foxx an acting Oscar, offers more than just a glimpse of Charles' biggest hits set against scenes from his life. The audience is given a deeper understanding of Charles' humble and tragic upbringing, his struggles with addiction and infidelity, and how his past shaped the rest of his life. Foxx's outstanding transformation into Charles is matched by the authentic performances of his co-stars, including Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, and Regina King. The film is expertly crafted, keeping the audience engaged through the use of flashbacks, and offers a tribute to an imperfect but inspiring man who overcame the odds.
___________________
"Ray" es una película biográfica poderosa y conmovedora que profundiza en los logros inesperados y las luchas íntimas de uno de los artistas más queridos de Estados Unidos, Ray Charles. La película, nominada a Mejor Película y que le valió a Jamie Foxx un Oscar a la interpretación, ofrece más que solo un vistazo de los mayores éxitos de Charles frente a escenas de su vida. La audiencia obtiene una comprensión más profunda de la crianza humilde y trágica de Charles, su lucha contra la adicción y la infidelidad, y cómo su pasado moldeó el resto de su vida. La extraordinaria transformación de Foxx en Charles se combina con las actuaciones auténticas de sus compañeros de reparto, incluidos Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell y Regina King. La película está diseñada por expertos, mantiene a la audiencia interesada mediante el uso de flashbacks y ofrece un tributo a un hombre imperfecto pero inspirador que superó las adversidades.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews