Advantages: Great biopic of the great man Ray Charles
Disadvantages: a litlle long, could have been trimmed down a little

...This film is a biography about the life and times of Ray Charles. The film holds nothing back and I believe it to be a very accurate portrayal of the man himself, Ray Charles. The film begins with Ray waiting at a bus stop in the middle of nowhere, it is right here that you start to feel the overtones of the film, Ray was a blind man and he was black. Jamie Foxx is an absolute genius never once in the film did I think that "oh that is Jamie Foxx look at the way he does that...etc". It was as if I was watching Ray Charles himself in person. I was riveted to my seat for the entire length of the film. The film holds nothing back telling the real truths about Ray Charles. His struggle with heroin addiction. The film portrays, in the form of flashbacks, his early childhood and the death of his brother from which he feels a profound sense... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Stunning music score and an unmatchable performance from Jamie Foxx
Disadvantages: Lacks substance, heart and brevity.

...There are very few great bio-pic’s of our late great iconic musical genius’s. Oliver Stone’s ‘The Doors’ being the only one I can say allows repeated watching, was directors Taylor Hackford’s "Ray" to be another? Sadly not. Set for the most part during Charles' formative years between 1948 and 1965, Hackford (previous work includes the appalling ‘Proof of Life’) and screenwriter James L. White, working on his first project, display the ‘highlights’ of Charles’ rise to stardom. The film avoids at almost every turn to make it any event seem personal or even genuine, this is not to say, "Ray" avoids the unpleasant aspects of this mans life, there is the death of a sibling, drug abuse, the many affairs and the build up to Charles’ blindness. Even with all these fundamentals, which, are aspects of Charles' life, they are played out like... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Brilliant music
Disadvantages: None

...The Storyline ----------------- This is the story of legendary soul singer Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx), famed for songs such as "Georgia". Born into poor circumstances, Ray lost his sight at the age of 7 after the death of his brother. With the help of his mother, Ray learnt how to survive in the world, and instilled into him the determination that would guide him through his life. As time moves on, Ray uses all his skills and determination to over come both racism and prejudices against the blind. He finally achieves all of this by becoming a famous musician and singer. But as he grew more and more famous, so did his vices, which nearly stripped him of everything he worked to achieve. I'm not going to go into anymore detail than this, as if like me you didn't know the details of Rays life, you will be in for a few surprises and I don... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A little knowledge about musical history.
Disadvantages: Overacted to some extent.

...I have mixed feelings about this film, because although I have known and loved the music of Ray Charles for most of my life, I was unsure as to how he could accurately be portrayed by an actor. This film is about the story of a man who has left a mark in the music industry that is hard to follow, with his wonderfully original voice and style, though until watching the movie, I had no idea about the sadness that haunted Ray for most of his life. It is strange how childhood events can shape a human being's future, and the events that shaped the life of Ray Charles are sad ones, though from the film, it seemed that many were exaggerated by the mis-use of drugs. This strange character made his way into a feirce career competing against sighted people, whilst having become blind in his youth. In an effort to make her son independent and able... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Really innovative. One o