Classic Ray - Ray Charles

Ray Charles on my mind

Advantages: Superb performance by Jamie Foxx
Disadvantages: Long and dull at times

Born Ray Charles Robinson in 1930 in a poor part of Georgia, the singer and pianist we know simply as Ray Charles did not have the easiest of starts in life. Cared for by his single mother, he witnessed the drowning of his brother at a young age, and by seven, was blind in both eyes. Despite this, his mother entreated him to keep working and to never let his disability get the better of him. His drive and enthusiasm for life was soon to pay dividends in the form of a successful music career, with hits in the charts and a lucrative record contract. Yet his life was not all roses - addicted to heroin, Ray was nearly imprisoned more than once and had extra-marital affairs. Would heroin be the end of his family life? And how would it affect his musical career? I am not a big fan of biopics; the problem with the story of someone's life ...

sunmeilan 21.05.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ray (DVD)

Ray DVD - It's a shame about Ray

Advantages: Well acted, great music
Disadvantages: Too long

"If you want to do something to make your mama proud, promise me. Promise me you won't let nobody turn you into no cripple, you won't become no charity case, and you'll stand on your own two feet." Confession: Before watching "Ray", my total knowledge of the life of Ray Charles amounted to sub-"back off a fag packet" levels. He was a blind, American performer who apparently had Georgia on his mind. As a lover of a wide variety of music, this was a situation I set about resolving by renting "Ray", a biopic directed by Taylor Hackford and released in 2005. And do I know much about him after the movie? Well, to be honest, given the length of the film, I feel like I've lived my life with him. It is, it must be said, a painfully long film. That said, it does give you a real insight into his life, his career, his pain and suffering ...

stevek181 24.11.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ray (DVD)

RAY OF LIGHT--- RAY CHARLES, The movie.

Advantages: Really innovative. One of the best reenactment of a legend
Disadvantages: Some unneccesary Inclusion.

Ray Charles.... The act...... One of the best reenactment of a legend I have ever watched. It's really touching. When I was watching the advert alone, I was moved. :" The story of a man who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought possible". That's really true. And the man who reenacted this legend? Oh! Jammie Foxx did a really great job, he really transformed himself into Ray Charles. He brought out perfectly the life and career of him,made an incredible performance,and made the movie generally a worthwhile one. Jammie himself went far than anyone thought possible in this partiular movie, having to really go blind by wearing prosthetics for many hours, just to make himself be like the real Ray, he attended classes at the Braille institute to play the role better. Why, he even played the piano in all scenes HIMSELF ...

tomi111 10.05.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ray DVD