| "Ray" starring Jaime Foxx A SoulSis Movie Review by Stephanie L. Ogle |
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I’d heard for months the buzz & praise that Jamie Foxx was collecting
for his portrayal in “Ray”, the biographical drama about the late, great
entertainer Ray Charles so I went into seeing this movie with high
expectations. What I got exceeded those expectations in ways that
have left me reflecting, redefining and a want to reinvent myself!
for his portrayal in “Ray”, the biographical drama about the late, great
entertainer Ray Charles so I went into seeing this movie with high
expectations. What I got exceeded those expectations in ways that
have left me reflecting, redefining and a want to reinvent myself!
Ray Charles was one of
those entertainers that all of
us have heard of and/or
when we picture him we
think of him with that bright,
wide smile across a sunglass-
cloaked face. His struggles &
successes in life are sure to
inspire. Jamie Foxx didn’t
“imitate” Ray Charles….in this
move he BECAME Ray
Charles.
those entertainers that all of
us have heard of and/or
when we picture him we
think of him with that bright,
wide smile across a sunglass-
cloaked face. His struggles &
successes in life are sure to
inspire. Jamie Foxx didn’t
“imitate” Ray Charles….in this
move he BECAME Ray
Charles.
This movie was excellent in the way it portrayed Ray Charles as a
REAL person: his highs (musical success & love) and lows (drug
addiction & womanizing) and didn’t sugarcoat anything to make him
seem “saintly”. This element makes this movie more endearing and
an amazing film. Not only did this movie entertain me, it also
educated.
In various interviews I’ve seen before I saw the movie, Jamie Foxx
explained how he wore a prosthetic piece on his eyes that helped
him be a blind man. This man did his homework & came prepared for
this role. Foxx, already an accomplished pianist added his first hand
experience of tickling the ivory keys to the authenticity of this
portrayal.This movie was excellent in the way it portrayed Ray
Charles as a REAL person: his highs (musical success & love) and
lows (drug addiction & womanizing) and didn’t sugarcoat anything to
make him seem “saintly”. This element makes this movie more
endearing and an amazing film. Not only did this movie entertain me,
it also educated.
REAL person: his highs (musical success & love) and lows (drug
addiction & womanizing) and didn’t sugarcoat anything to make him
seem “saintly”. This element makes this movie more endearing and
an amazing film. Not only did this movie entertain me, it also
educated.
In various interviews I’ve seen before I saw the movie, Jamie Foxx
explained how he wore a prosthetic piece on his eyes that helped
him be a blind man. This man did his homework & came prepared for
this role. Foxx, already an accomplished pianist added his first hand
experience of tickling the ivory keys to the authenticity of this
portrayal.This movie was excellent in the way it portrayed Ray
Charles as a REAL person: his highs (musical success & love) and
lows (drug addiction & womanizing) and didn’t sugarcoat anything to
make him seem “saintly”. This element makes this movie more
endearing and an amazing film. Not only did this movie entertain me,
it also educated.
The supporting cast of “Ray” was equally
talented. Kerry Washington (“Save The
Last Dance”, 2001) did a wonderful job as
Della Bea, the understanding & loving wife
of Ray and mother of his children. Kerry’s
portrayal was heart-felt & truly shows the
spirit of “stand by your man”.
Regina King, surprised me by being “the
other woman”. Ms. King has forever always
played the “good” female character but in
“Ray” she portrayed Margie Hendricks, one
of the Raylettes and the voice that belts
out the powerful, pleading verses in Ray’s
song “Nightime Is the Right Time”
talented. Kerry Washington (“Save The
Last Dance”, 2001) did a wonderful job as
Della Bea, the understanding & loving wife
of Ray and mother of his children. Kerry’s
portrayal was heart-felt & truly shows the
spirit of “stand by your man”.
Regina King, surprised me by being “the
other woman”. Ms. King has forever always
played the “good” female character but in
“Ray” she portrayed Margie Hendricks, one
of the Raylettes and the voice that belts
out the powerful, pleading verses in Ray’s
song “Nightime Is the Right Time”
(think back to the COSBY SHOW episode where little Rudy Huxtable
lipsyncs “Baby! Baby! You know I love you…..”. Aunjanue Ellis
(“Undercover Brother”) portrayed another female singer that Ray
hired and romanced, Mary Ann Fisher.
Some other notable performances came from Clifton Powell, as Ray’s
right-hand man (Jeff Brown), Lorenz Tate (a young Quincy Jones),
Bokeem Woodbine (Ray’s bandmate Fathead Newman) and Terrence
Dashon Howard (Gossie McKee). Newcomer Sharon Warren played
Ray’s young, struggling single mother Aretha Robinson in various
flashback/back story scenes that were excellently translated on film.
Rounding out the exceptional cast was C.J Sanders who played a
young Ray Charles. The scenes with Sharon & C.J brought tears to my
eyes EVERY time I saw them.
Jamie Foxx gave us a taste of his dramatic acting abilities in “Ali”. It is
not an easy thing for a comedic actor to be able to pull off a dramatic
role but Jamie Foxx can say he can. This story hopefully can show that
ALL of us have the ability to do what we want, if we want it bad
enough and nothing, not even being blind & poor, should limit what
you want in life. I enjoyed the nostalgia of this movie: the vintage
clothing & styles, the music and the way true talent shined like the
sun.
This was the first movie I had been to in a long time in which the
audience erupted in thunderous applause at the closing end credits.
This opening weekend crowd loved this movie. It took me until the
complete end of the film (even past the closing credits when the
theater crew came through to clean up the spilled popcorn &
discarded pop cups) that I was able to leave my seat. I was that
moved, to the point of steady-flowing tears, by this movie as a whole.
This film is rated PG-13 / 2 hrs. 33 min
All Photos © Copyright Universal Pictures
lipsyncs “Baby! Baby! You know I love you…..”. Aunjanue Ellis
(“Undercover Brother”) portrayed another female singer that Ray
hired and romanced, Mary Ann Fisher.
Some other notable performances came from Clifton Powell, as Ray’s
right-hand man (Jeff Brown), Lorenz Tate (a young Quincy Jones),
Bokeem Woodbine (Ray’s bandmate Fathead Newman) and Terrence
Dashon Howard (Gossie McKee). Newcomer Sharon Warren played
Ray’s young, struggling single mother Aretha Robinson in various
flashback/back story scenes that were excellently translated on film.
Rounding out the exceptional cast was C.J Sanders who played a
young Ray Charles. The scenes with Sharon & C.J brought tears to my
eyes EVERY time I saw them.
Jamie Foxx gave us a taste of his dramatic acting abilities in “Ali”. It is
not an easy thing for a comedic actor to be able to pull off a dramatic
role but Jamie Foxx can say he can. This story hopefully can show that
ALL of us have the ability to do what we want, if we want it bad
enough and nothing, not even being blind & poor, should limit what
you want in life. I enjoyed the nostalgia of this movie: the vintage
clothing & styles, the music and the way true talent shined like the
sun.
This was the first movie I had been to in a long time in which the
audience erupted in thunderous applause at the closing end credits.
This opening weekend crowd loved this movie. It took me until the
complete end of the film (even past the closing credits when the
theater crew came through to clean up the spilled popcorn &
discarded pop cups) that I was able to leave my seat. I was that
moved, to the point of steady-flowing tears, by this movie as a whole.
This film is rated PG-13 / 2 hrs. 33 min
All Photos © Copyright Universal Pictures
Stephanie L. Ogle is BellaOnline's African American Culture Host.
Visit her at: www.bellaonline.com
Visit her at: www.bellaonline.com