“Ray” chronicles the life and times of blues singer Ray Charles, exposing the man behind the music in an honest, driven way. Actor Jamie Fox doesn’t just “play” Ray Charles, he becomes him. Although some elements contribute to a pace that’s frequently plodding, Fox’s portrayal seems inspired.
It’s a daunting task to reduce a complicated man like Ray Charles to a celluloid version of himself. The bare facts of his life offer plenty of emotion and pathos. Blind by age seven, one of the last images Ray remembers is watching his little brother drown. His failure to make a move to save him haunts Ray with pain and guilt all the rest of his life. One can only speculate how much of his heartfelt sound comes from that deep pain so rooted in his past and in his visual memory.
Having grown up in abject poverty, Ray beat the odds. Thanks to the determination of his mother Aretha (Sharon Warren), he left his rural roots to be educated at a school for the blind. It was the edge he needed to make his way through the tangle of musical promotion to find a solid production team and ultimately his own sound.
The film looks openly at Ray’s shortcomings – his addictions to drugs and wild women – without any sugarcoating. It’s Ray’s own strong sense of himself, in spite of these faults, that makes us continue to sympathize with him. Ultimately, the explosive situations of his life culminate in 1966 when he goes into rehab for heroin addiction.
Jamie Fox will surely be recognized come award time for this portrayal. He has Ray’s physical attributes and movements perfected. For Fox, this means a new round of accolades and a secure future as a major movie force. Move over Denzel.
Ray Charles worked on this project until his death last June, so it comes as no surprise that the sound track is authentic. Fox played the piano himself, but the original sound tracks were dubbed. I don’t know whether or not Jamie Fox can sing, but I’m glad it’s Ray were hearing.
Although some of the night club scenes began to wear a little thin during the two and a half hours, by and large this movie works. It’s a study in a Ray Charles you’ve never known before. The music speaks for itself.
Rated PG-13 for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements |
