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Ray
2004 152 min United States of America PG-13 18+
★8.3
Drama, Music
Director: Taylor Hackford
Trailers
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Description
Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.
Budget:
$40M
US Gross:
$75.33M
Worldwide:
$124.7M
Starring
Jamie Foxx
Actor
Regina King
Actor
Kerry Washington
Actor
Awards
BAFTA 2005
— Best Actor
BAFTA 2005
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Director
BAFTA 2005
— Best Actor
BAFTA 2005
— Best Sound
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2005
— Best Cast Ensemble
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Actor
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Picture
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2005
— Best Actor
BAFTA 2005
— Best Original Screenplay
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Costume Design
Golden Globe 2005
— Best Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Academy Awards 2005
— Best Sound
Golden Globe 2005
— Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2005
— Best Actor
Key opinion
Ray is widely considered a compelling and essential biopic, anchored by a transformative, Oscar-winning lead performance. While some critics note a traditional narrative structure, the film’s vibrant musical sequences and emotional honesty create a powerful portrait of Ray Charles’s genius and personal struggles.
| Acting | Jamie Foxx’s performance is universally praised as an immersive, transformative portrayal that captures the essence of Ray Charles through meticulous attention to mannerisms and physicality. | |
| Score | The film succeeds as a musical tribute, effectively integrating Charles’s iconic catalog to drive the narrative and provide emotional depth to his life story. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative follows a conventional 'rise-fall-redemption' biopic structure, which some viewers find predictable, though others find it effective and emotionally resonant. | |
| Runtime | The two-and-a-half-hour runtime is a point of contention; supporters argue the length allows for necessary depth, while critics feel it occasionally creates a disjointed or repetitive experience. |