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Ray
2005
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Ray
Positive Reviews
95
Negative reviews
16
Average Rating
3.5
/5
convincing
excellent
powerful
musical
All
Positive
Negative
2.0
Ray has a sprawling episodic structure thats a bit lumpy, but its driven by the primal excitement of rock and soul at the moment of its discovery.
EW
5.0
The movie would be worth seeing simply for the sound of the music and the sight of Jamie Foxx performing it. That it looks deeper and gives us a sense ..
Rogerebert
1.9
Yet Taylor Hackfords Ray does for the artist exactly what Charless critics claimed the musician was doing to church music: It takes a truly unique, in ..
3.5
But the emotional power, rightfully, comes from the actors.Washington and King are spirited as Rays good and bad women; Woodbine is a charm as Fathead ..
4.5
And what music, encompassing everything from raunchy blues to mournful country western to jazz.
3.0
But a tighter script and fewer damsel in distress meets her hero scenes would have done more justice to the plot.
ETimes (TOI)
1.5
He merges R&B with gospel a sacrilege to some folks and achieves a musical breakthrough.
The Hollywood Reporter
3.0
Among his previous credits are the rock movie gems Chuck Berry Hail!.Hail!
4.0
This is a great time at the movies, an unforgettable story about a true legend.
E Film Critic
2.5
Couldnt we just watch a Behind the Music and get the same greatest hits package in 100 less minutes than another dry, maybe worthy for movie of the we ..
E Film Critic
4.4
This uncompromising movies strengths are too undeniable and too rare to go unappreciated.
San Francisco Chronicle
4.0
Its a given that a musical biopic will find dramatic incident to namecheck and prompt big numbers.
2.5
Ray is a genial affair mostly interesting as an unbiased history of a man most people my age only remember as a shriveled old prune.
Cinema Blend
1.5
RAY, like last years BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, is too focused on homage rather than telling a convincing and stirring story.
JoBlo
3.0
Slick, oversized (at 153 minutes), ostensibly warts and all but actually quite reverential, the movie is nonetheless quite enjoyable, thanks ...Foxxs ..
One Guys Opinion
3.5
Won me over because of Jamie Foxxs powerful performance where he inhabits Charles capturing the singers characteristics..Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz D ..
Sover
2.5
Unsentimental, non glamorized, and unclouded by the usual overlay of rose colored nostalgia, this is a raw but rewarding motion picture.
ReelViews
3.0
There are two broad schools of biographical pictures: Those that use their subjects as a means to explore larger issues think NIXON (1995) or THE PEOP ..
Tv Guide
5.0
Hackford and company wisely and instinctively trust this story and simply allow their work to serve it, and the result is a film that does its subject ..
Mark Reviews Movies
2.0
Laura: Director Taylor Hackford (Proof of Life) presents the life of Ray Charles with an arc that showcases the mans incredible ability to bust throug ..
3.0
Benefits greatly from a wealth of powerful supporting performances, in addition to Jamie Foxxs star making turn.
Lariat
3.0
Its the music that keeps me drawn into the film, followed closely by Jamie Foxxs soulful (in both senses of the word) performance.
Eric Ds Nider
5.0
Tweet Ray Jim Lane By This article was published on 11.04.04 Advertisement The first 20 odd years of Ray Charles career become a riveting musical biog ..
News Review
4.5
Its absolutely jaw dropping to watch engaging, robust, warm and sometimes devastatingly raw.
Shadows On The Wall
4.0
Its an incredible performance and one that is guaranteed to net him an Oscar nomination, if not the award itself, come February.
View London
3.8
Hail!.Rock n Roll, the marvelous Chuck Berry documentary of the same year.
Cs Monitor
3.5
Brimming over with irresistible musical numbers that remind us what a recording giant Charles was, this lively picture should cross over to a wide aud ..
Film Journal International ..
3.8
Foxxs spectacular, eerily accurate performance as Charles makes what would have been a rather sketchy movie better.
Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
3.8
What works consistently and always in the film are the musical numbers, which are energetic and soulful, sung by the master himself.
Internet Reviews
3.1
Foxx is not at fault here with Ray, he arrives at the front ranks of American film actors but the filmmakers need to bend biography until it assumes t ..
Boston
3.5
I dont expect a biopic to have the same kind of substance one might find in a good book on the same subject.
Mountain X
3.8
Two people in prison will likely be released after it was revealed that an Eden Prairie detective illegally searched a defendants car, then created a ..
Star Tribune
4.5
Drawing greatly on Charless roots in poorer than poor sharecropping Florida and on a family tragedy he witnessed as a boy Ray conjures up, better than ..
3.0
It turned out to be a complete bust..Torontos pre megacity mayors on the last time Queens Park messed with city politics With the city on the brink of ..
Toronto Star
3.0
The narrative structure of Ray may be conventional but there are many other compensations: Hackfords ebullient direction and Jamie Foxxs incandescent ..
Emanuellevy
4.0
Though its a cinematically accomplished and frequently moving tribute, the same could be said of Ray.
Reel Talk Reviews
3.5
Biopics usually make me uncomfortable, especially when theyre about someone who has family members and friends still living.Unfortunately, this bias e ..
Reel Talk Reviews
3.5
Ultimately, I was sorely disappointed.I wanted excellent, but its only mediocre.
Cinema Crazed
3.5
If you have an older Salon account, please enter your username and password below: No problem!
Salon
4.5
Its a remarkably satisfying performance, constructed with a great mix of terrific technique and pure talent.
1.5
CO2, however, is a harmless natural substance, so CO2 extraction doesnt result in residual solvent contamination.
Observer
4.0
Foxxs performance, like the film, is sympathetic but not sentimental.It is as true as the blues to Charles pain, as ecstatic as rock n roll to his tri ..
Time
4.0
But what makes Ray such a satisfying picture, in spite of some shortcomings and compromises, is Mr. Foxxs inventive, intuitive, and supremely intellig ..
The New York Times
2.5
The music is certainly a showstopper, but that comes merely as a bonus for director Taylor Hackford, whose cinematic telling that surrounds the tunes ..
The Movie Boy
2.0
Incredibly boring and dramatically redundant, the studio behind Ray deserves a slap on the hand for releasing this piece of crap.
Bullz-Eye
3.0
Its worth watching, though, for Foxxs mesmerizing performance and the presence of some of the greatest genre busting music ever created in America.
Las Vegas Weekly
3.8
Wow.Foxxs portrait of the man the myth the legend is nothing short of remarkable a tour de force.
Hollywood
3.0
And it rises above being merely a penetrating study of a complex character and a dazzling portrait of a supremely gifted artist in his prime: its also ..
Seattle Pi
5.0
Jamie Foxxs interpretation of Ray is astonishingly faithful to the man as most of us remember him. How could he not win the Oscar The music is terrifi ..
Tony Medley
2.5
Its a bravura performance, but we never feel that we really know who Ray Charles was, or even that Foxx does.
Pajiba
4.4
As if we werent sure before, now its official: This is the year of the Foxx.
Movie Freak
4.0
Theyre just a few of the performers who make this film leap off the screen.With Ray, Hackford has made a film that like Charles music itself breaks yo ..
Cnn
3.1
A great performance does not make a biopic great...a biopic needs to be like Ray Charles departing from formula and daring to be different.
Spliced Wire
4.5
The soul stirring sounds of music legend Ray Charles keep saving the day for this straightforward, safe bet biopic.
Herald Sun
3.8
Look, the real wonder of WW84 is that this maybe isnt the worst thing about it.
Film Freak Central
4.0
Regina Kings powerhouse performance as Marjorie Margie Hendricks of Rays backup group, The Raelettes, is a small classic.
Boxoffice Magazine
3.0
Director Taylor Hackford hits most of the right notes in exposing both Charles enormous talents and foibles.
E Online
4.0
More inventive directors than Hackford Tim Burton, say, with Ed Wood, or Martin Scorsese, with Raging Bull understand that a biopic shouldnt feel like ..
La Weekly
3.0
It isnt the superficial career reconstruction that makes the movie worth the price of admission, its the Best of Charles compilation that will move yo ..
Varia Gate
3.8
My one minor complaint is that Ray is perhaps twenty minutes too long.Trimming a few scenes could have made this good movie even better.
Three Movie Buffs
3.8
Started several years ago, Art Alley is an evolving showcase of Kansas City street artists.
Kansas City
2.5
I was looking forward to this film.Im a fan of Ray and his music, and have heard some recent interviews with him on the radio.
Ross Anthony
4.0
takes facts and mixes them with a healthy dose of poetic license to splendid effect a kaleidoscopic view of Charles rise from unimaginable poverty to ..
Killer Movie Reviews
4.4
Intelligence and idiocy clashed within this man, and co writer/director Taylor Hackford is unafraid to unnerve.
The Filmy Ap
4.0
As for the movie: what it lacks in subtlety it makes up for in non stop musical hits and a fine supporting cast.
Big Picture Big Sound
4.4
The acting performances best exemplify the movies close call with greatness.
Waffle Movies
4.4
The screenplay is episodic and the highs and the lows dont quite make a homogenous whole, but thats life, right
Montreal Film Journal
4.5
Ray, Taylor Hackfords ambitious, honest, music drenched, handsomely mounted, wonderfully acted biopic of the great Ray Charles, has so much good stuff ..
News Week
3.0
Won me over because of Jamie Foxxs powerful performance where he inhabits Charles capturing the singers characteristics.
Dennis Schwartz Reviews
3.5
You will be able to save yourself from getting disappointed of watching nothing but a lame movie.
Window To The Movies
3.0
Mr. Foxxs performance captures each nuance of character. His portrayal is an exalting tribute to a flawed, fascinating musical icon.
Guide Live
4.0
He was not always the nicest man, and he didnt always make the best choices, but this bio pic isnt about Ray Charles moral highlights.
Fat Guys At The Movies
2.5
Ready to vote Aug. 7.See whats on your ballot Ready to vote Aug. 7
Freep
3.5
It is a tour de force performance and deserves to be recognised as such.
Future Movies
4.4
Director Taylor Hackford has tried for 15 years to bring Ray Charles story to the big screen.
Entertainment Spectrum
4.5
(Foxx) seems bent on actually channeling the spirit of Charles... (and) good luck remaining firmly in your seat in the presence of a sensational sound ..
James Sanford on Film
5.0
The film leaves us with an impression that Ray Charles was one of the artists who mattered most in the history of recorded music.
Aisle Seat
4.4
We want you to be happy!.What if I do a mailing and get returned mail
Movie Eye
3.0
Foxx, like Will Smith in Ali, has perfected a party trick rather than a performance. Give him some sunglasses, let him rock back and forth, and he doe ..
IGN Movies
3.0
All good, all fine, and all informative.But like many biographical films about great and well known artists, Ray presents all of the dots without any ..
Films Nobs
2.0
Like a greatest hits compilation, Rays reach is wide, not deep, serving up a smattering of influences, events and personalities that helped shape Char ..
Review Journal
5.0
This much is common knowledge.But it is the behind the scenes Ray that captures your attention.
Crazed Fan Boy
3.0
The 2004 Oscar season kicks off with a great performance by Jamie Foxx and great music wrapped in a not so great movie.
Net Flix
3.0
Ray does provide a sweet reminder of the power of Charless music, and if thats all the film can really offer, that isnt such a bad deal after all.
Film Jerk
1.5
Its hard to think of a more artless film depicting such a talented artist.
Patrick Nabarro
3.0
At all moments, Ray is a blend of the workmanlike with the unresolved, the piquant and the tendentious, the stuff that do right and the stuff that do ..
Nicks Flick Picks
4.5
Ray reveals Foxx for what he truly is: a gifted and immensely talented actor.
Film Force Ign
3.8
About as loyal a portrait as its subject could have wanted, although for our sake, Hackford might have given us more of the man and less of the legend ..
Premiere Magazine
1.5
The Clinton mayor and police chief are wanted on abuse of office and illegal contract allegations after an investigation into the 2016 lease of four p ..
2 The Advocate
1.5
Ray is a flawed film, but Foxxs captivating acting and a bustling soundtrack smooth the rough spots.
Reel Times: Reflections on ..
1.5
Overall, ... the filmmakers have taken the line of least resistance, fashioning a familiar, inspirational American tale about a man who overcomes pers ..
World Socialist Web Site
4.5
Charming biopic outlines the life of one of our greatest musicians.
Blu Ray Ign
3.8
...a tribute movie, really, rather than a rousing or revealing biography.
Suburban Chicago News
4.3
...although Foxxs performance may go down as one of the best in a biopic ever, I feel as though the film itself will be remembered as good, but not gr ..
Supercala.com
3.8
The key to this movies success rests in the central performance by Jude Law this easily represents his best acting to date.
3.1
A movie with half the 150 minute running time could have done just as much unchaining.
Arizona Daily Star
5.0
With his performance as Ray Charles, has proven himself worthy of being in the front ranks of contemporary movie actors.
3.5
I was sorry when I learned that Michaels, the well known childrens hair cutting salon at Madison Avenue and 90th Street, went out of business recently ..
Ny Observer
4.5
The film is a wonderful reflection on the man behind the music, detailing personal tragedies and heroism we never knew.Although the focus is predomina ..
The Reel Deal
5.0
HomeMovies The Divas Reviews 2012 Jays Reviews 2012 Reviews ArchivesTelevision The Divas Recaps 2012News Coming Soon News ArchiveMovie SweepstakesCont ..
3 Black Chicks
3.0
Ray starts out well... and then falls into the entrenched paths of just about every other overwrought, over long musical biopic ever filmed.
Edge Boston
4.5
In Taylor Hackfords Ray, Jamie Foxx delivers the seasons most mesmerizing performance as late singer Ray Charles.
4.4
Folks may say that the film is a bit long, but considering how much Ray went through, ask yourself what could you leave out.There are plenty of depths ..
BlackFilm.com
3.1
Jamie Foxx is positively Times Square electric, the film however is more like a flickering energy efficient 40 watt bulb.
Blunt Review
4.4
A riveting, warts and all portrait of both Ray Charles and 20th century America.
Boston Herald
4.5
If only the movie contained half as much life as Foxx, it would be something truly remarkable a movie with soul, rather than one merely about it.
Dallas Observer
3.8
Ray makes a convincing case that Foxx may have the same level of acting chops that Charles had on the microphone and keyboard.
Lawrence Journal-World
4.5
Jamie Foxxs spectacular performance (hindered by the inability to act with his eyes) anchors a rich, strong film.
Cinerina
4.5
People have said to me that thats a seminal scene, that its a small masterpiece.
The List
4.5
This is one of the great performances of the year. Foxx has the voice and mannerisms down pat.
3.1
Charles cinematic fable has been in turnaround for years and its worthy of the effort it took to get it to the big screen.
Auf Muth
2.0
Arguably one of the most brilliant interpretive albums ever released, it did more to integrate modern American music than almost any other LP in histo ..
Romantic Movies About
4.5
Jamie Foxx will be one of this years hottest Oscar contenders for his charismatic portrayal of this pioneering musical genius.
Modamag.com
1.5
Foxx completely disappears into the role, embodying the great man so much so that one instantly forgets its Foxx up there.
LYTRules.com
4.5
Jamie Foxx is excellent, and sturdily supported by Whites script all the way.
4.5
Writer director Bill Condon has come up with a nifty ironic conception of Alfred Kinsey, his sex researcher hero.
Blogcritics.org
0.5
Its a credit to Foxx that his performance fast tracks the film through its length of 152 minutes and nullifies Hackfords hackery.
0.5
... so suffused with clichd mock eventfulness and insipid veneration that youd think Hackford might be nominating for sainthood.
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Ray