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Member since:30.01.2004
Reviews:26
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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! (remember, he was blind).That was really extraordinary.
Ray Charles..... The Legend.....
I dont wanna call him "the man" here, let's give honour to whom it is due, Ray is a legend, not a man.Or what else should we use to describe a man who went against all odds, despite being blind (completely) to become one of the greatest American pianist in the world?(yes I say in the world) Ray is a legend. His life has not been rosy at all right from his birth.He came from an ''impoverished'', not even ''poor'' family in Albania His father left them (little charles and his mother) while he was still very young, his baby brother died in a washtub accident, and he himself developed glaucoma when he was 5 which by the age of 7, had turned into total blindness.Yet Charles never give up even when his parent passed away when he was only thirteen, He kept going until he became member of bands, co-founded bands, and graduated to found his own band. He trained himself, he knew he had to if he wanted to become somebody in life, he developed a love for music and musical instruments, he created a rare talent for music, training his ear and his fingers to master his love. Ray played various musical instruments, including some of the most complicated ones, he dished out songs upon songs that were hits which made him popular. Yet, he was blind. He truly is a legend.
Ray Charles..... The movie......
despite the superfluous manner by which a few actual incidents were acted, ( such as the insinuation that the accidental drawning
of Charles younger brother was the cause of all the inner demons that He would battle into adulthood), the film did a great job in summarizing Charles' genius as a musical innovator, and his struggles as a person who has an amorous disposition and a heroine addict who recorded some of his best hit songs while flying high like a Kite. Jammie Foxx's uncanningly accurate performance seems to be challenging Charles himself. One of the film's most inspiring scene unfolds when Charles mother, at the time he was going blind told him that she will be his eyes and give him instructions, but only once, reasoning that this is the way life operates; you get one chance and after that, you are on your own. This philosofical reason, she repeatedly drives home when it became clear that he is not going to escape his impending blindness. Another important element of this film is the exploraton of how Charles fought back when those around him sought to take advantage of his blindness.He learned through experience to question the process of counting out bills in payment for his musical services after having been taken advantage of by dishonest music promoters. Ray Charles protrayal as a powerful and popular disabled figure who needed help to get through the addiction of hard drugs show that there are times in everyone's life (either disabled or not) when you will really need some help, no matter who you are or what you have cut out for yourself in terms or achievement. Ray's ever loyal wife (played by Kerry Washington) was the backbone and the helper that he really needed at that time of need, one really impressive aspect of this story was the fact that even when she knew that Ray was having affairs ouside of their matrimonial home (which was really odd if I may say for a blind man), she still remained faithfull to him, being the loyal wife who stayed home to take care of their son. It wasn't as if there were no critical moments in their lives as Husband and wife though, there were times when the wife has to take some harsh decision like when she point blankly told Ray that she was going to leave him except that he stop his drug habits and go for rehabilitation, which at last he reluctantly did because 'he never want to leave his wife', this he showed in his comment in one of their arguments when he said: ''When I walk out the street I walk out alone in the dark". But I am happy that at least She didn't leave him, because I believe that if she has taken that harsh decision, maybe he would not have live up to that age that he lived for he would have died of lonelyness, and this movie would not have had any meaning as far as i am concerned. Ray is a film with heart and soul, that present to us, the facsinating life of a genuine performing genius and legend, it is an overall good movie, well presented by a good aretist and a good producer..... Thumbs up Taylor!
Ray Charles......casts.
This movie paraded a lot of stars, both up and comming and long agos. Some of them who definitely stood out in this film includes:
Jamme Foxx, the lead actor was Ray Charles Robinson... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kerry Washington ---- Della bea Robinson, Ray's devoted wife, who showed a rare loyalty to her husband even when he was going through trials.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Regina king ---- Margie Hendricks, The feary backup singer and mistress to Ray.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Clifton Powell ----Jeff brown, The early manager for Ray ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ C.J sanders--- Ray Charles when he was Young. A first timer, he created an impression for himself in this movie. I was especially impressed at the natural way he acted that blind scene. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sharon Warren--- Aretha Robinson, Ray's no-nonsence mother, who gave him the reason to live and the secret to manage his handicap. A newcommer herself, she distinguished gherself in this role he played. Weldone sharon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aunjanue Ellis--- Mary Ann Fisher, the first back up singer for Ray at the beginning of his carrer as a singer. If there is an actress who can come in and go out out of a film and leave a mark, it is Aunjanue. In fact, you need to watch her perform in this movie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aunjanue Ellis--- Mary Ann Fisher, the first back up singer for Ray at the beginning of his carrer as a singer. If there is an actress who can come in and go out out of a film and leave a mark, it is Aunjanue. In fact, you need to watch her perform in this movie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Others Include: Harry J Lennix (who acted Joe Adams), Bokeem Woodbine (as Fathead Newman), Curtis Armstrong (as Ahmet Ertegun), Richard Schiff (acting as Jerry Wexler), Larenz Tate (acting Quincy Jones),Terrence Dashon Howard (as Gossie Mckee), David Krumholtz (as Milt Shaw), Wendell Pierce (as Wilbur Brassfield), and of course, the producer himself, the big man, the man behing this : DIRECTOR TAYLOR HACKFORD. These people gave in their best to make sure that this film was succesful, and indeed succesful it was. I learnt a few lessons in this film one that really actually hit me most is this: NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE, IF YOU ARE REALISTIC AND DETERMINED TO SUCCEED AND CARVE A NINCHE FOR YOURSELF IN THIS SHORT LIFE, YOU WILL DO IT. JUST WORK TOWARDS IT, TRY TO GO THE EXTRA MILE, WHERE PEOPLE MAY NOT IMAGINE YOU TO REACH, THEY WILL BE SURPRISED, AND WITH THAT YOU WILL GAIN THEIR RESPECT. Ray is a film that I or anyone will not forget in a hurry. people who have watched this film can testify to it. Already it is an award winner. The film itself innovates soul, the cast and the crew innovates soul, the story is unique.Except for some few lapses, Taylor Hackford did this one right.
Ray Charles..... The conclussion.....
I'll like everyone to watch this movie, you will not regret doing that. I must warn you though, there may be some unneccesary inclusion in it but that will not matter so far you enjoyed it, and of course, your DVD or VCR should have the fast foward botton on it in case you may not like some aspect. But I assure you, it is worth your time and money. Yes talking about money, Ray's DVD or CD is generally sold for between $10 and $12 in the market now ( I think that is expensive a bit) although I am having the reports that it may soon be reduced a bit. But then, the story is worth the price.
RAY CHARLES......ADIEU.....
Ray Charles Robinson died while this film was about to be produced, I would have wished him to stay and ''watch'' how they reenact him in a marvelous way (he was blind though). And I know he would have laughed, cry, and ...... but I know that he is happy in his grave. He lived a fufilled life, a life worth reporting about, a life of a great star. He is a Legend as I have said earlier. He will be remembered for a long time as the man who walk farther than anyone could imagine, he man who was ''afraid to walk alone in the dark''. The man who can lay his own bed in an extraordinary way. He will be remembered as RAY CHARLES ROBINSON. .....Adieu.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
You absolutely touched some points about this man that i apparently did not know before. i have watched this film, but I am seeing it in a new dimension now.. I'll watch it again.
missixty 01.06.2005 11:30
What an awful start to life he had, makes some peoples moaning seem pathetic x
songcat 17.05.2005 13:16
I love what you did to the cast. That's exceptional.. I have watched it and I realised that what you wrote was true. Great
Advantages: Wonderful performances, great soundtrack, great insight into Ray's life Disadvantages: Some unanswered questions (probably deliberate though)
CaptainDisaster 31.05.2005 (31.05.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ray DVD
Advantages: Wonderful performances, great soundtrack, great insight into Ray's life Disadvantages: Some unanswered questions (probably deliberate though)
CaptainDisaster 31.05.2005 (31.05.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Ray DVD
Advantages: Stays close to reality, Jamie Foxx's amazing performance, music is brilliant, overall great Disadvantages: You might want to take a break in the middle to prevent numb-bum syndrome.
Ottavia 18.08.2009 ·
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Review of Ray (DVD)
![Ray [DVD] [2004]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78494423.jpg "Ray [DVD] [2004]")
May 10th, 2005
exceptional by (23%):
very helpful by (73%):
helpful by (4%):
