Ray
(2005) Directed by Taylor Hackford
I’m not sure what I can say about this DVD that hasn’t already been said by every other reviewer. That Jamie Foxx channeled Ray Charles has already been said. That Foxx deserved the Academy Award had already been said. That the soundtrack sparkles is obvious. That the story, in its honest portrayal of everything that was great and not so great about Ray Charles, stands out as a testament of what good can come from determination and a lot of belief in yourself despite the odds. This is simply a phenomenal story told perfectly with care and attention to detail.
If you look inside the booklet for the soundtrack CD to this movie, there's a priceless picture of Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles that says it all. Foxx and Charles are sitting next to each other facing away from each other like a mirror image, and that is exactly what they are—a mirror image of each other. Both with sunglasses, both with smiles. Jamie Foxx has his Ray on in that photo as he did in the whole film. He didn’t fall out of character for a moment, and he wasn’t playing Ray, he was Ray. And for bringing Ray to life for fans and for younger people who should know who Ray Charles was and what he meant to music, Foxx deserves every accolade he received.
Jamie Foxx said in an interview that he met Ray Charles prior to Ray's death. Foxx said that Ray put him through the ringer on the piano, and fortunately Jamie Foxx is a talented pianist as well as a great actor. At the end of it all, Foxx got Ray’s approval to be cast in the film. Ray was a genius, after all.
There are some extras on the DVD that fans will want to check out, including commentary by director Taylor Hackford, some deleted scenes, and the one I really enjoyed, some extended musical scenes. There’s also a look at how Foxx moved into the role of Ray Charles, as well as a tribute to the legend himself.
And don’t forget the soundtrack CD, which is why we celebrate the man in the first place.