Ray (film)

Ray

Theatrical film poster
Directed by Taylor Hackford
Produced by Taylor Hackford
Stuart Benjamin
Howard Baldwin
Karen Baldwin
Written by James L. White
Starring Jamie Foxx
Kerry Washington
Regina King
Larenz Tate
Clifton Powell
C.J. Sanders
Curtis Armstrong
Music by Craig Armstrong
Ray Charles (songs)
Cinematography Paweł Edelman
Editing by Paul Hirsch
Studio Bristol Bay Productions
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) October 29, 2004 (2004-10-29)
Running time 152 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $40 million[1]
Box office $124,731,534

Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years[2] of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.

Charles was set to attend an opening of the completed film, but he died of liver disease before its premiere.[3]

Contents

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Plot

Raised on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles Robinson went blind at the age of seven, shortly after witnessing his younger brother's death. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he make his own way in the world, Charles 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 incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his inimitable style.

As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists’ rights within the corporate music business. The movie provides a portrait of Charles’ musical genius as he overcomes heroin addiction while transforming into one of his country’s most beloved performers.

Cast

Production

The film's production was entirely financed by Philip Anschutz, through his Bristol Bay Productions company. Taylor Hackford stated in a DVD bonus feature that it took 15 years to make the film. He later clarified in the liner notes of the soundtrack album that it took that time to secure financing.

Charles was given a Braille copy of the film's original script; he objected only to a scene showing him taking up piano grudgingly, and a scene implying that Charles had shown mistress and lead "Raelette" Margie Hendricks to shoot heroin.

Ray debuted at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival.

Soundtrack

The following songs were used in the film:

Reception

Box office

Ray was released in theaters on October 29, 2004 on a budget of $40 million. The film went on to become a box-office hit, earning $75 million in the U.S. with an additional $50 million internationally, bringing its world wide gross to $125 million.

Critical reaction

The film received mostly positive reviews. Most of the praise went to Jamie Foxx's performance for which he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film however did receive some bad reviews, with critics complaining that the film suffered from a mediocre screenplay buoyed by powerful performances.[4] Currently Ray has a certified fresh rating of 81% based on 188 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.[5]

Awards

Differences from noted events

As noted in the film's final credits, Ray is based on true events, but includes some characters, names, locations, and events which have been changed and others which have been "fictionalized for dramatization purposes." Examples of the fictionalized scenes include:

References

  1. ^ Ray (2004)
  2. ^ Director Hackford noted this focus on the years 1935-1965 in his DVD commentary for the film; the only exception to this focus is the film's final scene featuring Julian Bond and set in the Georgia State Capitol in 1979, a scene Hackford included at Charles' specific request.
  3. ^ "Music legend Ray Charles dies at 73". AP Associated Press. 2004-06-10. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/5182959/ns/today-entertainment/t/music-legend-ray-charles-dies/. 
  4. ^ Ray – Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes
  5. ^ Ray – Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes

External links