Ray  (2004)

Rating: PG-13

Distributor: Universal Studios Home Video

Release Date: February 1, 2005
Review posted: February 7, 2005

Reviewed by Dylan Grant

SYNOPSIS

Jamie Foxx stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend.  From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of the American music charts, Ray’s inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit.

CRITIQUE

Every once in a while, a film comes along that tells the true story of someone who conquered life, who was so inspiring a human being that we all want to strive to be better.  Ray tried to be that film, but for all its grand ambitions, the film remains wallowed in the same old familiar storytelling techniques, its flaws equaling its strengths.  For all the adulation, Ray is surprisingly mediocre.

The film opens in Florida, in the late 1940’s.  World War II had just ended, and Ray Robinson was about to leave his hometown for Seattle.  From the very beginning, this film follows the Typical Hollywood Biopic template to the letter.  Ray lands in Seattle, where he meets instantly with hardship and exploitation.  Aside from not getting his fair share of the money, Ray is forced to have sex with the band’s manager for room and board.  (Also in Seattle, he meets Quincy Jones, played well here by Larenz Tate, who gets too little screen time.)  Themes are driven into the ground.  See, Ray was blind, and just to make sure we get the point, the characters harp on this over and over.  “Ray, why are you cooking in the dark,” his manager demands when she comes home to find Ray whipping up some fried chicken with all the lights off.  He reminds her that it doesn’t matter to him if they are on or not.  Rather than one strong scene to show what was typical, we are given several typical scenes that do nothing but say the same thing over and over.

After Seattle it was the Chitlin Circuit, the black nightclubs all over the country where Ray Robinson was put to rest and where Ray Charles was born.  Ray took his middle name as his surname because Sugar Ray Robinson, the boxer, was already so well known.  Ray starts doing heroin, and his popularity on the road led to scores of women, one after the other.  Anyone who has seen a movie before can connect the dots and figure out where the movie goes from here.  Ray surges in popularity, his records begin to sell, and his drug use increases.  Ray is print-the-legend style filmmaking, celebrating the triumphs of the man, while the challenges are glossed over or omitted all together. 

The acting is the best thing about this movie, and Jamie Foxx does not even give the best performance.  That distinction goes to Regina King, in a smaller role as Margie Hendricks, one of Ray’s backup singers.  King’s is an emotionally raw performance, particularly during the scene where they first perform “Hit the Road Jack,” and it is too bad she has not received more attention.  Bokeem Woodbine is also good as Fathead, Ray’s saxophonist and drug buddy.  Woodbine owns the role.  Sharon Warren, in what is apparently her first film role, is dynamic as Aretha Robinson, Ray’s mother, but she is all by herself.  The kid they have playing the young Ray is not very good.  Jaime Foxx has been getting a lot of attention, but his performance is more a glorified Ray Charles impression than real acting.  He gets the voice and the walk, but we see little of the soul of the man.  The performance is all surface; we see it, but we do not feel it.  Foxx’s mimicry is masterful, but one wishes he had dug a little deeper.

The music is perhaps the real star of the film, and it is great.  Few would argue that the music of Ray Charles is timeless.  The filmmakers must have sensed that they could not recreate that, because every piece of music is unquestionably Ray Charles.  It is not that Jaime Foxx is singing and he sounds like Ray, it is that Ray is singing.  The effect is jarring enough to take you out of the movie.  The music is also not used to its fullest effect.  Rather than use a few effective snippets here and there, Hackford chose to use entire songs.  It is great to hear the music, but in terms of the film it starts to get repetitive.  Ray has an argument with his wife, big song number, Ray gets high, big song number, Ray fights with his girlfriend, big song number, and on and on, until he finally kicks heroin and lives happily ever after.

Ray is a solid, competent film, with a cast that is working hard and clearly appreciates the material.  The flaws just become too great after a while, and the strengths of the film are not enough to outweigh them.  It is great to know that Hackford was able to realize his dream project, one just wishes he would have done more with it.

THE VIDEO

Ray is presented in an anamorphic 1.85:1 aspect ratio.  The transfer quality is pristine, beautifully preserving the film’s lush cinematography.  The color levels are well translated, and the overall picture is crisp.  The only flaws come in viewing the Extended Version, where the new material is dropped in with seemingly no restoration, grain and all.

THE AUDIO

This DVD features tracks in French and English, both in Dolby 5.1 Digital Surround.  The presentation here is pristine, perfect for all the rousing musical numbers in this film.  The levels are crisp, and everything comes through as sharply as if we were hearing it live.

THE EXTRAS

Feature Commentary with Director Taylor Hackford: The director talks about the coming together of his dream project.  An interesting commentary, Hackford talks all the way through, detailing scenes and giving a real life context.

Deleted Scenes: 14 deleted scenes of varying length with optional commentary by Hackford.  These scenes are also woven into the extended version of the film.

Extended Musical Scenes: Extended cuts of “What Kind of Man Are You” and “Hit the Road Jack.”

Stepping Into the Part: Candid footage of Ray Charles and Jaime Foxx playing together.  Jamie Foxx and Taylor Hackford also talk about creating the role.

Ray Remembered: A eulogy of sorts.  The cast and filmmakers look back at the man they are celebrating.

A Look Inside Ray: A short look at the making of the film.  Too short to be considered a featurette, this is more like a promo reel.

Theatrical Trailer: The original trailer.  As trailers go, this is one is very good.

Cast and Filmmaker Bios: Text bios of the major players, including filmographies.

This DVD also features an Extended Version of the film, but this is probably the worst way to view the film.  The deleted scenes are dropped in carelessly, and the visual quality of the bonus material is not even close to the rest of the film.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Ray is a decent film, but nothing like its reputation would have you believe.  The writing is good, and the direction competent, but the film is never able to overcome convention.  The bonus material is inconsistent; some of it is great, and some of it is not.  Some films beg to be seen and seen again, but for Ray, once is enough.

VERDICT: RENT IT

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