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Ray
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Ray (2004) -- The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles.
Ray (2004) -- The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles.
Ray (2004) -- The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles.

Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   38,202 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 5% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Taylor Hackford
Writers (WGA):
Taylor Hackford (story) and
James L. White (story) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Ray on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 October 2004 (USA) more
Genre:
Biography | Drama | Music more
Tagline:
The extraordinary life story of Ray Charles. A man who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought possible. more
Plot:
The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 38 wins & 37 nominations more
User Comments:
Phenomenal biographical film with intense and memorable performances more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements.
Runtime:
152 min | USA:178 min (extended version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS
Company:
Anvil Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Ray Charles died of liver failure on 10 June 2004, after filming had ended. He was able to sit through the first edit of the film before his death. more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the opening credits we hear Ray playing a Wurlitzer Electric Piano (later mentioned and shown in the film) but we see a close up of a Fender Rhodes Electric Piano, which sounds very different. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Aretha Robinson: Always remember your promise to me. Never let nobody or nothing turn you into no cripple.
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Movie Connections:
Features "Scooby Doo, Where Are You!" (1969) more
Soundtrack:
Straighten Up and Fly Right more

FAQ

How does it end?
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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful:-
Phenomenal biographical film with intense and memorable performances, 28 June 2005
10/10
Author: mstomaso from Vulcan

Jamie Foxx leads a brilliant cast in this powerful voyage through the life of the blind, emotionally troubled, African American genius of pop jazz, Mr. Ray Charles. Though the entire cast performs wonderfully, Mr. Foxx earned more than simply an Oscar. If it were possible to nominate an actor in consecutive years, I would consider doing so for Mr. Foxx. Foxx doesn't just play Charles, he re-creates him. CJ Sanders and Sharon Warren also deserve special mention for their portrayal of Ray's mother (the inspiration of his life) and young Ray. These two provided the strongest support in the film.

The dramas of Charles' struggles with guilt, the death of his younger brother and mother, blindness, discrimination, addiction, and success, are neatly woven into the tapestries of his music. The music is beautiful, the script is, as far as I can tell, perfect, and the acting is nothing short of legendary.

The directorial method of the film warrants discussion. Taylor Hackford - a director I am generally ambivalent about - had to choose what aspects of the larger-than-life and complex life story of Mr. Charles would tell his story most honestly, dramatically, and understandably. Though some disagree (seemingly wanting a documentary instead of a dramatized biopic) I believe he selected his themes admirably. A big part of the success of this film is its consistent focus on a few persistent themes in Charles' life - his profound love and respect for his mother, his need to be loved and accepted, his addiction and guilt complex, his musical genius, and his deep-seated fear of responsibility for others. Charles is depicted as a man struggling valiantly against an army of personal demons. I learned more than I could have imagined about one of the men I used to listen to on my old turntable with my dad in his livingroom on Sunday nights while football games were on the TV. And nothing was sugar-coated in "Ray." The themes are carried forward with power and human dignity. These themes create a unifying drama which span the length of his long and illuminated life. The power of these themes, the strong script and directing, the music, and the acting make this one of the most enjoyable and evocative biographical films I have seen.

Recommended for everyone.

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