Jamie Foxx stars in this biopic of legendary soul and R&B singer Ray Charles. Skillfully edited and with a keen eye for period detail, the narrative weaves in and out of the past in an interlocking tapestry of the man's rise to fame in the 1950s and '60s. Growing up poor, black, and blind in the rural south, Charles learns--under the tutelage of his tough-love mother (Sharon Warren)--to turn these handicaps into assets. With this training, Ray eventually plays his way into a major deal with Paramount records and earns icon status as an American legend. Along the way, the high cost of fame leads him to engage in abusive relationships, manipulative behavior, and struggles with drug and alcohol problems. This is a dynamite film for the music alone (Charles's actual recordings are used in the film), but Foxx's career-benchmark performance transcends RAY's biopic roots, turning this into a piercing, full-on character study: unflinching, sometimes harrowing, and ultimately deeply moving. The sheer joy of Charles's music comes alive in Foxx's movements, and his character matures convincingly and powerfully. A stellar supporting cast is on hand to back him up every step of the way, including Larenz Tate as producer Quincy Jones, and Kerry Washington as Ray's long-suffering wife, Regina.

Theatrical release: October 29, 2004

Ray Charles passed away on June 10, 2004, before the film received a theatrical release.

A classically trained musician, Jamie Foxx actually played the piano throughout the film, though the original Ray Charles recordings were used.

During shooting, Jamie Foxx wore special eye gear that literally made him blind.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Snap Case
Theatrical Version
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French
Subtitles - English (SDH), French, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Deleted Scenes
Feature Commentary - Taylor Hackford - Director
Featurette:
1. Ray Remembered
2. Cast and Filmmakers

Jamie Foxx: TV/Film actor
Regina King: Actress/"Poetic Justice"
Kerry Washington: Actress
Curtis Armstrong: Actor/"Revenge Of Nerds"
Warwick Davis: Actor
Clifton Powell: Actor
Harry J. Lennix: Actor/"Mo' Money"
Terrence Howard: Actor\"Dead Presidents"
Larenz Tate: Actor
Aunjanue Ellis: Actress

Taylor Hackford: American Director/Producer

Howard L. Baldwin: Executive Producer
Karen Baldwin: SCREENWRITER
Stuart Benjamin: American producer

James White: Film Critic
Taylor Hackford: American Director/Producer

Craig Armstrong: Composer

Thomas J. Nordberg: Editor, RAY (2004)
Paul Hirsch: Editor, RAY (2004)

"Foxx feels his way into every groove and tremor of that voice -- the sheer locomotive power of it, and the shades of gravelly tenderness, too."
"Foxx's fierce, funny, deeply felt performance deserves to be legendary....Foxx rides this winner to glory."
"[A] satisfying picture....[With] Mr. Foxx's inventive, intuitive, and supremely intelligent performance."
"Foxx's performance is superb in its naturalism and meticulous in its attention to detail....The music provides the most straightforward pleasure in an enjoyable and straightforward film..."
"RAY could not have been made without star Jamie Foxx....His portrayal of Ray Charles is such a landmark in making the difficult look natural that you won't talk about anything else when you exit the theater."
"One of the striking things about RAY is the way Foxx's performance gives the uncanny impression of watching the real Charles reliving his life on screen. The actor makes us believe that what's in front of our eyes really happened."
[T]he musical numbers are superbly handled. The sound is extraordinary..."
"Built around a magnetic performance by Jamie Foxx....[He] brilliantly inhabits Ray's mannerisms..."