Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years 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.

 

Directed by Taylor Hackford, this biopic profiles the life of legendary musician Ray Charles (Jamie Foxx). Born in a poor town in Georgia, Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven shortly after witnessing his younger brother's accidental 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. While the film delves into his problems with drugs and women, the bulk of the story details his career; among the highlights of that career are 12 Grammy awards and 11 R&B chart-toppers, such as "Unchain My Heart", "Hit the Road, Jack", "Georgia", "Doin' the Mess Around", and "Hallelujah I Just Love Her So".

 

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.

 

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. Currently Ray has a certified fresh rating of 81% based on 188 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Ray won two Academy Awards in 2005, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Jamie Foxx) and Best Sound Mixing (Scott Millan, Greg Orloff, Bob Beemer and Steve Cantamessa). The film was nominated for other four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Taylor Hackford), Best Editing (Paul Hirsch) and Best Costume Design (Sharen Davis).