Jamie Foxx Delivers 'Ray' of Sunshine

Oct. 29, 2004 — -- "Ray" opens today, and I can't wait, because I get to see it again. Ray Charles combined gospel music and rhythm 'n' blues, created soul music, sang ballads and country, played jazz, unified American music and changed America. He really did.

You can't feel sad when you hear Ray Charles' music. And you can't feel sorry for yourself when you think about his story. Talk about "We Shall Overcome."

Born in Albany, Ga., Charles was banned from playing in his home state in 1961, after he refused to work in a segregated theater. He would later be welcomed back. He told me one of the high points of his life was in 1979, when the Legislature made his "Georgia on My Mind" the official state song.

You'll see that story in "Ray," a movie so good you're not aware you're watching a movie. You'll believe you're living a life. Jamie Foxx doesn't play Ray Charles, he is Ray Charles. He lip-synchs the lyrics, but that is Foxx on piano. He went to college on a music scholarship, and all the greats are in his repertoire: Chopin, Mozart and Ray Charles.

Charles' childhood is told in a series of flashbacks. Born to a dirt-poor family, he was just 7 when he lost his sight. But "Ray" is never overly sentimental. It doesn't have to be in order to move us to tears.

The movie takes us through Charles' battles with drugs and with women. He won his battle with heroin, going cold turkey in 1965 after years of addiction. As for his battles with the many women in his life, they gave us such classics as "Hit the Road Jack."

Regina King, who plays one of Charles' backup singers (and one of his many women), could land a best supporting actress Oscar nomination. This film may earn half a dozen Oscar nominations for best picture, actor, director, costume and, oh yeah, score.

Tell your ma, tell your pa, this is one of the best films I ever saw. If "Ray" has a fault, it's that the movie tells too much. We get impatient, I think, to hear more music. Jamie Foxx is absolutely an Oscar front-runner, and maybe he ought to be a Grammy front-runner, too. I can't stop lovin' this film, I've made up my mind. But I'd better stop the lyrics before I start to sing. I'm no Jamie Foxx. Grade: A-