Ray

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Ray

PG-13

2004

2h 35m

Biography

History

Drama

Music

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Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

205 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Legendary soul musician Ray Charles is portrayed by Jamie Foxx in this Oscar-winning biopic. Young Ray watches his 7-year-old brother drown at age seven. When he loses his sight at the age of 9, his hardworking mother (Sharon Warren) urges him not to feel sorry for himself. He rises through the ranks of the Seattle jazz scene, struggling with drug addiction and infidelity while on the road. Supported by his wife (Kerry Washington), Ray Charles redefines soul music and inspires a generation.

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Critics Consensus

An engrossing and energetic portrait of a great musician's achievements and foibles, Ray is anchored by Jamie Foxx's stunning performance as Ray Charles.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/28/2010

4/5

Excellent portrayal of extraordinary musician.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

11/01/2007

Ray is filled with such pleasures, but it's hobbled by the too-familiar conventions of the musical biopic: with so many chapters of Charles's life to cover, Hackford's movie never finds a rhythm, a groove, to settle into.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

11/06/2004

3.5/4

As if we weren't sure before, now it's official: This is the year of the Foxx.

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Allison Rose

FlickDirect

Mar 31

4.5/5

Jamie Foxx delivers a brilliant, career-defining performance in this powerful music biopic

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mar 31

3/4

Just how good is Jamie Foxx’s central performance in Ray? Let’s just say that without him, this biopic about music legend Ray Charles wouldn’t be half as memorable.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

02/06/2025

6/10

It’s impossible to deny the power of the music; the genius and legacy of Ray Charles make for thoroughly cinematic material.

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Todd T.

@D_underhill May 18

Great story with incredible acting. I didn’t know much about Ray Charles’s personal life before this…very informative and entertaining.

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Robbie M

@lowkeylit67 Apr 24

One of the most emotional movies I've ever seen, Jamie Foxx had a phenomenal performance

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Moon M.

@MisterMoon Apr 2

Hands down the worst biopic (music-related or not) I’ve ever seen. Walk the Line is very similar in certain aspects but that one was done a lot better. Ray is just a drag to watch through and through. Awful lighting, a story that really doesn’t move anywhere, not enough material for a film, and very odd flashbacks that service nothing to the story

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Ronald R.

@RonaldMiamiMovieCritic Jan 14

Great Movie!!! Highly Recommended!!! A++ 🍿🎥🍿

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Menew A

@RT54658755 Jul 16

The soul-stirring sounds of music legend Ray Charles keep saving the day for this straightforward, safe-bet biopic.

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John C

@JohnnyCToes Jul 14

Jamie Foxx is excellent, and sturdily supported by [James L.] White's script all the way

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Taylor Hackford

Director

Jamie Foxx

Ray Charles

Kerry Washington

Della Bea Robinson

Regina King

Margie Hendricks

Clifton Powell

Jeff Brown

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

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Ray: Official Clip - It's Starting to Show

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Synopsis

Legendary soul musician Ray Charles is portrayed by Jamie Foxx in this Oscar-winning biopic. Young Ray watches his 7-year-old brother drown at age seven. When he loses his sight at the age of 9, his hardworking mother (Sharon Warren) urges him not to feel sorry for himself. He rises through the ranks of the Seattle jazz scene, struggling with drug addiction and infidelity while on the road. Supported by his wife (Kerry Washington), Ray Charles redefines soul music and inspires a generation.

Director: Taylor Hackford
Producer: Howard Baldwin, Stuart Benjamin, Karen Elise Baldwin
Screenwriter: Robert Eisele, James L. White
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Crusader Entertainment LLC, Unchain My Heart Louisiana
Rating: PG-13 (Sexuality|Drug Addiction|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $75.3M
Runtime: 2h 35m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)