Ray

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Ray

PG-13

2004

2h 35m

Biography

History

Drama

Music

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Popcornmeter

80%

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198 Reviews

87%

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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

Dec 28, 2010

4/5

Excellent portrayal of extraordinary musician.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Nov 1, 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

Nov 6, 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, 2026

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, 2026

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

Feb 6, 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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Chris B

@Papa13070 1 day ago

Taylor Hackford wanted to make this movie for 15 years, and finally found Jamie Foxx to play the title role. Foxx is amazing in his portrayal of Ray Charles. From an interview I saw with Foxx, he met Charles several times and the two of them also played piano together (Foxx had piano lessons as a young child and actually played piano in all his scenes). I didn't see Charles live until his later years, so it was great to get a perspective on how his career developed. I hope Foxx gets nominated for the Best Actor Oscar as he certainly deserves it. The music, also, is incredible - it really showcases the breadth of Charles' music, from country to blues, and everything in between. The movie also gives an unblemished account of Ray Charles' life, from the many women he had relationships with to his drug habit and the consequences of that.

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Hotwheels T

@RT00311887 Jun 27, 2026

What an amazing movie

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Todd T.

@D_underhill May 18, 2026

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, 2026

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, 2026

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, 2026

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

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Taylor Hackford

Director

Jamie Foxx

Ray Charles

Kerry Washington

Della Bea Robinson

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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)

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