Ray

Excellent portrayal of extraordinary musician.

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.

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

Jamie Foxx's all-encompassing performance in the title role more than justifies the early Oscar gossip it has generated.

It’s impossible to deny the power of the music&#59; the genius and legacy of Ray Charles make for thoroughly cinematic material.

Jamie Foxx's astonishing performance is the big highlight and rightfully so, but Ray suffers like many musical biopics as the film takes too many dramatic liberties with real-life events and stretches out too many years.

It’s an inspired performance that creates a complex character out of the pop music legend.

Overall, ... the filmmakers have taken the line of least resistance, fashioning a familiar, 'inspirational' American tale about a man who overcomes personal trauma and experiences individual success. There's little richness in that.