Ray+Movie+Review-Elka

Elka Daroga May 15, 2009 History-1 Movie Review for //Ray// The movie, //Ray//, chronicles the troubled yet extremely successful life of one of America’s most celebrated musicians, Ray Charles. Ray, whose actual name is Ray Robinson, grew up in rural Florida with his brother, George, and his mother. When Ray was only seven years old, he discovered that he was beginning to go blind. He soon had to rely only on his remembrance and hearing to figure out where he was and what was happening. When Ray was only a small boy, him and George were playing in their mother’s washing tub. George fell in and died, Ray witnessing the entire scene. His mother ultimately blamed Ray for his death and led Ray to also feel accountable, even though he was only about six years old. Ray’s mother was a poor sharecropper who couldn’t afford much for her children, but taught them valuable life lessons; Ray would remember what his mother always told him-to never let anyone turn you into a cripple-which led to his realization and cure of his addiction to heroine.

Picture the mid to late 1950’s and early 1960’s in the Deep South. Racism was extreme and Jim Crow laws were going full force. Ray’s music was a mixture of R&B and Gospel, which some rejected, saying it was intoxicating their children’s minds mixing the Lord’s message with R&B. While on tour, Ray rejected playing a show in Augusta, Georgia because it was known as a “Jim Crow”. This meant that it was a segregated audience. He was soon banned from playing in the state of Georgia, and was thrown in an Indianapolis jail for playing his music, but also for the possession of heroine. He was simultaneously fighting segregation and becoming one of America's most decorated musicians. This really showed that in the late ‘50’s and ‘60’s, people and cops were relentless in trying to keep blacks and whites separated and crush any form of opposition. Since Ray Charles was so well known, his opposition was made extremely public and only gave African Americans more drive to fight for their rights and their freedom.

Jaime Foxx did an incredible job playing the part of the legendary Ray Charles and won the most sought after award for an actor-the Academy Award for Best Actor-for his performance in //Ray//. He was absolutely deserving of this for his remarkable portrayal of one of music’s greatest. I loved the flashbacks throughout the movie to his childhood and his struggles of dealing with the fact of being blind. It explained how he became the person he was and how he had faced hardship and struggle at every point in his life. The film was moving and inspiring, showing that you can do anything you set out to do, no matter what your beginnings were. It was a bit hard to follow at times and was more understandable if it was watched more than once. Overall, this is a brilliant film with an unbeatable message of you //can// overcome and persevere, no matter how bad your situation might seem.