The notion of the artist as a troubled soul is so ingrained in the cultural psyche that it's become something of a cliché. Name me one well-adjusted actor, painter or singer and I'll list two who are troubled by past or present demons that inspire and/or eventually destroy their careers and sometimes them. In today's world of instant celebrity news, it's hard for any such trouble to get by the nosey press and constantly hungry public. Yet, sometimes it takes a biographical film about such people to reveal all of those demons as well as the gifts.
For those not intimately familiar with the life of music legend Ray Charles, the latest such biopic, "Ray," will certainly open some eyes. That's because it not only showcases the blind singer and pianist and his many well-known hits, but also a troubling childhood event, his adulterous ways and his growing addiction to heroin that nearly cost him his career and possibly his life back in the 1960s.
The result is a fairly entertaining but somewhat long look at the man and his music. Of course, for any such film to work, the casting is crucial because without a convincing performer playing the part, all hope is lost. In that particular respect, director Taylor Hackford ("Proof of Life," "An Officer and a Gentleman") and his casting crew hit the jackpot with Jamie Foxx ("Collateral," "Ali"). And that's because the increasingly recognized actor goes far beyond simply impersonating the legend.
Yes, while he reportedly played his own piano pieces (being a classically trained pianist), the actor does lip-synch to Charles' original music. Considering that all film actors do that in works where they do their own singing, it's not a big deal (and only really shows in one or two moments). But those are just the mechanical issues that include the trademark glasses, vocal intonations and more.
Yet, Foxx does all of that one better by becoming Charles. Other than one scene where the character imagines returning to a childhood flashback as a sight-capable adult, the actor so immerses himself in the role that he and real man become one. It's a remarkable bit of acting and I had to remind myself more than once that I was watching the same guy who once appeared in "Booty Call."
Thankfully, this isn't a one-star command performance, with the likes of Kerry Washington ("She Hate Me," "Against the Ropes"), Regina King ("A Cinderella Story," "Daddy Day Care"), Sharon Warren (making her impressive debut as Ray's mom), Clifton Powell ("Never Die Alone," "Friday After Next"), Aunjanue Ellis ("Undercover Brother," "Lovely & Amazing") and many more delivering solid performances from start to finish. While all of the attention is obviously directed at Foxx, the supporting cast is splendid and gives the film a full-bodied appeal.
Starting in 1948 when the young pianist set out for Seattle through his drug dependency issues in the early '60s, the film obviously doesn't cover all of the artist's life (that sadly ended this past summer during the film's post-production). Of course, adding more would have resulted in a rather long film becoming too much from a time standpoint.
Besides, there's plenty of material (and historical/cultural events) from just that period to go around, and Hackford and co-screenwriter James L. White (making his debut) do occasionally return to the character's childhood to examine several life-changing events that forever shaped who he'd ultimately become. Like most biopics, this one can't avoid possessing an episodic structure as the years and their events pass by. It does create a bit of an unavoidably fractured feeling as characters and happenings come and go.
The one constant, of course, is Charles and his music. Above and beyond Foxx's performance, we're treated to what's arguably the best soundtrack of the year featuring Charles' wide range of musical styles he excelled in over his career. Some of the film's best moments come during the many musical numbers including seeing what real-life occurrences led up to and/or inspired them (which adds to some of the film's already present humor that only helps make the picture and its protagonist more endearing).
And that's a good thing since the legend was really just a man with a number of character faults that made him decidedly less than angelic. It's a testament to Hackford, Foxx and, of course, the real man, that viewers will likely stick with the character through thick and thin whereas some of the behavior would likely drive them away from other such artists.
Notwithstanding all of the praise, I have to say I wish the film as a whole was as excellent as its individual moments. Mind you, it's still rather good, but at times I felt like the effort was just going through the standard troubled artist biopic by the numbers, showing us the ups and downs as the years passed by. Again, that's the nature of the beast, and while I enjoyed the picture, I kept wanting the overall effort to feel as electrifying as the performances and assorted musical moments.
Perhaps it was the 160-some minute length or the fact that the film abruptly ends once Charles conquers his demons (leaving forty more years of story untouched beyond a very brief onscreen postscript). I know, those two notions are contradictory (wanting more but with less running time), but the effort runs on a bit and then makes you feel like "Ray II" will be coming out in the next year or so.
Who knows, with some likely award nominations and hefty soundtrack sales, that's always a possibility. Until then, find a comfy seat, sit back and enjoy what's arguably the best performance of the year surrounded by the best music all while experiencing part of the life of an American music legend. "Ray" rates as a 7 out of 10.
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