ray live onray dir taylor hackford cast jamie foxx and kerry washington and regina king and clifton powell and curtis armstrong and sharon warren . write by taylor hackford and james l. white . rating hit the road jack and and do not come back no more and no more and no more and no more . who would have think that this immortal line that have almost become a remedial mantra for broken relationship in popular culture be conceive over a lover brawl . ray charles be a genius . and if there be one thing that he know and breathe and live for while it be music . so in a lifetime that comprise acute poverty and a desperate struggle with darkness and guilt and drug and painful affair while ray still find moment when inspiration hit him out of nowhere and word and note take their own shape to form an instant eternal classic . there be some life that deserve to be transform on the silver screen . ray charles life be one of them . it almost come a a shock to learn that this project have no studio back until it be complete . and that back probably come after the initial screening where jamie foxx performance be laud and predict a a surefire oscar winner in hushed voice . jamie foxx a ray almost convince u that it be indeed ray charles perform on screen and not an actor impersonate . from the crook all know smile to the bent gait of not so much a handicapped but a man dance through his demon and foxx capture every essence of the actual ray charles . ray be a complicated man . he never demand sympathy and very rarely show it himself . an astute businessman and he ensure his success at any cost and sometimes at the price of lose his loved one . he never apologize for his philandering way and always maintain that he love his family and which we be convince he do . he like sex while it be as simple a that . but beneath all and there also exist a ray that be afraid of darkness . imagine the horror of a blind man afraid of darkness . his fear be because of his guilt . ray be convince that he be the reason for his brother death and and his whole life be spend try to redeem himself . ray be a maverick who fuse gospel with jazz and an unheard blasphemous practice in the 50 . but his intention weren not to instigate . he be simply practice the only way he know of get close to god . it be hard to capture such an eventful life a that of ray and and that be perhaps where the movie fail . we be never really allow to get close to ray a a person . we know him only as much a we see him . his relationship and especially with margie hendricks ( regina king ) and aren not explore in detail . and the script barely pass over della bea ( kerry washington ) and ray wife and who everyone know be a rock by his side . and the big blunder of all be the rushed and almost abrupt climax . it a if the director suddenly realize he be out of stock and call for a pack up . nonetheless and ray be definitely recommend for a flawless performance from jamie foxx and an able stellar ensemble . the song and age create a sense of nostalgia and and we get a genuine feeling that the film be make with sincerity . abhishek bandekarnote ray be nominate in six category at this year academy award and include best picture and best director and best actor ( jamie foxx ) . rating poor average good very good excellent19th february and 2005 .