Dave's Top Eight

1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars)
2. Sounds Like Sunday by Janet Paschal (reviewed 5/07) (5 Stars)
3. True To The Call by Kingdom Heirs (reviewed 3/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
4. Revival by Gold City (reviewed 10/06) (4 1/2 Stars)
5. Get Away Jordan by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (reviewed 2/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
6. Breakin' Chains by Three Bridges (reviewed 5/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
7. Big Sky by The Isaacs (reviewed 4/07)
8. Skywriting by Mercy's Well (reviewed 7/07)

Click title to purchase at CBD.com...click artist name to read Dave's Review. A CD will automatically fall out of the Top Eight after twelve months if no CD surpasses it before then.

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November 5, 2004

Ray

Dave's Movie Review


I saw Ray a few days ago. This 2 hr. and 30 minute biographical epic on the life of Ray Charles is already sparking rumors about an Oscar nomination for Jamie Foxx. Being a longtime fan, I thought the movie was entertaining, but it could have been improved considerably in some areas.

Obvious problems first . . . I noticed several scenes where the hands did not even come close to matching the music. When you're making a recording about a famous piano player, this is just unacceptable.

One particular scene was out of character from the rest of the film. Charles and his mistress are having an argument over whether she should have an abortion. When she refuses, he sings "Hit The Road, Jack." She sings a line or two back at him before she storms out the door. Otherwise, Ray is a movie ABOUT a musician, not a musical. Besides, the scene itself is tasteless . . . but it got the anticipated laugh from the audience.

The other drawback to this film is that it obsesses with Charles' struggles with heroin and adultery in his early career to the point that his musical accomplishments come off as secondary. Ultimately, the movie comes to a halt in the mid-1960s, with only a brief nod towards the last 40 years of Charles' illustrious career. That's a real shame. I had hoped to see some scenes about Charles' collaborative works with other artists like Billy Joel ("Baby Grand") and country groups like the Oak Ridge Boys. He was an amazingly versatile performer. Unfortunately, this film dwells so much on Charles' flaws it could turn away more potential fans than it attracts.

Thematic problems aside, Foxx does an excellent job conveying the spirit of Ray Charles on screen. The classic swagger is perfect, and the music sounds terrific. (The filmmakers used Charles himself for the recordings . . . a wise move.)

If you're already a Ray Charles fan you should see this film . . . if for no other reason than seeing how they managed to flub it in spite of Foxx's performance. If you aren't a fan of Ray Charles, though, skip the movie. Buy a couple of Ray Charles CDs instead.

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posted by David Bruce Murray @ 7:10:00 PM


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