Little Tony DeFranco
10-31-2004, 06:42 AM
Review: Ray
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
The Hollywood musical bio is always one of my favorite genre outlets. From the oldstyle look at legendary stars like Elvis and The Beatles and even Benny Goodman done with passion for the music more than substance. Taylor Hackford made his fist film a musical called "The Idolmaker", about the rise of the teen idols like Fabian and Frankie Avalon. That film was one of the finest musicals ever (where is the DVD dammit!) with a rockin' soundtrack (original songs by Jeff Barry from the Brille Bld). His choice to make "Ray" was a return to his roots in film making. One person whose story needed to be told was that of Ray Charles Robinson, or just plain Ray Charles. A blind piano player from a dirt poor town in No. Florida who made his name mark as the greatest black musical artist of the 20th Century.
They gave the role of Ray to Jamie Foxx because he has a background in music (the piano) and bares a striking resemblance. Foxx has played real people before, like Bundini Brown in "Ali" and Tookie Williams in the bio of the leader of 'The Crips' from the DVD "Redemption", both fine perfs. Foxx was personally chosen by Ray Charles to star in the film so I expected good things. What I saw on the screen was a true revelation, and Foxx delivers the best acting performance this year. Passionate, troubled, quiet, funny, and frightened. All this and having the look of the real Ray. The songs were lip-sync to the re-recorded Ray (pumped up stuff is great).
Hackford does a bang-up job with the musical sequences, each of the hits like 'Do the Mess Around" and 'What I Say' have a comic and dramatic purpose. To show that the birth of these songs were the real story of Ray. The supporting cast is full of our finest black character actors like Clifton Powell (Philly fav), Wendell Pierce, Larenz Tate as Quincy Jones and Bokeem Woodbine as Fathead Newman. The surprise casting of Curtis Armstrong (Booger fro "Nerds") as legend Atlantic Records owner Ahmet Ertegun (in the funniest moment in the movie...he sings). The lead female roles are excellent, with Kerry Washington as Mrs. Charles and Regina King as Raylett backup singer Margie.
I have to say the entire movie is top notch and the story can be very moving. The scenes with young Ray and his mother (Sharon Warren in her debut will get best supporting actress) will bring real tears. The film is long and the ending is unfocused but it is still heartfelt. Foxx deserves the Oscar for his range and realism. My favorite movie this year (it's my thing) even though it's old fashioned. Watch for dwarf actor Warwick Davis in a very good role. Browntown needs to go Downtown to smoke some Gage and shoot up with the Brothas!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
The Hollywood musical bio is always one of my favorite genre outlets. From the oldstyle look at legendary stars like Elvis and The Beatles and even Benny Goodman done with passion for the music more than substance. Taylor Hackford made his fist film a musical called "The Idolmaker", about the rise of the teen idols like Fabian and Frankie Avalon. That film was one of the finest musicals ever (where is the DVD dammit!) with a rockin' soundtrack (original songs by Jeff Barry from the Brille Bld). His choice to make "Ray" was a return to his roots in film making. One person whose story needed to be told was that of Ray Charles Robinson, or just plain Ray Charles. A blind piano player from a dirt poor town in No. Florida who made his name mark as the greatest black musical artist of the 20th Century.
They gave the role of Ray to Jamie Foxx because he has a background in music (the piano) and bares a striking resemblance. Foxx has played real people before, like Bundini Brown in "Ali" and Tookie Williams in the bio of the leader of 'The Crips' from the DVD "Redemption", both fine perfs. Foxx was personally chosen by Ray Charles to star in the film so I expected good things. What I saw on the screen was a true revelation, and Foxx delivers the best acting performance this year. Passionate, troubled, quiet, funny, and frightened. All this and having the look of the real Ray. The songs were lip-sync to the re-recorded Ray (pumped up stuff is great).
Hackford does a bang-up job with the musical sequences, each of the hits like 'Do the Mess Around" and 'What I Say' have a comic and dramatic purpose. To show that the birth of these songs were the real story of Ray. The supporting cast is full of our finest black character actors like Clifton Powell (Philly fav), Wendell Pierce, Larenz Tate as Quincy Jones and Bokeem Woodbine as Fathead Newman. The surprise casting of Curtis Armstrong (Booger fro "Nerds") as legend Atlantic Records owner Ahmet Ertegun (in the funniest moment in the movie...he sings). The lead female roles are excellent, with Kerry Washington as Mrs. Charles and Regina King as Raylett backup singer Margie.
I have to say the entire movie is top notch and the story can be very moving. The scenes with young Ray and his mother (Sharon Warren in her debut will get best supporting actress) will bring real tears. The film is long and the ending is unfocused but it is still heartfelt. Foxx deserves the Oscar for his range and realism. My favorite movie this year (it's my thing) even though it's old fashioned. Watch for dwarf actor Warwick Davis in a very good role. Browntown needs to go Downtown to smoke some Gage and shoot up with the Brothas!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat