Ray ★★★★
9.00pm-12.05am Sony Movie Channel

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Sadly the great rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles died some months before this biopic of him opened. But I’m sure he’d have enjoyed Jamie Foxx’s impersonation. The Oscar voters certainly did, naming him best actor. The story follows Charles’s life from the time he went blind, aged seven, shortly after watching his brother drown in a bath. Charles, apparently, never forgave himself for not saving him. Taylor Hackford’s excellent musical drama hints that this guilt, along with the encouragement of his mother (Sharon Warren), drove him on to a remarkable career. Along the way he developed an addiction to heroin before conquering the habit. Oh, and he also fathered numerous children by a variety of women. But his main affairs were with a blues singer (Aunjanue Ellis) and a member of his backup group (Regina King). It’s a gripping tale with music provided by the peerless Charles, who was actively involved in the film production,and an outstanding performance by Foxx.


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