By Neil Smith BBC News

Jamie Foxx's performance has been widely praised

A film biography of legendary US musician Ray Charles starring Collateral actor Jamie Foxx premiered in the UK at London Film Festival.

Ray, which opened in the US on Friday, comes five months after the soul singer's death at the age of 73.

Charles had collaborated with director Taylor Hackford on the project and recorded songs for the film.

Speaking before the screening in central London, Hackford said he hoped his picture would add to the late star's legacy.

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"Most people think they know Ray, but few people have any idea of how his life was," said the 59-year-old director.

"Ray was a very complex man, and complexity breeds complexity.

"That thorniness and difficulty made his story worthy of a dramatic film."

Uncanny

Critics in the US have heaped praise on Ray's star Jamie Foxx, with many predicting Oscar glory next year for the 36-year-old actor.

Foxx, who was prevented from attending Sunday's screening by a death in the family, does indeed deliver a charismatic and uncannily accurate performance.

Kerry Washington plays Charles' wife Della Bea Robinson

The actor wore prosthetic make-up over his eyes during shooting that temporarily made him as blind as Ray himself.

And while he "lip-synched" to Charles' recordings, Foxx used his own ability as a pianist to replicate the great man's distinctive playing style.

The film opens in 1948 with an 18-year-old Ray boarding a bus to Seattle to begin his career as a solo artist.

The story that follows charts his gradual rise to stardom, his marriage to the gospel singer Della Bea Robinson (Kerry Washington) and his numerous adulterous affairs.

Flashbacks to his poverty-stricken childhood in Georgia introduce his no-nonsense mother Aretha (Sharon Warren) and younger brother George (Terrone Bell).

Addiction

Shortly before losing his sight to glaucoma, the six-year-old Ray watched his sibling drown in a tragic accident.

Hackford contends that Charles' unresolved guilt haunted him throughout his adult life and may have been a contributory factor in his 20-year addiction to heroin.

The film combines great acting with wonderful music

In a film full of wonderful music thrillingly performed, such dubious psychology strikes a conspicuously discordant note.

The same applies to a mawkish dream sequence towards the end of the movie which sees a sighted Charles miraculously reunited with his dead relatives.

For the most part, however, Ray offers an unsentimental, warts-and-all portrait of a driven individual whose prickly temperament and suspicious nature often alienated him from friends and family.

Ray's arrests for narcotics possession are also tackled, as are his battles with unscrupulous managers, racist police and religious fundamentalists who objected to his then-revolutionary fusion of blues and gospel.

'Boring'

With an extravagant running time of two-and-a-half hours, it is perhaps surprising how much of Ray's history is omitted from the film.

Hackford justified this decision by saying the last four decades of his subject's life were relatively incident-free.

"It was success after success, and success is boring," he said.

Still, you feel he might have made room for Ray's two divorces and the 12 children he fathered in and out of wedlock.

Something that is never boring is the movie's electrifying recreation of Charles' greatest hits.

Indeed, the likes of Hit The Road Jack, Georgia On My Mind and Unchain My Heart have rarely sounded better than they do here.

This and Foxx's excellent central performance ensure Ray remains a memorable, if not particularly original, screen biopic - and a fitting tribute to an undisputed musical genius.

Ray opens in the UK on 21 January 2005.

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Have you seen Ray since it opened in the US? What did you think of it? Was it a convincing portrayal of the singer and his life?

It was brilliant. The acting was superb. Jamie Foxx deserves an Oscar and so does Regina King. Simply, brilliant.
Linda Rochon, USA

Great movie! I will be purchasing this one for viewing at my leisure. Sharon Warren did an excellent job portraying a mother who forces herself to let the child find his own way after he goes blind. Heart-wrenching. Kerry Washington portrayed the 'wife of the 50's' with class and aplomb and Regina King was the perfect 'other woman' with her indignation and genuine love for the man. Aunjanue's performance was also excellent. Mr. Foxx, I am still applauding. Thank you.
Twist, Costa Mesa, CA USA

Jamie Foxx did a wonderful job as Mr. Ray Charles. I'm 17 years old and people dont think I could grasp Ray's music. but I can dig it. Oscar for Jamie Foxx.
Dwight, San Diego ca

Bravo! What a wonderful film and superb performance by Jamie Foxx. It was a delightful way to pass last Friday night. An Academy Award nomination should come to Foxx for his portrayal of the late great music man Ray Charles. The music is fabulous!!
Patsy, USA

Ray is one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Jamie Foxx gives and awesome preformance and is able to bring Ray to life. After seeing that movie I feel like I know Ray Charles.
Veronica, San Francisco ,CA , USA

Words can not express how phenomenal the movie was. The young lady that played Ray's mother seemed to have not received any reviews, but I must say - if I be the first - she was excellent!!!!! Jamie Foxx went to another level in his acting.
Lynn Green, Lithonia, GA, USA

Ray is an outstanding achievement in film-making, it has been far too long since a movie made me feel such emotion. Ray's life has been bought to the screen with a tangible reality. You feel these are the people in his life and that you are watching Ray Charles himself. Everyone deserves all the accolades that have been given. This role was Jamie Foxx's, after seeing this movie I can not imagine anyone else playing Ray. As much as, his roles have made me take notice for his skill as an actor, I was totally surprised at his screen presence and the skill in which he transformed into Ray Charles. By the end you will have to remind yourself the guy on the screen is not Ray Charles. A truly awesome film indeed.
Phillip, Atlanta, GA

This is an excellent movie. Jamie Fox did an outstanding job in his role as Ray Charles. Several in the theater stood up and clapped and cheered.
Freda, Topeka, USA

It's a great movie. I have always loved Ray's music, but I had never made an effort to find out who was the creator. I guess probably because I am too young to know who he is. I am glad they have made story of Ray Charles into a movie. It's one way to keep his legend and contribution to music alive. It also educates young people like me.
Lan, San Jose, CA

I was completely mesmerized by Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles. He brought him to life in such an amazing way that I felt the impact of Ray's personality and lasting genius. "Georgia" sent shivers through me. I've seen Ray Charles perform live, and loved the enormous musical and personal energy he projected to his audiences. This film gave me the same rush, and did justice to the greatness of Ray Charles. It wasn't sugar-coated, but I felt such empathy with him through his troubled times. Kudos to the whole cast who were extraordinary. When I left the theatre I went up to several people going in and expressed to them how great the film was, and that if they were there to see Ray it would be an amazing cinematic experience. First-class!!!
Kasandra, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

The acting in this film was sheer brilliance. The way Jamie Foxx moved and talked was on key. I'm only 16 but I have a deep and fond love of the art of music. Ray charles was shown in a cascade of lights his highs and lows and this was one of the best films i have ever seen in my life. Truly a unique movie.
Tatiana Edwards, Ca, USA

There is only one word to describe this movie....Wow! The music was incredible but Jamie Foxx stole the show. I couldn't separate Jamie from the real Ray. In this movie, he IS Ray. Ray's life story reads more like fiction, although it's true. It introduced facts that I wasn't aware of. This is definitely a "don't miss".
Murray Perotin, Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Saw it at the premiere last night, introduced by Taylor Hackford. In his opening speech he mentioned that it was turned down by the studios as it was a "TV movie". They were right.
Nick Whitehouse, Sutton Coldfield, UK

I thought this movie was one of the best biopics I have ever seen and I think that Jamie Foxx definitely deserves a statue (if not several) for this one. Way to go!!!
Michael, Kansas City, MO, USA

This is this best movie I have seen in the longest time. Watching the movie, I felt like it was really Ray on screen. Jamie did a wonderful job.
Angela Thorpe, Toronto, Canada

Foxx deserves an Oscar for his role as Ray Charles. The man played the piano like Ray Charles played the piano. He smiled like Ray Charles. He spoke like Ray Charles. He walked like Ray Charles. We were watching Ray Charles. Great movie.
Michael Wilson, Denver, Colorado USA

Great Movie.. I had no idea how many obstacles this great man had gone through... Jamie Foxx does an outstanding job!!! Can't wait to buy this one...
Erin, Torrance, Ca USA

For someone with a very unique gift and life such as Ray Charles, it is a very difficult task trying to capture the essence of this man in a movie. Nevertheless Ray succeeded by allowing the viewer to see the man for what he was and will always be - a genius who in spite of his handicap and other obstacles such as poverty, racial discrimination, drug use, and womanizing was able to create outstanding music that would have a great influence on many different music forms. The success of Ray will be primarily due to Jamie Foxx's outstanding portrayal of Ray Charles. Other good performances that deserve to be mentioned were the actors who played Ray Charles' mother, wife, mistresses, and Ray Charles as a young boy. At the end of the movie, fellow moviegoers and I applauded. The movie has made me want to know a lot more about this great musician - his life and his music.
Suzanne Mills, Chicago, Illinois

One of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Jamie Foxx did such a good job it was hard to believe that it wasn't really Ray Charles himself. The music was great, and the story although heartbreaking at times had an uplifting end. What a nice change to see a life with all its good and bad mixed in not just a sugar-coated version of an extraordinary life.
Kiki, San Francisco

Excellent portrayal of the lengendary musician. I felt like standing and having a sing a long during the movie. I cried and I laughed out loud.
Deneen McGrier, Farmington Hills, USA

Ray is a stunning and emotionally charged movie. Jamie Foxx is Ray in every way fron the outset and puts in a masterful performance. Ray's life for the majority of us was about his music, and the scenes recreating his stage performances in the movie are outstanding.
Alan, Raleigh, NC, USA

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