Everybody's a critic - 'Ray'

Three and a half stars

Stunning is the word that comes to mind when I think of "Ray." Jamie Foxx does an incredible job portraying the one and only Ray Charles and the rest of the cast was great.

I found the whole movie very interesting and it does a perfect job portraying Charles' life story.

His story is not sugarcoated and the movie makes it obvious that Charles was no angel. He was a womanizer and a heroine addict for most of his life.

I was just blown away by the performances and the whole story. The only flaw that comes to mind is the length of the movie. Two-and-a-half hours was just a little too long.

Other than that, "Ray" was a great movie that brought on many emotions. I wanted to cry, shout, dance, laugh and clap my hands while watching it.

- Somer Olson, student

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Two stars

In casting the role of Ray Charles, the producers of "Ray" could not have picked a better person to play Charles than Jamie Foxx.

Foxx's performance brings the beloved Ray Charles back to life without adjusting our memories of him.

It is reported that the singer had worked personally with Foxx so the actor could fine-tune the look, personality and sound of a young, blind piano player who was determined to influence future musical stars.

Despite the great acting, "Ray" has glimmers of a made-for-television movie. Too many of Ray's adult dilemmas seem to be blamed on a single childhood trauma and the screenwriters go too in-depth, resulting in an extremely long movie.

Those inclined to see Foxx in "Ray" should be warned that it is extremely long. You might want to view it at home.

- Carl Appel, online sales

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Three stars

"Ray" is one of those films that you are not likely to forget after watching it.

The movie begins as Ray Charles, brilliantly played by Jamie Foxx, travels to Seattle to start his music career. He plays with several bands and makes a name for himself in the music world by mixing R&B with gospel music.

"Ray" takes us through the life of Ray Charles by showing us how he dealt with being blind and an entertainer. We also get an inside look at the life of Charles, including his marriage, his affairs and his battle with drug use. I learned a lot about Charles by seeing this movie.

Even though "Ray" could be shorter, I believe this is a film worth seeing.

- Brandi Farrow, student