Ray poster

Ray (2004)

Film · 2h 32m · Rated PG-13

Drama, Musical

A blind piano prodigy channels grit and soul into a musical revolution, finding triumph through adversity.

Melancholy and uplifting. A comfort watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is devastating. Based on true events.

Streaming on Starz and YouTube (free).

Ray parents guide

Moderate sex and nudity, which is more than most PG-13 titles carry. Beyond that, some strong language and some violence.

Our estimate: fine from about 16, higher than the PG-13 suggests, because of the sex and nudity.

Scare
Not scary
Jump scares
None noted
Gore
No gore
Violence
Some violence
Some fighting or peril.
Sex and nudity
Moderate
Moderate means a sex scene or nudity on screen, even brief, or sexual violence that is described or implied but never shown.
Language
Moderate
Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

What is Ray about?

Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered coupling gospel and country together.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.

Cast and crew

Directed byTaylor Hackford
StarringJamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Harry Lennix, Clifton Powell, Bokeem Woodbine

More like Ray

Ray is on our Starz, Drama on Starz and Musical lists.

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Lists with the same feel: Tearjerkers and Comfort watches.

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Uses the TMDB API; not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Intensity, content, tone and pace tags are CouchRot's own.