The life of Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx) shows the personal struggles that he encountered growing up in the South as a young blind child (Ray went blind at age 7), and then as a famous singer. The story of his rise to fame and his relationship with his mother and younger brother, his wife, and other women are all part of his celebrated life. Ray's mother told him never to become a cripple, and Ray didn't. Ray was a musical genius who took control of his life and his music, although he did have some setbacks. The movie doesn't sugar coat any of Ray's life. It shows the devastating impact that heroin addiction had on him, and the will power he had to kick the habit.