A Ray of Light on a Blue Genius

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And Foxx would lead the parade. His nailing of Charles' mannerisms (the stutter at the start of a sentence, the reflex smile, the hugging gesture that thanks a crowd for its cheers) might echo Foxx's In Living Color days. But this is more than a stunt. He carves a complex character out of what could have been hagiography. Foxx's performance, like the film, is sympathetic but not sentimental. It is as true as the blues to Charles' pain, as ecstatic as rock 'n' roll to his triumph. It sings, and it swings. --By Richard Corliss