Inspired by real-world figure of Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear, this is a mostly well-made film. There are some dramatic sequences showing the dangers of the divers' underwater assignments. At times it seems a little sappy, perhaps because of the choice of music, but the storytelling and acting lift it above average status. The two male leads are both excellent, and they make their characters suitably convincing to bring this true story to life.
It manages to cram in a lot of song performances as well as back story about the death of Ray's young brother and the loss of his vision as a child. There’s also a fair bit about his complicated personal life and his heroin addiction. Foxx is excellent at playing the wildly talented but conflicted character who is simultaneously worshipped and misunderstood.
Director Taylor Hackford gets away with sometimes tricksy visuals (neon signs floating across the screen as text, and so on) by making them work in the context of the narrative.
