Review: Raymond & Ray

When half-brothers Raymond and Ray have to reunite for their estranged father's funeral, they both discover that his final wish was for them to dig his grave. Together they process who they have become as men, both because of their father and in spite of him.

Starring: Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke

This was something. The story about two brothers trying to deal with the death of their abusive father, while simultaneously putting each other down and figuring out life was a nice, yet flawed attempt. Unfortunately, the issue lies with how cluttered it overall felt, trying to balance the many characters, and awkwardly conveyed moments that made for some unusual sequences that caused me to question the tone of the film.

While not as emotional as it should have been, I found myself laughing in multiple instances. If it was solely a story about two brothers dealing with their past as kids and dealing with the recent death without any convoluted storylines or characters, I think I would feel a lot more emotionally invested. The writing, while inconsistent, was great. Both Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke did an outstanding job accompanied by the majestic jazz score, something I appreciated a lot, elevating a lot of scenes. The cinematography was admirable but rather gray, whether it was intentional or not, I felt a slight disconnect with the mood.

At the end of the day, Raymond & Ray was a good movie. Despite not being too impressive, the heart, acting & score were all well rounded with a lot of room for improvement. If you’re looking for a calm, heartwarming experience, I recommend this for you.