Review of the movie Raymond & Ray The 2022 film Raymond & Ray is considered by many viewers to be one of the worst releases of the year. The movie follows two brothers who meet again after many years away from each other. 

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Raymond & Ray movie review
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Raymond & Ray movie review

The movie Raymond & Ray follows two brothers who are reunited after years away from each other due to the death of their absent father. Regardless of their father's presence or not, they both reflect the men they have become. 

Director and screenwriter Rodrigo García, son of the great Gabriel García Márquez, continues to strive to create incredible productions like his father's. However, unlike his father, he wisely follows a different path. However, unlike his father, he wisely follows a different path in his work. 

The producer has been active for more than two decades, exercising a certain empathy in the creation of his characters. However, this prevents him from taking a detached, critical look at his works. 

The producer's stories are openly human, often showing melodrama, which may put off skeptics or the suspicious. That's not necessarily a bad thing. However, in Raymond * Ray, he sets out from a family conflict in a relentless quest to settle the score. 

The desire for everything to end well makes up for the loose ends that exist in the film, but the stumbling blocks shouldn't be ignored by critics or viewers. The actor cast to play Raymond was Ewan McGregor, Harris's eldest son, who never developed a healthy relationship. 

Like Raymond, Ray (Ethan Hawke) hasn't developed a relationship with his father over the years. Even so, they both agree to attend the man's funeral, regardless of whether or not he showed any real feelings for them. 

Among the requirements is the obligation for the children to dig their father's grave, using a simple coffin. The body's farewell takes place through embalming, which is open for loved ones to visit. 

The people who knew the deceased over the years describe him as a loving, kind and sympathetic person. And that's enough to cause discomfort between the siblings, who are from different mothers. 

Relationships

Among the characters is Lucia (Maribel Verdu), mother of the family's youngest son, who makes it clear that the man was more of a friend than anything else right after he leaves. In this sense, she is not prevented from showing an interest in Raymond, who, due to his paternal traumas, has never known if he lives up to the wives he has had. 

On the other hand, Ray also has ghosts that he has to fight, one of which escapes during a drunken night. His brother's entire routine is interrupted by the paternal presence of Kiera, who, when she arrives at the funeral, tries to approach him with dignity. 

Scenario

The scenery is rich in detail, but sometimes it's symmetrical, as if for every fit it's necessary to generate a balanced opposite. However, although it is a precious puzzle, it loses its spontaneity throughout the movie. 

Raymond & Ray can be classified as a road movie, but it doesn't even come close to being one. This is because the sections that take place on the road are minimal, but they push the viewer into a transformation typical of the genre. 

In order for the internal change of reality to occur, the simple, reductionist formula is imposed in the feature film. This is far from reality. Even though the producer makes it clear that there's no avoiding the sugar dosage, the movie can't be overlooked for the incredible work of the cast. 

Marasmus

In the midst of past traumas and pain, the brothers become distant figures. Raymond is a methodical person with a job and three failed marriages. Ray, on the other hand, is an addict, rebellious and outspoken. 

At a certain point in the movie, the pair begin to understand their role at the funeral, which is to dig up and bury their father. However, due to the numerous wounds and deep scars, they display a dynamic of belated reckoning. 

The movie gets bogged down in unnecessary plot twists, with comic reliefs that often don't fit in with the drama. Anyway, it's worth watching, especially for the dynamic between the actors. However, it's Maribel Verdú, a free-spirited character, who steals the show. 

See also: Review of the movie The Menu