Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Sunderfolk Phone Players

    10 ‘Sunderfolk’ Tips To Help You And Your Party Thrive

    05/02/2025
    Bob in Thunderbolts But Why Tho

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Visualizes Depression As Only A Superhero Movie Can

    05/02/2025
    Games to Play After Expedition 33

    5 Games to Play After Beating ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

    05/01/2025
    Lily James in Cinderella (2015)

    ‘Cinderella’ (2015) 10 Years Later: Disney’s Live-Action Jubilant Peak

    04/28/2025
    One of the spirits seen in Grave Encounters

    ‘Grave Encounters’ Is Still One Of The Best Found Footage Horror Films

    04/26/2025
  • GDC
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2
  • MCU
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » REVIEW: ‘Raymond And Ray’ A Great Concept, but Ultimately Rather Dull

REVIEW: ‘Raymond And Ray’ A Great Concept, but Ultimately Rather Dull

Aaron PhillipsBy Aaron Phillips10/17/20223 Mins Read
Raymond And Ray - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Raymond And Ray - But Why Tho

Formidable partnerships in film can make or break a project that leaves a lasting impression. So upon hearing that Raymond And Ray, an Apple TV+ movie exclusive, would pair the enigmatic talents of Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke as brothers I was first in line to check this project out. Following the news that their heartless father has passed away, the two brothers reunite to say their final goodbyes and double check the old man is actually dead and buried. But Raymond (McGregor) and Ray (Hawke) will learn more about their father from those around them than they ever realized.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Written and directed by Rodrigo García, the story peels back the layers of Raymond and Ray’s deeply bitter relationship to their father to the extent it’s become a formative part of who they are as adults. After spending years apart, the brothers begrudgingly come together to bury the very root of their problems and finally shed the weight they’ve carried around for decades.

I expected more from this film, especially when you have two mega talents like Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor at your disposal capable of some big emotional performances. It’s not to say their performances are terrible, because they undoubtedly carry the film. Rather, the script they’re working with and the choice of narrative direction just aren’t quite as compelling as they should be.

The largest problem is that while the focus is on the grief, or more likely, the relief, these two middle-aged men are processing, they’re also reconnecting after years apart. So there is an awkward space that exists between them as they re-learn to become familiar while they also process their own grief throughout the journey. With this somber tone, the pace of the film moves somewhat excruciatingly. The offset to this is the gallows humor that’s supposed to be present, creating a dark dramedy, but the balance is off. There are certainly moments of morbid humor that land but they’re captured really poorly, so you don’t get the full hit of humor.

There are also just a few lingering subplots set up for both main characters that fail to add any value. Instead, they muddy the brothers’ translations of their own grief and the understanding that the man they knew wasn’t the man they knew after all. This was by far the most interesting thread of the entire film. It was the experience of Raymond and Ray talking with the people closest to their father in the latter stages of his life and celebrating his presence. Yet, the dialogue fails to really scratch the surface or find the words to contextualize the son’s frustrations at missed opportunities or their anger at their own mistreatment.

Raymond And Ray had a great foundation, with an interesting concept at the core, but it fails to realize the full potential of what it could have been. While McGregor and Hawke hold this film up, they were also heavily underutilized given their range and ability. It’s an interesting watch, but it at times also feels painfully slow.

Raymond And Ray will be available exclusively on Apple TV+ Friday, October 21st, 2022.

Raymond And Ray
  • 6.5/10
    Rating - 6.5/10
6.5/10

TL;DR

Raymond And Ray had a great foundation, with an interesting concept at the core, but it fails to realize the full potential of what it could have been. While McGregor and Hawke hold this film up, they were also heavily underutilized given their range and ability. It’s an interesting watch, but it at times also feels painfully slow.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘A Plague Tale: Requiem’ is Deliciously Heartrending (PS5)
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War,’ Episode 2 — “Foundation Stones”
Aaron Phillips
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Aaron is a contributing writer at But Why Tho, serving as a reviewer for TV and Film. Hailing originally from England, and after some lengthy questing, he's currently set up shop in Pennsylvania. He spends his days reading comics, podcasting, and being attacked by his small offspring.

Related Posts

Jeanne Goursaud as Sarah in Netflix Original Film The Exterritorial
7.0

REVIEW: ‘Exterritorial’ Is A Netflix Action Movie Worth Watching

05/03/2025
Seohyun, Ma Dong-seok, and David Lee in Holy Night Demon Hunters
6.0

REVIEW: ‘Holy Night Demon Hunters’ Holds Nothing Back

05/02/2025
Oscar in The Rose of Versailles (2025)
3.5

REVIEW: ‘The Rose of Versailles’ Fails To Harness Its Potential

05/01/2025
The cast of the Thunderbolts
5.5

REVIEW: ‘Thunderbolts*’ Fosters A Half-Hearted Identity

04/29/2025
Spreadsheet Champions
8.0

HOT DOCS 2025: ‘Spreadsheet Champions’ Excels In Heart

04/28/2025
Bullet Train Explosion
6.0

REVIEW: ‘Bullet Train Explosion’ Fails To Accelerate

04/24/2025
TRENDING POSTS
The Eternaut promotional image from Netflix
8.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The Eternaut’ Is Another International Sci-Fi Hit

By Kate Sánchez05/03/2025

The Eternaut tackles genre staples through an Argentine lens and winds up being one of the best sci-fi series on Netflix.

Hen in 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 16
8.5
TV

RECAP: ‘9-1-1’ Season 8 Episode 16 — “The Last Alarm”

By Katey Stoetzel05/01/2025Updated:05/03/2025

9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 16 is an emotional ringer, perfectly setting the tone for what 9-1-1 can look like without Bobby Nash.

Jeanne Goursaud as Sarah in Netflix Original Film The Exterritorial
7.0
Film

REVIEW: ‘Exterritorial’ Is A Netflix Action Movie Worth Watching

By Kate Sánchez05/03/2025Updated:05/03/2025

Exterritorial scratches that mid-budget action itch that is finally starting to come into focus in the action landscape again.

Will Forte and Tina Fey in The Four Seasons on Netflix
9.0
TV

REVIEW: ‘The Four Seasons’ Is As Relatable As It Is Messy

By Kate Sánchez05/03/2025

The Four Seasons is a romantic comedy, a dramedy, and the perfect love story for those who have been with our partners for a long time.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here