Raymond & Ray (2022)

Raymond & Ray is the kind of bittersweet dramedy that sneaks up on you: a small, odd premise—two half-brothers forced into one last humiliating task for a cruel father—opens into something unexpectedly tender about grief, damage, and the hard work of becoming your own man. Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke have an easy, lived-in chemistry that lets the movie pivot gracefully between wry laughs and real, throat-tightening honesty, while Maribel Verdú adds a warm, complicating presence that keeps the story from feeling like a two-hander therapy session. Rodrigo García directs with a gentle, unshowy touch, letting silences land and humor arrive naturally, so the tone feels humane rather than heavy. It’s not for everyone—some of the subject matter is raw and the comedy runs dark—but if you like character-driven films where people talk around their pain until they finally can’t, this one is quietly rewarding.

Raymond & Ray is clearly aiming for a tender, darkly funny reckoning with father-son trauma, using the “dig the grave” premise as a blunt metaphor for emotional work. The problem is the screenplay feels oddly thin and familiar, with a meandering pace and a string of setups that can come off more contrived than cathartic, so the big feelings don’t always land. Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke do most of the heavy lifting and are watchable together, and there are a few quietly affecting moments, but don’t expect a sharply written dramedy or a story with real momentum. If you’re sensitive to abuse themes, morbid humor, or the film’s more provocative funeral details, this may feel like a slog rather than a healing journey.