Raymond & Ray

Raymond & Ray is a 2022 comedy-drama film written and directed by Rodrigo García. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Ethan Hawke, Maribel Verdú, and Sophie Okonedo.

Raymond & Ray had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022, and was released in select cinemas on October 14, 2022, before its streaming release on October 21, 2022, by Apple TV+.

Plot
Raymond drives on a late, rainy night to a remote cabin to inform his half-brother, Ray, that their father, Ben Harris, has died. Raymond informs Ray that it was their father's last wish that all his sons attend his funeral. Raymond works in a boring office job and is in the middle of a divorce. Ray is a recovering heroin addict who gave up playing jazz music on the trumpet as a way to thumb his nose at his father, who had pushed him to learn to play the instrument. Ray is at first reluctant to go, but Raymond convinces him after admitting that he lost his driver's license when he was arrested for a DUI. The brothers haven't seen each other in nearly five years because of the abuse their father inflicted on them during childhood.

Driving most of the next day, they finally arrive at the funeral home. To their shock, their father had requested to be buried in the nude, and he wanted his sons to dig his grave with their own hands. They go to the home their father was living in and meet his nurse, Lucia, who was also his lover.

Cast

 * Ewan McGregor as Raymond
 * Ethan Hawke as Ray
 * Maribel Verdú as Lucia
 * Sophie Okonedo as Kiera
 * Maxim Swinton as Simon
 * Vondie Curtis-Hall as Reverend West
 * Chris Silcox as Leon
 * Chris Grabher as Vincent
 * Oscar Nunez as Mendez

Production
It was announced in August 2021 that Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke had been cast to star in the film, which is written and directed by Rodrigo García. In October, Maribel Verdú and Sophie Okonedo were added to the cast, with Maxim Swinton joining the next month.

Virginia governor Ralph Northam announced in September 2021 that the film would shoot in Central Virginia beginning in the fall. Filming began in Richmond the following month. Filming took place in Hopewell, Virginia from October 18 to 21. Filming took place at Oakwood Cemetery in Richmond in November.

Jeff Beal composed the film's score.

Release
It had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022. It also made it to 'World Cinema' section of 27th Busan International Film Festival to be screened on October 7, 2022.

Critical reception
On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".