In Raymond & Ray, the American family road trip movie takes an altogether different route. The Apple TV Plus original, starring Hollywood A-listers Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke, follows two brothers who are poles apart — mild-mannered, rule-abiding Raymond (Ewan McGregor) and charismatic musician Ray (Ethan Hawke) — but must make a 36-hour journey to (literally) bury their father.
"To me it’s ultimately a story of healing, of how you move forward in your life even when there’s still doubt and pain," explains Ewan McGregor. "The way Raymond and Ray spar can be very funny, but at the same time it comes from something deeper, from the damage they share. The fact that these two lost men come to see that, gives me hope."
"I remember saying to Ewan, 'If you like the script as much as I do, I think we’re going to have a really good time doing this together'," adds Ethan Hawke.
The movie also stars Hotel Rwanda and Ratched actor Sophie Okonedo, who plays the brothers’ father’s former nurse who forces Ray to do some much-needed soul-searching.
So here's everything you need to know about Raymond & Ray on Apple TV Plus…
Raymond & Ray release date
Raymond & Ray is now available to stream on Apple TV Plus. It is also being shown in select cinemas.
Is there a trailer for Raymond & Ray?
Yes! The trailer shows Raymond and Ray on their road trip to their father’s funeral and we see how the scars of the past both unite them and push their relationship to breaking point. It looks like a hell of a ride! "It was your father's last wish that you dig his grave," the brothers are told! You can watch it here below...
Raymond & Ray plot
Estranged brothers Raymond (Ewan McGregor) and Ray (Ethan Hawke) are reunited when Raymond has to break the news to his brother that their father has died. Both boys have traumatic memories of the man, so it comes as a shock when they hear his last wish was for his sons to dig his grave. Raymond in particular hopes to use the occasion to heal old wounds whereas musician Ray is not so keen. But as they journey to the funeral, they learn more about themselves and one another than they could ever have imagined.
Raymond & Ray reviews — what the critics are saying
Critics aren't necessarily jumping over the moon for Raymond & Ray. The movie has scored a 51% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 51 on Metacritic, both of which are middling on the sites' scoring systems.
How long is Raymond & Ray?
Raymond & Ray clocks in with a runtime of one hour and 45 minutes.
What is Raymond & Ray rated?
Raymond & Ray is rated R in the US and 15 in the UK for "language and some sexual material."
Raymond & Ray cast — Ewan McGregor on playing Raymond
Ewan plays straight-laced, twice-divorced businessman Raymond. “He’s a guy who is just uncomfortable most of the time,” says Ewan. “Yet, through the course of the movie he is able to get in touch with his very justified anger towards his father. And then in rather spectacular form, Raymond finally cracks. It was such a fun challenge to play that.”
Ewan McGregor's career CV is enough to make even the most prolific actors jealous and encompasses everything from playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars movies and recent Disney Plus series to taking on heroin addict Mark Renton in Trainspotting. He’s also starred in Moulin Rouge!, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Shallow Grave, Halston, Fargo and Birds of Prey as well as fronting his motorbike documentary series Long Way Up.
Ethan Hawke on what it's like to play Ray
Ethan plays womanising, ex-addict Ray. “Ray seems to me a portrait of what happens when someone doesn’t like themselves very much and he has to work really hard to find even a shred of self-respect,” says Ethan. “Both Ray and Raymond see themselves the way they believe their father saw them, which is not in a flattering light. And when you go through life looking at yourself in a bad light, it becomes very difficult to make smart moves. So, that’s why they are both tripping on each other, and on themselves, all the time.”
Ethan Hawke has had an equally impressive acting career. Recently he’s starred in Moon Knight, The Black Phone and The Northman but he’s also been in Gattaca, Training Day, Alive, The Dead Poets Society, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and The Good Lord Bird.
Who else is starring in Raymond & Ray?
Sophie Okonedo is playing nurse Kiera. She’s starred in Hotel Rwanda, The Slap, Tsunami: The Aftermath, Ratched and Dr Who. Vondie Curtis Hall will play Reverend West while Maribel Verdú (The Flash) plays the brother’s father’s ex-lover Lucia.
Sophie Okonedo on Raymond & Ray
Sophie Okonedo says: “I liked that this is a story where you can’t really tell what might happen next, or which relationships might suddenly take off. That feels so real to me.
“When they first meet, Kiera seems to see right through Ray, and it’s unclear where things are going, if anywhere. Yet, she’s intrigued enough by him to want to see how this funeral is going to go down and after that, they have a lot to talk about."
* More guides to top Apple TV Plus shows are below...
