About Ray (2015) - Trailer Review
8:20 AM
About Ray is an upcoming 2015 release and is likely to be an awards contender. The film is directed by Gaby Dellal (On a Clear Day) and stars Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Super 8), Naomi Watts (21 Grams, The Impossible) and Susan Sarandon (Thelma and Louis, Dead Man Walking). Here is the films synopsis: "A teenager transitions from female to male, and his family must come to terms with that fact". Could this be Elle Fanning's chance to prove she is just as talented as her older sister?
Pros:
- The most obvious good thing about this trailer and the whole film in general is that it is exploring a topic that is very current and relates a lot about today's society. It is about time it is explored!
- This is going to have stiff competition from Eddie Redmayne's similar movie but I believe what makes this different is that it appears to take place in todays culture which means audiences will be able to relate to it more.
- It's from The Weinstein Company who are known for producing films that win lots of awards
- The film uses views of different generations quite accurately - the Grandma doesn't understand the whole transgender thing and suggests she should just be a lesbian - this is probably a typical view of the elderly today.
- The film also seems to look at bullying which is another important topic in today's culture - especially for those who are different
- Elle Fanning's performance looks amazing - she is almost unrecognisable (not just the appearance but her voice and acting style) - she seems to put on a very believable performance
- The use of music is very good here - the choice of Shawn Mendes is brilliant and I think it helps to build on the emotion and feeling of the trailer
- Naomi Watts' character also looks very likeable and I think the chemistry between her character and Ray will be a delight to watch
- All the performances in the film look strong
Cons:
- This is quite a sensitive subject so the film needs to be able to handle it with care and not sugarcoat anything (which it actually looks like it hasn't as not all of the family are accepting).
- The film could offend the audience that it is about
- The title doesn't really say much about the film and doesn't really relate
- The 'lesbian' joke may be taken the wrong way by some audiences - even though it is probably a traditional view, that is the problem as times have changed and the film needs to make sure it emphasises modern day views that being transgender is accepted
Overall, I think that this is a very strong and effective trailer. This is the first 'awards' movie trailer that I have thought about afterwards. I like the look of 'Everest' and 'Joy' but I think About Ray could really be a dark horse. I really hope Elle Fanning gets some recognition from at least one of the major awards academies.
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