About Ray

A twisted complicated situation with moments of pure comedy. Elle Fanning is good!

As a trans guy, I was trying really hard to relate to this character. Like really really hard since there are hardly any movies about the ftm experience. The actress really tried, but they just didn't seem to get it a lot of the time. Like when he said he wanted to be an astronaut instead of a princess or something. Those are gender roles, just because your child doesn't want to wear a dress doesn't mean they're trans. I also felt we didn't get to know much about Ray as a person. In the first part of the movie there were scenes at school and of him hanging out with friends, but it wasn't much. I wish we could have seen more of what his life was actually like instead of all the dad drama.

At least they fixed the ace bandages thing, thank god. I was already yelling at the screen but he got an actual binder. How he only just got that after having been out for years and how none of the therapists they talked to ever asked about it is another question.

Like everyone has already pointed out there was too much focus on the mom. I really liked her at first, but then she kept being so selfish and honestly immature at times.

I really wish they would have tried harder. I'm sure there are trans actors who would love to have played this role, who actually know what it's like.

This movie is not terrible. It's not unwatchable. But it's also not the amazing trans movie I've been looking for.

Ray (Elle Fanning) is a 16-year-old who was born as Ramona but has felt for years that he's a male inside a female body. As he tries to begin the medical transgender process, it will open up much family angst and discord. Additionally, because of his age, Ray will require the parental consent of his absentee father which will lead to more emotional upheaval and the uncovering of some hidden family secrets.

Although the film's heart may be in the right place, I thought the dialogue often came across as contrived, strident, and melodramatic, which made it a difficult watch for me. The movie does have a poignant and uplifting ending though.

All in all, although I felt for Ray, who seemed the only one who was not conflicted about what he wanted to do, the movie itself did not seem like the best of vehicles to bring transgender issues to the forefront.

Ray (Elle Fanning) wants to transition to being a boy. He's 16 and needs parental consent. His mother Maggie (Naomi Watts) has to track down his biological father. They live in NYC with Maggie's gay mother Dolly (Susan Sarandon) and her girlfriend Frances. Dolly would rather Ray be a lesbian.

This is tackling an advanced edgy issue. It needs some better writing. The actors are top notch. The story needs to move but it's stuck in molasses. The dream girl probably needs more screen time and played by someone more charismatic. Quite frankly, she needs to be played by somebody like Elle. Ray's flailing attempts at romance is the most compelling story opportunity. There could be love triangles and unrequited love. The bio dad is not that compelling. Despite any weakness in writing, the actors carry the heavy load well especially Elle.

This movie tackles a difficult subject very appropriate for today, with drama but also mild humor. The network of family this teen is growing in, is a diverse cross section of modern families. And though they are living a more progressive lifestyle, this goes to show how difficult this transition period can be for any family. With ties to a child's birth gender and realizing the changes that come with a decision to honor one's own feelings of who they are, families struggle no matter how open minded they may think they are. Or how imperfect they see themselves. This was done with amazing sensitivity to the fact that families are comprised in many different ways, showing the emotions that come when people choose to love, take risks and work towards supporting one another. This may become a cult film as the world catches up with this very real struggle, and the love that overcomes the fear.