Customer Reviews

Shades of Ray

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have always been a fan of the "independent film" and Shades of Ray does NOT disappoint.

The balance of dramatic and comedic elements was wonderful and the chemistry between the characters was fantastic. I found myself so pulled into the film that I wanted more when it was over.

I highly recommend this for anyone!

This film is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that also touches on problems brought on by cultural differences within a family and in the dating world. It was extremely well-cast, with both lead and supporting characters played beautifully. You will see lots of faces you know from your favorite TV shows. This is a "chick flick" that men can enjoy as well. I definitely recommend it.

Shades of Ray
An interesting and entertaining movie about a young man, Ray, trying to find peace, acceptance and love with a family divided by two hugely different cultures. The cast is superb , led by the amazing Zachary Levi (of tv's Chuck) getting to show the dramatic side most people aren't aware of. And Kathy Baker, as always , is a major plus in any project. It should be of interest to anyone with a multi-racial family, or anyone who likes a good love story.

I wasn't expecting to like this one but was bored one afternoon saw it was free and what the he##. As Gomer would say "SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE" this is really well done. Especially like the treatment of the 1st generation American characters, love the acting auditions, honest dialog and white comic relief. This is a better film than most of the big releases lately.

There is extraordinary pressure to match A to A and B to B when it comes to relationships (and parents). Catholics marry Catholics. Japanese Americans marry Japanese Americans. Tall people marry tall people. Cat people marry cat people. And so on. This is not an absolute rule, certainly. But look around, and what do you see?

Ray Rehman (Zachary Levi) has a Pakistani father and a white mother. For most of his life, he avoids parental pairing, but after he finds his true love, a white lawyer who takes a couple of weeks to consider his offer of marriage, his father drags him into meeting the daughter of a Pakistani man. The thing is, the mother, again, is Caucasian.

She is like him, the first person "like him" he has ever met.

Guess what happens.

Levi seems well cast for this part. He does what he does, and he's a nice guy. Ray counts himself above the pettiness of arranged marriages or "like with like." Ironically, as a budding actor, the casting directors think he's either too light, too dark, or not swarthy enough. Funny.

This movie may have gone under a lot of people's radar but because I'm a fan of Sarah Shahi, I was lucky enough to see it. The plot is interesting, the characters are well thought out and there is just enough fun/ drama combination to make it all feel authentic.
This movie makes you identify with the characters and the different things going on in their lives. And you don't just have to identify with one character which makes the movie even more impressive.
Of course since I'm a fan of Sarah Shahi's, I think she alone is a reason to add this movie to your collection. Her performance is four star, and she really brings Sana(Sarah's Character) to life, and makes you feel what she feels.
The ending is unpredicatable, and a nice surprise. The whole movie will keep you sucked in, and make you want to watch it again and again. So, buy this movie, don't be afraid to understand the messages in this movie, learn from them, and carry on in your own individual Shades.

I can so relate to this movie. It was nice to watch something relatable for a change. As a foreign person living in the US, I'm always torn about who I should date and who I will eventually end up with. One moment I want to be loyal to people from my country but find that I can't relate much to them and they can't relate to me either (I have always been rebellious). Other times I only see myself with an American then I worry that my kids will lose their culture. As a woman it's even more difficult to see them relating to my culture in a foreign country. Well at the moment I have decided anyone who makes the most happy would do. When the time comes everything will sort itself out.

Some people are only commenting on the romantic parts, this movie is much deeper than that. Give it a chance and pay attention to the story. You won't regret it.

I like the fact that, given the chance to make his own choice, he chose someone similar to himself. Diversity doesn't mean you have to choose the opposite of yourself...just be true to yourself and don't make choices based on your family or friends needs/dreams/regrets or societies stereo-types for that matter. In Hollywood fashion, everyone was beautiful, so his choice was between a beautiful, white and successful woman over a beautiful, brown and socially conscious woman. Poor guy! LOL Either way, good message.

I first saw this film at the Austin Film Festival last year, and I really enjoyed it. Zach Levi gives an outstanding performance, and is able to bring such humor and heart to the piece. Brian George also stood out. I had been a fan of his character when he was on Seinfeld, but had no idea how talented he was. He could have easily gone overboard with his characterization of Javaid, the father, but instead makes the character so engaging and believable. He was definitely one of the highlights for me. Great cast all around, really. Also, the film could have easily been just another romantic comedy, but it really stands out as being a unique journey into the title character's world and struggle as he tries to find his place amidst his two cultures and discover who he really is and what he really wants.

I definitely recommend this film to anyone who likes to laugh, but also to anyone who wants a film with heart and weight to it.

I really loved this movie. I am a black woman married to a white man, and this movie had special meaning for me. I loved the acting and I loved the premise.