3 Generations (film)

3 Generations (also released in some markets as About Ray[3]) is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by Gaby Dellal and written by Nikole Beckwith and Dellal. The film stars Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts, Susan Sarandon, Tate Donovan and Sam Trammell. It premiered in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, under the title About Ray.[4] The film was released on May 5, 2017, by the Weinstein Company. In the film, teenager Ray (Fanning) realizes and pursues his true identity as male and his mother Maggie (Watts), lesbian grandmother Dolly (Sarandon), and absent father Craig (Donovan) must learn to accept him for who he is.

3 Generations
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGaby Dellal
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDavid Johnson
Edited by
Music byWest Dylan Thordson
Production
companies
Distributed byThe Weinstein Company
Release dates
  • September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12) (TIFF)
  • May 5, 2017 (2017-05-05) (United States)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$680,351[2]

Plot

Sixteen-year-old Ray, his mother Maggie, grandmother Dolly, and Dolly's partner are at the doctor getting final instructions on Ray's gender transition. Ray lives with his unmarried mother, his domineering lesbian grandmother, Dolly, and Dolly's partner, Frances. Dolly thinks it would be easier if Ray would just be a lesbian, while Maggie understands that Ray is a transgender man.

Ray is ready to start testosterone shots and change schools, but he needs written consent from both parents. Ray's father is an absent parent and Maggie is afraid to make such a permanent decision. Maggie locates Ray's father, but he wants some time to think. Blaming father Craig's indecision gives Maggie time to stall. On his own, Ray locates his father to find him, married with three children. He also learns that Maggie slept with Craig's brother and that "uncle" Matthew might be his real father. Maggie is the reason he never had a father. Ray feels lied to, alone, and as though he will be trapped in a female body forever.

Grandma Dolly decides it is time for the four to have a man in the house. She now supports Ray's transition to a man. Matthew and Maggie talk. Craig signs the consent form after Maggie also does so. Ray finds happiness.

Cast

Production

Beckwith and Dellal began working on the screenplay in the fall of 2012, with Beckwith finishing the first draft in the spring of 2013.[5] On October 30, 2014, Elle Fanning, Naomi Watts and Susan Sarandon were announced to have joined the film.[6] On November 18, 2014, Tate Donovan joined the cast.[7] On November 25, 2014, Sam Trammell joined the cast.[8] Filming took place in New York City and Westchester County, New York, over the course of 25 days in November and December 2014.[5] In August 2015, Michael Brook was announced as the composer for the film.[9]

In April 2016, Dellal posted pictures on Instagram indicating that she was re-editing the film.[10][11] The score by Brook was replaced by West Dylan Thordson.[12]

Release

On May 15, 2015, The Weinstein Company acquired distribution rights to the film, then titled Three Generations, in a $6 million deal.[13] In June 2015, the film was announced to be released on September 18, 2015, under the title About Ray.[14] It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2015, to lukewarm reviews.[3][15] Subsequently, the film was pulled from the schedule days before its intended release date.[16] In March 2017, it was announced that the film was scheduled to be released on May 5, 2017, under the title 3 Generations.[17]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 33% based on 46 reviews, and an average rating of 5/10 (as of February 2023). The site's critical consensus reads, "3 Generations squanders a worthy premise on a thinly written story that focuses on dramatic signposts at the expense of genuine character development."[18] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 47 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[19]

Andrew Barker of Variety wrote: "Dellal's likably chaotic direction and a bevy of solid performances make sure the film's beating heart outweighs most of its contrivances."[3][20][21][22]

RogerEbert.com gave it a 2 star rating and said that the film takes on the topic of gender dysphoria with a talented cast but falls short in its execution, resulting in a frustrating and unenlightening journey that sacrifices truth for tastefulness. The movie had the potential to be more entertaining and informative.[23]

Controversy

The film has been the subject of controversy regarding its casting of Fanning, a cisgender female actor, as a trans male character, Ray. In an interview with Refinery29 in 2015, Dellal stated that Ray is a character who has not yet transitioned during the story, saying, "The part is a girl and she is a girl who is presenting in a very ineffectual way as a boy."[24] Dellal's statement led to criticism from the trans community, accusing her of misgendering.[25][26][27][28] In 2017, Dellal denied misgendering and stated that the comment was "misunderstood", saying, "When I did that Refinery29 interview, it was because I was talking about Elle Fanning as an actress, and I kept referring to her as she."[29]

References
  1. "어바웃 레이" (in Korean). Korea Media Rating Board. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  2. "3 Generations (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  3. Barker, Andrew (13 September 2015). "Film Review: '3 Generations' ('About Ray')". Variety.
  4. Punter, Jennie (August 18, 2015). "Sandra Bullock's 'Our Brand Is Crisis,' Robert Redford's 'Truth' to Premiere at Toronto". Variety. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  5. "About Ray: Production Notes" (PDF). The Weinstein Company. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-08. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  6. Siegel, Tatiana (October 30, 2014). "AFM: Naomi Watts, Elle Fanning, Susan Sarandon Board 'Three Generations' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  7. Yamato, Jen (November 18, 2014). "Tate Donovan Joins Elle Fanning Transgender Drama 'Three Generations'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  8. Siegemund, Austin (November 25, 2014). "'Fault in Our Stars' Actor Joins Naomi Watts in Transgender Drama 'Three Generations'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  9. "Michael Brook Scoring 'About Ray'". Film Music Reporter. August 17, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  10. Dellal, Gaby (April 25, 2016). "Round 2 ! Here we go again !!! Go three generations". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  11. Dellal, Gaby (April 30, 2016). "And we re done ! Go Three Generations". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  12. "Music Tracking for "About Ray"". Dubway Studios. May 18, 2016. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  13. Fleming, Mike (May 15, 2015). "Weinstein Co. Snags 'Three Generations'; Buyers Eye Tom Ford Project". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  14. Busch, Anita (June 1, 2015). "TWC's Cannes Favorite 'Three Generations' Set For Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  15. McClintock, Pamela; Siegel, Tatiana (September 15, 2015). "Weinstein Co. Bumps Transgender Teen Drama 'About Ray' Days Before Debut". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  16. Busch, Anita (September 15, 2015). "'About Ray' Transgender Drama Pulled From Release Schedule". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  17. N'Duka, Amanda (March 3, 2017). "The Weinstein Company Sets Release Date For Transgender Film '3 Generations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  18. "3 Generations (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  19. "3 Generations". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  20. Rooney, David (12 September 2015). "'About Ray': TIFF Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  21. Genzlinger, Neil (4 May 2017). "Review: A Teenager in Transition in '3 Generations'". The New York Times.
  22. Travers, Peter (3 May 2017). "'3 Generations' Review: This Trans-Issue Melodrama Is a Mess in a Dress". Rolling Stone.
  23. Lemire, Christy. "3 Generations movie review & film summary (2017)". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  24. Zuckerman, Esther (August 17, 2015). "Why About Ray's Director Cast Elle Fanning as a Trans Teen — Exclusive Poster". Refinery29. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
  25. Mey (August 19, 2015). ""About Ray"'s Director Doesn't Seem To Understand That Trans Boys Aren't Girls". Autostraddle. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  26. Noyes, Jenny (August 18, 2015). "'About Ray' director Gaby Dellal's problematic explanation for casting Elle Fanning as transgender boy". Daily Life. Fairfax Media. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  27. Jusino, Teresa (August 21, 2015). "About Ray Director Gaby Dellal Proves Why She Wasn't the Best Person to Tell This Story". The Mary Sue. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  28. Borden, J.D. (August 20, 2015). "'About Ray' Director Gaby Dellal Ignites Controversy With Very Problematic Interview". Indiewire. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  29. Simon, Rachel (April 24, 2017). "'3 Generations' Director Gaby Dellal Stands By Casting Elle Fanning As A Trans Boy". Bustle. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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