Renowned comedian Ray Romano’s upcoming movie Somewhere in Queens bears many similarities to his popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, and the film’s setting possesses an obscure but fascinating connection to the show. Premiering at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, Somewhere in Queens attracted audiences to Romano’s directorial debut. In addition to marking a career milestone, Romano’s new movie is intriguing because it revives the backdrop once intended for the classic television series.
Everybody Loves Raymond follows the daily life of Ray Barone, a popular New York sportswriter living in suburban Long Island with his wife Debra, their daughter Ally, and their twin sons Michael and Geoffrey. Each episode launches the sarcastic columnist into hilarious conflict, often involving his extremely intrusive parents Frank and Marie, and Raymond's tall, quirky older brother Robert (Brad Garrett). Somewhere in Queens stars Romano as Leo Russo, a construction worker from Queens, New York who becomes ecstatic when he discovers his introverted son “Sticks” has a talent for basketball. Leo encourages Sticks to excel in the sport, hoping it secures the teenager a scholarship, but his intervention only compounds disarray and confusion in an already dysfunctional family.
The emphasis on family dynamics draws parallels between Somewhere in Queens and Everybody Loves Raymond, with a curious connection within the movie’s title. When writing for Everybody Loves Raymond, Romano and producer Phil Rosenthal drew inspiration from everyday life with their families, a strategy that assured no shortage of good material. In adapting their real-life experiences, the original intent was to set the show in Queens, where Romano spent much of his life, but executives at CBS chose Long Island to appeal to a broader audience. Given the similar story beats and location choice, setting Romano’s new film in Queens could be an endeavor to revisit and bring into play Everybody Loves Raymond’s original premise.
Behind the scenes, Romano possesses more creative freedom in Somewhere in Queens than he did in the early years of Everybody Loves Raymond. Filling the roles of writer, director, and lead actor, he is deeply involved in the film, allowing him to build upon the drama of Everybody Loves Raymond’s core concepts while still providing his celebrated trademark humor. Choosing Queens for the movie’s setting hints that he is taking a more personal approach on his own terms.
Since the show’s conclusion in 2005, Romano has retained the hallmarks of his iconic style while expanding the dimensions of his craft. Romano has portrayed his share of dramatic roles, including TNT series Men of a Certain Age in 2011 alongside Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher. He further displayed his versatility in Netflix’s Paddleton, struggling to comfort a terminally ill friend. Romano’s capacity for combining levity and seriousness provides an opportunity for Somewhere in Queens to address familial conflicts with a greater emphasis on relatable drama.
The film has not been released outside Tribeca, but critics have already expressed an exceedingly positive reaction to Somewhere in Queens. The consensus among early reviews is that while the film maintains familiar elements from Everybody Loves Raymond, Romano’s liberty to oversee all aspects of the production will generate a movie to be seen.
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