The parable of the Prodigal Son is arguably the most well-known passage in the Bible outside of Jesus’ birth and Crucifixion.  One could say some of the stories from the Old Testament are up there, too, like Noah’s Ark and Moses’ various exploits.  Those are the ones we recognize by name.  I would also put forward that the majority of people do not connect it to Scripture when they use the phrase “prodigal son.”  It is generally uttered to describe someone who went off somewhere and whose return is not expected, but it happens anyway.  That people do not make the connection is odd because that is literally what happens in Luke 15:11-32.  Then again, much of Western culture is based on Christianity, though society increasingly seems determined to obfuscate this fact.  What remains is a collection of what could be termed “wisdom sayings” that, I am willing to wager, would surprise people if they knew their true origin.  I bring this all up because it is the basis for today’s movie, Sometimes Always Never (2018), though with a twist.  For what that is, you will have to keep reading.

It is a possible discovery of a body matching Michael Mellor’s description that brings Alan Mellor (Bill Nighy) and his son Peter (Sam Riley) together at the beginning of Sometimes Always Never.  Michael was Peter’s brother, and Michael went missing one night, storming off one evening in the middle of a game of Scrabble.  That was years ago and Alan has not given up on finding Michael.  Now you have the prodigal part.  If you know your Scripture, you will remember that the Biblical son also had sibling.  Like that one, Peter stayed at home, did everything he was supposed to do, and ended up resenting Alan.  To Peter, Alan spent too much time looking for Michael instead of being a dad to the son that was not missing.  It also did not help that their mother had passed away.  At any rate, they had been summoned to a coastal town (they live in England, by the way) where the authorities have located a corpse that could be Michael.  They arrive late in the evening, and end up spending the night in town.  In that good old English tradition, they pass the time in a local pub.  Also present is a couple, Arthur (Tim McInnerny) and Margaret (Jenny Agutter), who also have a lost son that could be who the police have found.  It is Margaret who relates this fact to Alan, doing so in the middle of a heated game of Scrabble on which Arthur has bet Alan £200.  If there is one thing that Alan does other than tracking down phantom Michael leads it is playing Scrabble.  When he does not have an actual board in from of him, he plays digitally.  Margaret is not pleased with her husband’s decision, especially when Arthur loses.  It also turns out to be the cadaver of Arthur and Margaret’s boy.  For Alan, it is back to town without further ceremony.  Still, he does not give up his habit of walking the streets at night in the hopes of spotting Michael, which leads him back to Peter’s door.  Once Alan is let in, he is also greeted by Sue (Alice Lowe), Peter’s wife.  Over Peter’s passive aggressive objections, Sue offers Alan a place to stay for a short period of time.  This is bad news for Jack (Louis Healy), Peter and Sue’s son, for Jack not only had to share his room with his grandfather, but Alan also takes the bottom bunk.  Jack’s bed, in other words.  On top of all this, no pun intended, Alan soon takes over Jack’s computer on which he spends all his time playing video games online.  Alan has to maintain his Scrabble habit, after all.  As annoying as this is for Jack, he does bond with his grandfather over clothes.  Alan notices Jack eyeing one of the jackets Alan has brought there, part of the collection from Alan’s tailor shop.  Jack sees an opportunity here to make himself look better because there is a girl, Rachel (Ella-Grace Gregorie), on whom Jack has a crush.  Showing up at their bus stop dressed to the nines certainly turns Rachel’s head.  Thus, when Alan goes missing one day without warning, it is Jack and Margaret who are concerned, not Peter.  This had been brewing since Alan revealed to Peter that he believes a repeat online opponent of his is Michael.  Thus, Alan says he is going to meet this mystery person, but all the family hears is that Alan is connecting with a stranger online.  Peter feels relieved to have this unwelcome guest out of his house, much to Jack and Margaret’s disgust.  It is Jack that figures out the location of his grandfather by using the find my phone app on his computer.  It leads Peter to a trailer in the woods where Alan seemingly goes in order track down Michael leads.  Peter gets there to try to convince his father to give up his search, especially since it now involves meeting random people from the internet.  All the same, Alan remains determined.  The next day, a figure moves across the window of camper.  Alan follows only to discover Peter waiting for him to play a game of Scrabble.  Though Peter denies it, he evidently created the profile that Peter thought was Michael.  They are able to be father and son once more before returning home.  The final scene is of Alan, Jack, Margaret, Peter, and Rachel all sitting together around a fire, though Alan’s chair is empty in the last shot.

I was not sure what to make of concluding image in Sometimes Always Never.  The rest is easy enough to understand, particularly if you know the parable on which it is based.  If this describes you, I hope you also noticed the twist.  If not, then just know that the father of Prodigal Son is not described as a Scrabble player.  The story also involves the return of the lost son, though this never happens in the movie.  I suppose one could look at this as a departure from Scripture.  Yet, Peter, like his Biblical counterpart, complains bitterly for how he has been treated by his dad in the intervening years.  The father’s response is telling, though I am not sure it would be a good description of Alan.  With the son who stays behind, upon learning of the preferential treatment given to the Prodigal Son, the other feels like he had never been rewarded for his hard work and dedication.  The father response to this is beautiful, telling his recalcitrant boy that the son is always with his father, and that everything dad has is this son’s.  For now, they must rejoice for what was lost has been found.  Alan never says this to Peter, and it does look as if Alan takes his living son for granted.  At the same time, by the end of the film, Alan is glad to have found his son all over again.  What a blessing this is.

If any of this interests you and you do want to watch Sometimes Always Never, you might notice some Wes Anderson elements to it.  Hey, if you have to steal, steal from the best, I suppose.  This is not to say it lacks quality.  Indeed, I would recommend it over any number of movies, current or on streaming.  Besides, it has got some of that British wit I so love.