Movie Review

Directed and written by Jordan Roberts, starring: Christopher Walken (Turner Lake), Michael Caine (Henry Lake), Josh Lucas (Jason Lake), Jonah Bobo (Zack Lake), 82 minutes, 2004.

This is a sweet romantic tale about families; the way secrets and grudges are held and forgiveness withheld. It highlights Jesus' admonition to his disciples to forgive sins (John 20:23).

Henry (Caine) is the senior patriarch in the family and has been looking after grandson Jason and great grandson Zack for a number of years. In the time of the movie Jason is now looking after Henry and his own son Zack, because he is now separated from his wife. At one point Henry says, "Families carry each other". Suddenly, Turner, Henry's son and Jason's father shows up after a thirty-year absence. He abandoned Jason as a two year old and has been in and out of prison. The family mythology is that Jason limps because he was in a car accident with his mother when he was two years old. This is the central confusion in the lives of the participants. So, The Prodigal returns as father to the "tense" Jason (he works in a bank and gets his tenseness from 'his mother's people) who has all the characteristics of "Elder Brother".

Turner announces that he is planning on leaving on a bus in the morning. At this point Henry concocts an elaborate scheme for the father, son and grandson to take his ashes and to travel from K.F.C. to K.F.C. across the West on a kind of treasure hunt, opening clues he has stuffed in a bag at the K.F.C. where he dies. Henry was an archaeologist and has prescribed a particular ritual for his son, grandson and great grandson to follow until the final clue. Jason and Turner argue about the exact terms of the ritual; whether they can skip steps; whether it matters if they eat inside a K.F.C. at tables or eat at a K.F.C. using the drive by window, reminiscent of any worship committee in any parish. The ritual is important in itself but Henry has guaranteed compliance by writing terms into his will that if anything is abrogated, Turner inherits all his artifacts worth about $225, 000 though Zack is the beneficiary if all goes according to the instructions.

So they set out on the journey and begin to discover important data about each other partly through Zack's curiosity and partly through a grudging affection that develops between them in their various adventures. Turner has another journey in mind, to head to a place near Mexico where he once, at a certain time, made love to a woman who he can't get out of his mind. Turner abandons the others to head on his own quest because, as it turns out, he is very sick with a kidney ailment.

The last clue directs them to an address in Albuquerque, N.M. They meet up at a rundown apartment that is the scene of a family tragedy ("What happened here, there is no forgiveness" says Turner). In a curious ritual the tense elder brother forgives his prodigal father and takes him on the final stage of his journey to a rock 'near Mexico' to visit the scene of Turner's lost love, which of course is Jason's mother and the place of Jason's conception.

This is a funny, touching movie with a great sound track. Jonah Bobo (Zack) is a wonderfully natural actor with none of the contrived cuteness of a six year old. The rascally Henry proves to be both wise and wily in his plan to bring son and grandson, Prodigal and Elder, together. There is a marvelous commentary on Resurrection by the writer/ director as a special feature to the CD.