Saint Ralph

Skip the endless scrolling — Saint Ralph, in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video, is exactly the comedy you were looking for. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 83 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Adam Butcher leads a cast with real comic timing. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Saint Ralph is worth clearing space for. Saint Ralph gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Adam Butcher and Campbell Scott lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It hit screens in 2005. Saint Ralph earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Saint Ralph respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Adam Butcher's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.

Saint Ralph was released in 2005, directed by Michael McGowan. The full 95-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.