THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR

Here's the happy news: there's almost nothing to warn you about. This 37-minute Netflix short from Wes Anderson is devoid of sex, violence, and coarse language — simply an uplifting story, told by a master filmmaker, in an accessible, family-friendly manner.

And the story itself is worth your family's time. Henry Sugar is a rich man who cares for no one but himself, until he stumbles onto a trick that can make him richer still — and discovers, at the height of his success, that money was never the point. What he does next is where the fable earns its title.

There's one scene to keep an eye on: a vague depiction of Eastern meditation practices. Rather than a reason to skip it, it's an opportunity — a natural chance to talk with your kids about the right and wrong ways to develop yourself spiritually. So: gather the family and watch.

Roald Dahl himself (Ralph Fiennes) narrates the tale of Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch), an avaricious, wealthy man with no care for anyone but himself.

One day Sugar finds a book in a library, written by a former war doctor (Dev Patel), about a circus performer (Ben Kingsley) who claimed he could see with his eyes closed — reading playing cards he couldn't possibly see. Convinced the trick could make him richer still, Sugar tracks down the yogi who taught it. What he wins, and what it costs him, is the wonderful part.

Three stars, and they're well earned. Wes Anderson adapts his signature style to a simple, straightforward narrative, and the result is irresistible to watch. This is a story within a story within a story within yet another story, and somehow it never loses you.

Consider the challenge: 37 minutes of four actors speaking directly to the camera as if it were a stage play and not a motion picture. In lesser hands that would be static. Anderson makes it captivating in a way that perhaps only he could. The four performances — from Fiennes, Cumberbatch, Patel, and Kingsley — are superb, each capturing the subtleties of the unique narration style with precision. It's an excellent introduction to Anderson's work for young viewers.

For a short fable, this one carries a strong and clear moral center. It rebukes greed and the obsession with worldly possessions, and it turns to celebrate service to others and the generous giving of one's riches. Henry Sugar begins as a man consumed by wealth and ends as a man giving it all away to fund hospitals and orphanages across the globe. That arc — from grasping to giving — is one Scripture would recognize and applaud.

There is one place to watch. The film includes vague discussions of Hindu-like meditative practices, though it makes no references to Hindu theology, doctrine, or specific rituals. It's more atmosphere than teaching, but it's real, and it's the one thing here that calls for a parent's guidance. Treat that scene as a chance to talk with your children about what genuine spiritual growth is — and what it isn't.

At its heart, this is a story about a man who gains the whole world and finds himself unfulfilled, until he learns to give it away. Jesus asked the same question the fable answers: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). Henry Sugar's turn from hoarding to giving is, in its own small way, an echo of that truth.

In just 37 minutes, Wes Anderson delivers a beautifully made fable with a heart in the right place — a rich man who learns that money was never the treasure. It's clean, it's captivating, and it's a lovely doorway into Anderson's work for young viewers. Just be ready to chat about that one meditation scene. For your family, it's worth watching.