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A ministry of the ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP Ministry) A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Christian Ministry. www.capalert.com/ Entertainment Media Analysis Report A service to His little ones through you in His name by His Word MAR2011.013  (2010), PG [PG*] (1hr 28min) The #1 Christian entertainment media analysis service on the Internet. We give you OBJECTIVE tools NO ONE ELSE CAN to help YOU make an informed decision for yourself whether a film is fit for your family. Over 1300 analyses for parents, grandparents, pastors, youth leaders and more. |
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(While the Scriptural references are certainly not subjective, my commentary may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Color Force, Dayday Films, Dune Entertainment III Distribution (US): Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Thor Freudenthal Producer(s): Nina Jacobson, Jeff Kinney, Bradford Simpson, Ethan Smith Writing Credits: Jackie Filgo, Jeff Filgo, Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah (screenplay), Jeff Kinney (book) Cinematography/Camera: Jack N. Green Music: Theodore Shapiro Film Editing: Wendy Greene Bricmont Production Design: Brent Thomas Art Direction: Shannon Grover Viewed on Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment DVD  Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a journal of Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) through his first year in middle school with all the rudeness, crudeness, bully tormenting and flowering sexuality of any other event in the life of a kid in middle school. Thus it is just another formula flick about middle school. Nothing extraordinary. It is, however, a story of a lie to redeem a lie and friendship based on those lies. What a role model! Greg Heffley and his BFF, Rowley Jefferson (Robert Capron) are headed for their first day at the Westmore Middle School. Do you remember middle school and the nonstop, intense brutal bullying and social warfare that came with middle school? Neither do I. Because there wasn't nearly the amount nor the intensity of bullying and social warfare as Hollywood seems to want us to believe. Sure, there was some of it but nothing like in this film. Maybe my impression of middle school is a product of my perspective since I was not one of the kids other kids typically picked on. Maybe some middle schools are as miserable as Hollywood leads us to believe, but maybe they are that way because of films like this one that explain how it is supposed to be by example? I really enjoy this CAP analysis model. Partly because it reveals so much. For example, this film earned a solid PG-equivalent score of 77. That score places the film squarely in the scoring range earned by PG films in the comparative baseline database (68 to 86 out of 100). B-u-t, the CAP analysis model also reveals a high concentration of assaults on morality and decency in Impudence/Hate, enough so for the imudence and/or hateful content to be equivalent in magnitude to the impudence/hate content in many R-rated films. This film is far from being a R-PG* film but it does contain a great deal of adolescent mischief, tormenting, bullying, crude humor and a plethora of other stereotypical adolescent tactics of middle school social warfare, establishment of pecking order and totem pole stacking. In an effort to be selected as one of the coveted "Class Favorites" in the school yearbook, Greg and Rowley join the safety patrol. One of their functions is to lead the kindergartners single file. One day, Rowley could not help with the two-man job and Greg had to do it by himself. As Greg was leading the group of kids Greg thought he saw some teenagers driving up that Greg and Rowley had a confrontation with earlier. In his haste to avoid being seen by the teens Greg had the kids jump in a construction hole in the ground to hide. Since it was raining, Rowley had loaned Greg his raincoat with a big "R" on its back and Mrs. Irvine (Karin Konoval), one of the neighborhood women, thought Greg was Rowley ... a case of mistaken identity Greg did not deny when Mrs. Irvine called out for "Rowley Jefferson!!!" to which Greg answered "Yes?" When confronted with the deed by Mr. Winskey (Rob LaBelle), Rowley was suspended from safety patrol. But did Greg fess up to his part in the truth? N-o-o-o. Rowley disowned Greg as BFF but later when the teenagers harassed Rowley into eating a rotten piece of cheese from the school yard, Greg told the now-gathered crowd that he ate it to save Rowley from the shame of it all. It's a long story with additional meaning, but the point I am making here is that the first lie that broke the friendship was "redeemed" by another lie that restored the friendship. Not good. (And neither am I good at writing today.) Suffice it to say that God is not one little bit pleased with lies. Not only has He made not lying one of the Ten Commandments, He warns that the [unforgiven] liar will not make it into Heaven [Rev. 21:8] There is much more to the middle school mayhem portrayed in this film but rather than spoil the movie any further for those of you who choose to view this DVD let me get into that for which most of you visit our pages. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 85 out of 100 The most violent content of the film is the assault and harassment of younger kids by older kids. The only physical violence is when the older kids manhandle the younger kids which, by any other name, is still assault. Violence, even in its simplest of forms, is catching. Not only does God say so [Prov. 16:29], man says so. Four professional public health agencies jointly agreed that viewing violence in and as entertainment may lead to real life violence. Strange that man would finally agree with God. Impudence/Hate (I) - 32 out of 100 The story presents numerous instances of cookie-cutter bully tactics that anyone who has watched this kind of film has already seen, the kind of bully tactics everyone who uses bully tactics has learned from films like this one. Some other matters of impudence includes Greg urinating on his older brother Roderick (Devon Bostick), adolescent mischief, disrespect of parents and portrayal of a snowman urinating. [Eph. 5:4] In addition to the above, the writers had the children frequently speaking in euphemisms of profanity, i.e., cussing without cuss words. Granted, most middle school children speak in rather "colorful" ways but that they do so does not excuse the sin of profanity. [Col. 3:8] It was the score earned by this investigation area that merited the red CAPCon Alert light atop this page in the left corner. Sexual Immorality (S) - 70 out of 100 As with most films portraying children of the late preteen and early teen years, there is some sexually immoral behaviors/commentary in it. "It is natural" you say? Maybe so, but perpetuating sexual misbehavior and arrogance with entertainment such as this is not. Teasing natural exploratory urges with cavalier disregard for sexual humility, in my opinion, places this area of film content at about the same moral level as the porn magazine in it. [1 John 2:26] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 Now here is a nice touch by the writers and filmmakers. Not one instance of illegal drugs, possession of them, use of them and not one instance of abuse of prescription drugs and not one instance of smoking in the entire 88 minutes of program. Thank you Mr. Freudenthal. Offense to God (O) - 77 out of 100 Three times the filmmakers had adolescents speaking abuse of God's name. Each time was without the four letter expletive but it is still abuse of God's name. God will not hold guiltless those who abuse His name ... nor those who coerce abuse of His name. Doing so with children violates His Word on so many levels. [Deut. 5:11, Luke 17:2, Matt. 25:40 and many others] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 It would hardly be cinematically appropriate for a film of this caliber to present murder or suicide. Nevertheless, there is no accounting for the minds of some filmmakers. At any rate, there are no murders or suicides portrayed in this film. Greg's older brother, Roderick threatens to "kill, literally kill" Greg a couple times but it is clear enough that the intent of Roderick's threat is superficial: that his bark is of the caliber revealed by the "Roderick Rules" on his bedroom door. SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S) If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ] or bold. If you wish to have full context available, the Blue Letter Bible is a convenient source. If you use the Blue Letter Bible, a new window will open. Close it to return here or use "Window" in your browser's menu bar to alternate between the CAP page and the Blue Letter Bible page. CHAPTER/VERSE ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry*** As always, it is best to refer to the Findings/Scoring section -- the heart of the CAP analysis model -- for the most complete assessment possible of this movie. |
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 Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 85 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 32 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 70 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 100 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 77 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 |
| There are some in the entertainment industry who maintain that 1) violent programming is harmless because no studies exist that prove a connection between violent entertainment and aggressive behavior in children, and 2) young people know that television, movies, and video games are simply fantasy. Unfortunately, they are wrong on both accounts." And "Viewing violence may lead to real life violence." I applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our years of study, I contend that other aberrant behaviors, attitudes, and expressions can be inserted in place of "violence" in that statement. Our Director - Child Psychology Support, a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist concurs. For example, "Viewing arrogance against fair authority may lead to your kids defying you in real life." Or "Viewing sex may lead to sex in real life." Likewise and especially with impudence, hate and foul language. I further contend that any positive behavior can be inserted in place of "violence" with the same chance or likelihood of being a behavior template for the observer; of being incorporated into the behavior mechanics and/or coping skills of the observer. In choosing your entertainment, please consider carefully the "rest of the story" and our findings. |
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