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Entertainment Media Analysis Report
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MAR24094
(2004), PG-13 [R-13*]
Analysis Date
CAP Final Score
CAP Influence Density
MinMax
October 28, 2004
48 out of 100
1.46
-100

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SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:
(This section may be and sometimes is somewhat subjective.)

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary likely using a mix of KJV and NIV.



(2004), PG-13 [R-13*] --...all of Ray's closets were opened.

Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database
Production (US): Unchain My Heart Louisiana LLC, Crusader Entertainment LLC, Anvil Films, Baldwin Entertainment, Bristol Bay Productions, Universal Pictures
Distribution (US): Crusader Entertainment LLC, Universal Pictures
Director(s): Taylor Hackford
Producer(s): Howard Baldwin, Karen Elise Baldwin, Alise Benjamin, Stuart Benjamin, Taylor Hackford, Barbara A. Hall, William J. Immerman, Jaime Rucker King, Nick Morton, Ray Robinson Charles Jr.
Story by: Taylor Hackford, James L. White
Screenplay by: James L. White
Cinematography/Camera: Pawel Edelman
Music: Craig Armstrong, Ray Charles
Film Editing: Paul Hirsch
Casting: Nancy Klopper
Production Design: Stephen Altman
Art Direction: Scott Plauche
Viewed At: Driftwood Theater 6


Not often is there a film about the life of one of our geniuses that really speaks to his genius and to his humanity as a complete package rather than pieces and parts. Too often it seems that one is maximized at the expense of the other. Ray balances both. And very well. Maybe too well. At any rate, Jamie Foxx is, for the lack of a better word, excellent -- with a capital "excel." And Foxx did not do it alone.

Though no one will ever completely capture the minute nuances and all the little things that made "Ray" of Ray Charles Robinson (1930 - 2004), I doubt that anyone will ever do better. I suspect your impression and image of "Ray Charles" will not be the same if you watch this film about him. Ray is also a fantastic tour through some of the finest music that, in part, shaped our society, in Ray's case, literally. And I had no idea he was the artist and author of so many of the finest trend-setting works of mixing rhythm and blues with olde time Southern gospel and jazz. No one had done it before ... and not likely to match it.

I am not going to summarize the steps and paths of this film into and through the years of Ray Charles. This movie does that and does it well. It does it so well that all of Ray's closets were opened. Because of all the profanity, sexual immorality and illegal drug usage which were, according to the writers, evidently major parts of Ray's life, this film earned a score of 48 which places it in the scoring range earned by R-rated movies (54 and below out of 100) in the comparative baseline database. Ray is yet another R-13. And I wonder whether his life could have been told a little less graphically without losing any of the power.

The Wanton Violence/Crime (W) investigation area found matters such as a rather graphic drowning death of a little boy, spouse abuse, coaxing to consume illegal drugs and suggesting abortion.

The Impudence/Hate (I) investigation area found 76 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary, but not even a single use of the most foul of the foul words. However, there are at least 31.4 examples per hour of profanity in this 2 hour and 25 minute film. [2 Tim. 2:16 - 17, 1Pet. 3:10, Titus 2:6 - 8, Col. 3:8]

The Sexual Immorality (S) investigation area found non-graphic intercourse, off screen intercourse, requests for sex, positioning for oral sex and several other issues of sexual immorality, including talk and comments with heavy presentation of adulterous behaviors. [Mark 7:21, Gal. 5:19]

The Drugs/Alcohol (D) investigation area found 24 examples of drug matters per hour, including illegal drug consumption, drug intoxication and encouragements to consume illegal drugs. [Eph. 5:18, 1 Cor. 6:19]

The Offense to God (O) investigation area found multiple issues of adultery, both observed and expressed plus nine uses of God's name in vain with the four letter expletive and two without it. [Deut. 5:11]

The Murder/Suicide (M) investigation area found nothing.

Please inspect closely the detailed listing of findings in the Findings/Scoring section before you decide whether this film is fit for you and/or your family. It is NOT the "PG-13" with which we grew up.


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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

  • 2 Tim. 2:16 - 17 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker...
  • 1Pet. 3:10 For, Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
  • Titus 2:6 - 8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
  • Col. 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
  • Mark 7:21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
  • Gal. 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
  • Eph. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. ["Wine" can be any intoxicating substance.]
  • 1 Cor. 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [Abuse your body and you abuse the temple of Christ.]
  • Deut. 5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. [Vain is shav' {shawv}: emptiness, nothingness, vanity, such as an expletive. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or thoughtful discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it AND the misuse of Jesus' name.]

    ***Selected Scriptures of Armour against the influence of the entertainment industry***
  • Ps. 12:8 The wicked freely strut about [e.g., create progressively vile/offensive entertainment with impunity and no consequences and present it to younger and younger audiences every year] when what is vile is honored among men [when enough people continue to defend it, embrace it, pay for it, enjoy it, want it, submit to it. I call attention to Ps. 12:8 to warn of the creeping desensitizing power of "entertainment."]
  • Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man [by his influence] spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • 1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
  • Rom. 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
  • Jude 4 For certain men* whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change [warp, distort, falsely represent, situationally redefine, counterfeit, conditionally apply] the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. [*men: anthropos {anth'-ro-pos}, generic, a human being, whether male or female]
  • Matt. 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto [or for] one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto [or for] me.
  • Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. [cause by teaching or example]
  • Ps. 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
  • John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
  • 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.


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    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.
  • FINDINGS / SCORING:
    (The heart of the CAP Analysis Model)

    Ray (2004) CAP Thermometers

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W)
  • graphic drowning death of a young boy
  • spouse abuse
  • coaxing to break the law
  • vandalism
  • suggesting an abortion
  • fighting

    Impudence/Hate (I)
  • 76 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary
  • lies about infirmity to gain favor
  • segregation based on skin color, repeatedly
  • "Don't tell mamma"
  • lie to avoid having to deal with company
  • attempted cheating
  • lies to mask habit
  • racial disrespect, repeatedly

    Sexual Immorality (S)
  • unseen intercourse, twice
  • offer of sex, repeatedly
  • sexual innuendo, repeatedly
  • man and woman in bed nude in adultery, ostensibly after intercourse with no gender-specifics seen, twice
  • flash nudity, twice
  • positioning of oral sex
  • sexual propositioning, repeatedly
  • inappropriate touch, repeatedly
  • woman rubbing her chest on a man in adultery
  • woman rubbing a man's chest inside his shirt to seduce in adultery
  • adulterous seduction
  • stripping to underwear before a married man

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • smoking, with no consequences, frequently
  • smoking drugs, repeatedly
  • coaxing to consume illegal drugs, coaxing to drug intoxication
  • bar, repeatedly
  • offer of illegal drugs
  • drinking, repeatedly
  • booze, repeatedly
  • illegal drug consumption, repeatedly
  • drug intoxication, repeatedly
  • drug paraphernalia, repeatedly
  • dealing drugs
  • request to consume illegal drugs
  • drug addiction
  • drinking to soothe anger
  • drunkenness
  • possession of illegal drugs, repeatedly
  • long series of drug addition withdrawals - graphic

    Offense to God (O)
  • nine uses of God's name in vain with the four letter expletive and two without
  • long-term adulterous relationship
  • additional adulterous behaviors, repeatedly

    Murder/Suicide (M)
  • none noted













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    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 more than eight 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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