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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 MAR29022  (2008), PG-13 [Lite PG-13*] (1hr 56min) 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 1200 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): Columbia Pictures (presents), Relativity Media, Overbrook Entertainment, Escape Artists Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): Gabriele Muccino Producer(s): Molly Allen, Todd Black, David J. Bloomfield, Jason Blumenthal, David Crockett, James Lassiter, Domenico Procacci, Will Smith, Steve Tisch Written by: Grant Nieporte Cinematography/Camera: Philippe Le Sourd Music: Angelo Milli Film Editing: Hughes Winborne Casting: Denise Chamian Angela Demo Production Design: J. Michael Riva Art Direction: David F. Klassen Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD  This film analysis is sponsored by the generosity of E&HP. Seven Pounds earned as high a PG-13-equivalent score as possible. The range of scores earned by PG-13 films in the comparative baseline database is 55 to 67 out of 100. Seven Pounds is truly R-equivalent in Wanton Violence/Crime (W-40) and Impudence/Hate (I-34) and moderate PG in Offense to God (O-77) but is lite G-equivalent in Drugs/Alcohol (D-97) and hard G in Murder/Suicide (M-91). The only investigation area that found content to be equivalent to PG-13 films in the comparative baseline database was Sexual Immorality (S-66) All the six investigation area scores mix to present a final score of 67 out of 100 to make Seven Pounds a lite PG-13-equivalent film in magnitude or overall morality. But remember, if any of the CAP investigation areas find content to be equivalent in magnitude to the same area content in some R-rated films, the subject film should be considered R-equivalent since a part of it is. From Room 2 of the motel at 9212 West Third Street, Los Angeles aeronautical engineer Ben Thomas, sobbing, calls late one evening for an ambulance to respond to a suicide -- his. This scene is a cinematic device some writers use where a key portion of a later part of the film is played up front then replays it at is intended point. Nearly a hour and a half later it is seen again. This technique is like showing you in advance a few assembled pieces of a puzzle that make little if any sense which make perfect sense once all the pieces around the puzzle portion are in place, when the final few pieces need to be placed. For most of this hint-of-a-thriller but mostly moody film, it is challenging to determine just what Ben is ... and is not. The call to the police about Ben's pending suicide is an emotional introduction to Ben. Here Ben is a victim of himself. Soon the story moves into its prescribed flow and from much earlier in the show begins with introducing Ben professionally as an aeronautical engineer. However, not long after that we see Ben as a Revenue Officer for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS): a "friendly neighborhood tax collector" in Ben's words. But something is amiss. Ben's brother (Michael Ealy) is an IRS Revenue Officer. One day after Ben visits with his brother, something of Ben's brother's is missing -- Ben's brother's IRS credentials. I keep saying "Ben's brother" not using his name, but it will make sense why when more pieces of this part of the puzzle are assembled -- but never completely assembled. There is yet more amiss. When Ben met again with his brother face to face, Ben calls his brother "Ben." And Ben's brother calls Ben "Tim." Now there is a whodunit cinematic device. Ben has suffered a terrible and horrific loss and has caused a terrible and horrific loss ... times seven. How is Ben to make right his wrong? The film takes about 100 of its 116 minutes to reveal how he does ... if he does. There is a lot of room for interpretation created by this often depressing film. Though it won't make much sense in this non-spoiler discussion of the film, God told us that there is no greater love than for a man to give his life for another [John 15:13], but does that include what is done in this film -- or how? Remember, God made murder a sin [Deut. 5:17], including murder of the self. It has been a very long time since I have seen award-winning Woody Harellson, the once husband of Nancy Simon, Neil Simon's daughter. In Seven Pounds Woody does a great job at playing Ezra Turner, a polite and gentle blind phone sales representative for Cheyenne Meats. With Ben returning from an ocean dip to his opulent beach front home, he read the riot act to Ezra because of bad meat. Ben is not happy with himself about the meanness he has shown to Ezra and for the wrong he has done. He throws a violent tantrum spouting the names of the seven victims of his wrong. Ben wears interchangeable masks. Most of the time Ben wears the sad face of the comedy/tragedy pair of faces. Why Ben next searches for Emily Posa (Roasario Dawson) is not well defined at this point in the film, but this first episode of several like it starts to define Ben's focus: to find good people or they who have fallen on hard times. Emily certainly has fallen on hard times. Congenital heart failure gives her about a month to six weeks to live. Emily needs a new heart. Ezra needs new eyes. Holly (Judyann Elder) needed a partial liver transplant. Connie (Elpidia Carrillo) needs a new place to get away from her nearly murderous boyfriend. Young Nicholas (Quintin Kelley) needed a bone marrow transplant. George (Bill Smitrovich) needed a new kidney. How is Ben to make right his wrong? And how does a jellyfish enter into making right his wrong, at least in Ben's eyes? If you do not have enough information here it make that determination, I have done well in this summary and will I'll leave that discovery up to you should you decide the content we reveal is fit for viewing. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 40 out of 100 If you watch this film it may be hard to accept that this area of the film content is R-equivalent. The R-equivalence is because of the use of so many of the "lesser" kinds of violence that the magnitude of their influence is, for the lack of a better term, morally invisible. While a couple of the individual items of violence are of the strongly graphic type as in most R-rated films, most are not. Most are of the "lesser" kind but there are so many of the "lesser" kind that they, combined with the couple extreme examples, make the magnitude of the violence/criminal content R-equivalent. The itemized list of violent and criminal deeds in the Findings/Scoring section should awaken you to the plethora of little digs at wholesome morality which should help you grasp the total magnitude of content applicable to this investigation area. I'll present a few of them here. Planning suicide throughout with repeating footage. Invasive investigations. Graphic motor vehicle collision and replays of it. A woman's face hitting the ground -- hard. Impersonating a Federal officer. God is not in favor of us feeding our minds with violence or criminal behavior. [Hab. 2:12, Prov. 16:29] Impudence/Hate (I) - 34 out of 100 Twelve times someone utters a form of profanity [Col. 3:8]. Ben coaches Ezra to be aggressive and angry and uses a hateful string of name-calling at Ezra [Prov. 22:11]. Lies are spoken throughout [Rev. 21:8]. And Ben practices invasion of privacy. That is about all there is in content applicable to this investigation area, but that is enough content to cause loss of about three quarters of the starting 100 pints in this area. Sexual Immorality (S) - 66 out of 100 Will is seen in a shower again as he was seen in I, Robot but at least this time the viewer must only tolerate Will from the chest up instead of his full rear nudity in I, Robot. Nonetheless, Smith is in a shower and we all know the typical state of dress in a shower ... even little kids know. Aside from that, Smith and Dawson are seen a number of times caressing each other after stripping each other, while lying on a bed. Though no gender-specific parts are seen, often times in cinema implication is as strong as direct revealment. In other words, though private parts are not visible it is clear what the two are doing. In addition, a number of innuendo and remarks about sexual matters freckle the script. [Hebr. 13:4] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 97 out of 100 Only one time is a character seen with an alcoholic drink. Offense to God (O) - 77 out of 100 God's name is abused four times, twice with the four letter expletive and twice without it. While we as a people toss around His name as if it were just another word, God is quite serious about using His name in vain. So serious that s/he who abuses his name (by His standards) will not be held guiltless. [Deut. 5:11] With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than respect, reverence or responsible discussion is in vain. That includes the popular three syllable sentence with His name trailing it and the misuse of Jesus' name or title. Murder/Suicide (M) - 91 out of 100 While there are no murders noted in the entire 116 minutes of this film, Ben commits suicide in quite probably the most painful way known to man. God has warned us the so one may murder anyone. Including one's self. Suicide is murder of the self. [Deut. 5:17] And suicide is not something to play with in and as entertainment. Even in fantasy, portrayal of it has power to embolden and to desensitize. 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) - 40 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 34 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 66 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 97 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 77 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 91 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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