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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 MAR2011.085  (2010), PG-13 [R-13*] (2hr 9.6min) 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): Edward R. Pressman Film Distribution (US): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Director(s): Oliver Stone Producer(s): Edward R. Pressman, Alessandro Camon, Celia D. Costas, Eric Kopeloff, Alex Young, Oliver Stone Written by: Allan Loeb, Stephan Schiff Characters: Stanley Weiser, Oliver Stone Cinematography/Camera: Rodrigo Prieto Music: Craig Armstrong Film Editing: Stuart Levy, David Brenner, Julie Monroe Casting: Kathleen Chopin, Sarah Finn Production Design: Kristi Zea Art Direction: Paul D. Kelly Viewed on Fox Home Entertainment DVD  Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) is a bad boy. A Wall Street bad boy. Because of some underhanded and illegal dealings, Gekko was sentenced to almost 8 years in prison. Gekko's daughter, Winnie (Carey Mulligan) has disowned him because she blames him for being a lousy father and for her brother's drug overdose death. But along comes Jacob Moore (Shia LaBeouf, another Wall Street monkey with personal interests in Winnie and in fusion energy. Current commercial nuclear power plants are fission power - breaking apart uranium nuclei by neutron capture to create heat energy. Nuclear fusion is actually "fusing" together hydrogen nuclei to create helium nuclei and lots of heat in the process. More energy is given off than is used in the fusion process so it is a viable power source. And there are no harmful byproducts with fusion power as there are with fission power. Fusion power is virtually unlimited "green" power which is why Moore was so interested in it. I am not going to spend a great deal of time on the Summary/Commentary I usually spend because, in my opinion, it is 129.6 minutes of ...er ... something. I don't really know what. The film is that unremarkable. And I want to get on to the next analysis. I will mention that while LaBeouf was in his typical style of not playing to the camera, Douglas' part could have been played by even me. Carey Mulligan's part as Gekko's daughter Winnie was about as cardboard or cookie-cutter as any performance I have seen. It seems she likes to have lengthy shots of her face saying nothing. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 59 out of 100 While not particularly violent, this film has its parts of violent/criminal content. The most violent/criminal parts of the film were the repeated views of a painting of a nude human being ripped apart and eaten by its father of some kind, underhanded financial ethics throughout and ill-gotten gain at the expense of a daughter [Hab. 2:9]. Impudence/Hate (I) - 20 out of 100 Twenty two times someone uses profanity of some kind, including two uses of the most foul of the foul words. [Eph. 5:4, Eph. 4:29] And one of the most impudent statements I have ever heard was about suicide being "the honorable thing to do." Suicide is murder -- murder of the self. Murder is not honorable. Sexual Immorality (S) - 46 out of 100 All the sexually immoral behaviors and imagery typical of a PG-13 are there: vulgar gestures; innuendo; man and woman in bed making out; camera angle/pose to force the viewer on private parts; cohabitation for sex; crude anatomical reference; painting nudity; sexual insult; adult in underwear; more. But there was one scene I have never seen in any of the more than 1400 films I have analyzed. It was of two giant inflatable mannequins in the position and motions of intercourse. [Eph. 5:12, 1 Ths. 4:7, Hebr. 13:4] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 43 out of 100 Booze. Drinking. Smoking. Bars. They are all there for your 13 year old kids. While many may think there is no harm in demonstrating such behaviors in and as entertainment since "movies do not influence kids", the American College of Physicians (ACP) disagree. A 2002 study by the American College of Physicians (ACP) revealed that adolescent exposure to drinking in and as entertainment undeniably leads to abuse of alcohol among underage viewers. The finding entitled Relation Between Parental Restrictions on Movies and Adolescent Use of Tobacco and Alcohol reports that of 4544 youths from grades 5 through 8 of fifteen Vermont and New Hampshire middle schools (90% of the youths were under fourteen years old) only 16% were completely restricted in their entertainment diets. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was There is nothing to say that smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same level of influence. Our studies provide an additional parameter for the ACP study. While booze, drinking and smoking in and as entertainment indeed embolden defiance of rule and law and take their toll on wholesome decision-making skills of youth, our studies indicate the stronger influence is rather the attitude portrayed by and in association with the drinking (and smoking and any other behavioral dimension). PG-13 and R-rated films and sometimes less severe rated films are typically heavy with attitude. Our report on this, ATTITUDE: In Perspective -- Investigation Area Scoring and Trend in CAP Entertainment Industry Investigations, Special Report-001 may provide more understanding of the point by revealing that the strongest proselytizing element in modern entertainment is not sex, drugs, alcohol, or violence, etc. but is the attitude; the attitude of freedom from authority, freedom from accountability and freedom from consequences. It is indeed such attitude that emboldens youth to defy rule and law. Note also that attitude (impudence, arrogance, a proud look, "haughty eyes") is the first in the list of seven behaviors our Lord hates. [Prov. 6:16 - 19] Offense to God (O) - 31 out of 100 While no adolescents abuse God's name in this film, adults do. Ten times without the four letter expletive and three times with it. God is displeased with those who speak His name in vain. [Deut. 5:11] With or without the four letter expletive. Murder/Suicide (M) - 90 out of 100 There are two views of one of the characters throwing himself in front of a moving subway train. While there is no gore -- we do not see the body -- the viewer sees the suicide. Twice. Don't we have enough horror with teen suicides to have a film for teens show it? Twice? 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)  Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 59 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 20 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 46 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 43 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 31 out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 90 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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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |