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Reel World Reality 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 MAR2011.157  (2011), PG-13 [R-13*] (78.75min) 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.)
 Production (US): Fox Searchlight Pictures, Gigi Films, Goldcrest Films, Mint Pictures/Atlantic Pictures, Island Bound Productions Distribution (US): Fox Director(s): Gavin Wiesen Producer(s): David Sweeney, Andrew Levitas, Henry Pncus, Patrick Baker, Nick Quested, Gretchen McGowan, Jonathan Gray, Anthony Gudas, Gia Walsh, Kara Baker, P. Jennifer Dana Written by: Gavin Wiesen Cinematography/Camera: Ben Kutchins Music: Alec Puro Film Editing: Mollie Goldstein Casting: Laura Rosenthal, Maribeth Fox, Jodi Angstreich Production Design: Kelly McGehee Viewed on Fox Home Entertainment DVD Since I will be referencing the six CAP content investigation areas throughout the next two paragraphs, it might be helpful to remind our readers of them up front: W - Wanton Violence Crime I - Impudence/Hate S - Sexual Immorality D - Drugs/Alcohol O - Offense to God M - Murder/Suicide The scoring distribution earned by the content of The Art of Getting By (PG-13 [R-13]) over the six CAP content investigation areas is most atypical: (W)100 - (I)0 - (S)0 - (D)0 - (O)49 - (M)100. It is typical of PG-13 teen flicks to earn low scores in the Impudence/Hate (I), which includes profanity, in the Sexual Immorality (S) and in the Drugs/Alcohol (D) content investigation areas, but for all three of them to earn a score of zero out of 100 with no violence/crime and no murder/suicide is most unusual. This rather points the finger at the content Hollywood either thinks of the "teen" or thinks teens want in their entertainment diet - profanity, sex and alcohol. Of the nearly 1500 films we have analyzed only one other film earned investigation area scores of zero in each of the I, S and D investigation areas. It was the PG-13 (500) Days of Summer. Its scoring distribution is (W)89 - (I)0 - (S)0 - (D)0 - (O)44 - (M)100. Looking at the content scoring in a different way - from MPAA rating equivalence perspective -- the equivalency distribution of The Art of Getting By is G - R - R - R - R - G. The equivalency distribution for (500)Days of Summer is also G - R - R - R - R - G. Grrrr. I am just a data cruncher who loves Jesus and not a film critic so I cannot give you much of a meaningful summary commentary of this film. The best I can do about this forgetful film is to say that it is about an obnoxious, irresponsible, disrespectful, malcontent slacker high school senior George Zinavoy (Freddie Highmore) who never does his school work finding a girlfriend in Sally Howe (Emma Roberts). But facing expulsion from Morgan High School only weeks before graduation, Zinavoy finds the motivation to do all the work he had lied about doing all year. If I understand the term "formula" as applied to filmmaking, The Art of Getting By is a formula work with the names and faces changed so the plot pieces and parts neatly fit into a pattern so much like patterns used by so many other "teen" films. Maybe "cookie-cutter" would be a better term. The story seems little more than a bunch of "it ain't good enough no matter what 'it' is" teenagers trying to play "adult" while fighting authority, responsibility and accountability. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 100 out of 100 There is no violent or criminal content found in this film. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 I cannot remember a PG-13 film engineered for teens that did not spew profanity as if "teen = profanity..." This film is no different except in the number of uses of profanity typical of a teen film. While there are typically 20 to 40 uses of profanity in PG-13 flicks, this time there were only eight but the adult-teen ratio of profanity is once by an adult and seven times by teens. Once by an adult and seven times by teens? One to seven? That seems to fortify the "teen = profanity..." equation. I guess Hollywood filmmakers think all teens are potty mouthed. Maybe many teens are potty mouthed but the teens who are potty mouthed may be potty mouthed because of teen films like this one which portray teens almost always as potty mouthed. Gotta feed that foolishness bound the hearts of youth [Prov. 22:15] to get those cinematic dollars*, dontchaknow. [Rom. 5:19] * A pre-show slide at a Loews theater displayed that more than half of all moviegoers were minors (under 17). By the way, though the quintessential characters in this film were 18 years old, being "adult" does not excuse the sin of profanity. Profanity is not the only term on the right side of the cinematic "teen = profanity..." equation. "Teen = profanity + impudence + disrespect + arrogance ..." also seems to describe Hollywood's impression of teens nowadays. Zinavoy's behavior is all those and more which will be revealed as we move through this report and build on the "teen = profanity..." equation in accordance with what Hollywood apparently thinks is "teen." Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Now we can add "sexual immorality" to the "teen = profanity + impudence + disrespect + arrogance..." equation. There are enough "sanitized" examples of sexual immorality in this teen film to make the magnitude or total envelope of the sex content equivalent to the more extreme sex content of many R-rated films. See our CAP Rule of 1000 publication for more information on this loading technique. "Sanitized?" That term means "cleaned up" or minimized, e.g., a sexually immoral act of practicing everything that leads up to intercourse (clothed foreplay, undressing, touching, etc.) but not the actual intercourse. For example, two characters in bed together making out in their underwear but no gender-specific parts seen. It is clear enough what the characters are portraying so "sanitizing" the display by not showing private parts does not absolve the display. [Eph. 5:12, 1 Ths. 4:1 -7, 1 John 2:16, 1 John 2:26] Implication and suggestion are sometimes more defining than direct display. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - Zero out of 100 According to what the writers of this film apparently think of "teen", there is yet another term that can be added to the "teen = profanity..." equation. The equation can now be amplified to "teen = profanity + impudence + disrespect + arrogance + sexual immorality + alcohol/drugs..." There is enough teen drinking and adults giving alcoholic beverages to teens for this film to be equivalent in magnitude to many R-rated films in alcohol/drugs. Note that in some instances in this film teens get booze in bars and restaurants. It is illegal in every one of the 50 United States for anyone under 21 years old to buy alcohol and for businesses to give alcohol free of charge. By a 2002 study of the American College of Physicians, such exposure in and as entertainment can be dangerous. The study 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 o 46% for those with no viewing restrictions o 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions o four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. [Eph. 5:18] There is nothing to say that viewing smoking in and as entertainment does not carry the same danger of influence as viewing drinking. Actually, the same matter of behavior influence applies to any behavior demonstrated in and as entertainment, including good behavior. So, the "teen = profanity..." equation, by cinematic example, has grown to " teen = profanity + impudence + disrespect + arrogance + sexual immorality + alcohol/drugs..." There is more but I believe the point is made so enough is enough. Offense to God (O) - 49 out of 100 Four times someone uses blasphemy by using God's name in vain. Though each time was without the four letter expletive, whether with or without the four letter expletive matters not to God. Any use of His name in vain is a sin. [Deut. 5:11] And I did not write the Rules. That I say it is a sin to use God's name in vain does not make it a sin. That God said it is a sin does. Even if I were to say blasphemy is not a sin would not make it free of sin to blaspheme. Whether we believe it or not. Whether we like it or not. Whether we care or not. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides were found. 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 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) - 100 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - Zero out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 49 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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| 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 |
