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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 MAR2012.015  (1999), NR [G-NR*] (89.6min) 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.)
 Production (US): Simon Cinema, Ltd., The Morrow-Heus Company, Once Upon A Time Productions Distribution (US): Mill Creek Entertainment Director(s): Tim McLoughlin Producer(s): Andrew Cohen, Stanely M. Brooks, Missy Alpern, Barry Morrow, Richard Heus, Gregory Goodell Written by: Robert Shushan, James Jones, Gregory Goodell Cinematography/Camera: Arthur Albert Music: Jonathan Goldsmith Film Editing: Charles Bornstein, Tina Hirsch Casting: Roger Mussenden, Coreen Mayrs Production Design: Graeme Murry Viewed on Gaiam-Americas DVD Some say we all wear a mask of some sort for many reasons, often to appear in compliance with that which is considered socially acceptable. A mask can be to hide something we don't want seen or known, to appear to enjoy something we do not enjoy or to appear to be something we are not. Even language can be a mask. A mask can be anything that makes us appear not as we are. But the "mask" in this film is not about hiding anything. It is about that which lies under a "mask" ... of autism ... a mask made for the autistic victim by those around him/her. In this journey, based on a true story, James Jones, portrayed by Matthew Fox, is a victim of autism. This film deftly explores digging the individual out from under the "mask" a handicap often places on its victim. Behind the Mask is an attempt at telling the true story about autistic James Jones and his relationship with Dr. Robert Shushan (Donald Southerland), founder and director of the Developmental Activities Center for the mentally and physically challenged where James has been working for eight years. This is also a very moving film about James rekindling his relationship with his father Gordon Jones (Ron Sauvé) whom James had not seen but still loved since he was six years old. Serendipitously, in the process of finding James' father and reuniting him with James, Dr. Shushan is able to rekindle his relationship with his estranged son, Brian (Bradely Whitford) who had spent most of his childhood absent from his father. Brian was raised mostly after his workaholic dad left in the morning before Brian got up and after he had gone to bed at night, thus not by his father. Though the two were always in same-city proximity to each other, if it were not for his courageous wife, Mary (Mary McDonnell, Independence Day), Dr. Shushan would have went to his grave not knowing his son. Or his grandson. The relatively unknown Matthew Fox did a decent job of portraying how we might think the autistic James might perform and behave but after seeing the real James at the end of the film there was quite a bit of persona lacking in Fox's performance. But then, trying to appear autistic when one is not is a monumental task. Southerland did an excellent job of showing us that he is indeed capable of cinematic pathos as much as the performances in which we are used to seeing him. But together with the fairly experienced support cast Southerland and Fox do a moving job portraying the gravity of a victim of autism getting into society. Maybe those who see this film will not throw up the shields when interfacing with the autistic or persons with other forms of handicap. There are several subplots but to delve into each of them as I have the above subplots would spoil too much of the story. The content of this film earned a "hard" G-equivalent final score of 89 out of 100. It earned a perfect or strong G-equivalence in all CAP content investigation areas but one: Impudence/Hate (I). Because of father/son friction, name-calling and profanity the Impudence/Hate content investigation area found the content to be R-equivalent. So, this film is 83.3% G and 16.7% R. 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) - 93 out of 100 The only portrayals that are applicable to this content investigation area were a near vehicular fatality with a collision and a physical outburst. Many Saturday morning cartoons present far more and much more intense violence than this film. Impudence/Hate (I) - 48 out of 100 Ten times someone utters some form of profanity plus one incomplete phrase of profanity. [Col. 3:8, Eph. 5:4] Two of them appear in the special file footage at the end of the film. In addition to the profanity (in this version, there is another version that is somewhat sanitized of profanity), Brian shows some serious disrespect toward his father a couple times (whether his disrespect is "justified" is not our call to make) [Exod. 20:12] and his father portrays being an absentee father. Name-calling tops off the impudent and/or hateful content. Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 There is nothing sexual about the content of this film whatsoever. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 96 out of 100 Only once do we see any alcoholic beverage - some dinner wine. Offense to God (O) - 100 out of 100 There is no blasphemous content at all. No witchcraft, no sorcery, no occultism nor anything of the kind. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 No murders or suicides were portrayed. 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) - 93 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 48 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 100 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 96 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 100 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 |
