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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 MAR2011.004  (2010), PG-13 [R-13*] (1hr 55min) 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): Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Spyglass Entertainment, Parkes/MacDonald Productions, Everyman Pictures Distribution (US): Paramount Pictures Director(s): Jay Roach Producer(s): Gary Barber, Sacha Baron Cohen, Roger Birnbaum, Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes, Jon Poll, Jay Roach, Amy Sayres, Francis Veber Writing Credits: Screenplay - David Guion, Michael Handelman; Film LaDiner de Cons - Francis Verber Cinematography/Camera: Jim Denault Music: Theodore Shapiro Film Editing: Alan Baumgarten, Jon Poll Casting: Nicole Abellera, Jeanne McCarthy Production Design: Michael Corenblith Art Direction: Christopher Burian-Mohr, Lauren E. Polizzi Viewed on Paramount Home Entertainment DVD  If there is to be at least one good thing come from analysis of this film it is how to spell "dinner." For a long time I have had trouble with whether there is one "n" or two. "Diner?" "Dinner?" When I sat and thought about it I could always figure it out since double consonants always call for the short sound of the preceding vowel. But now, having typed the word a few times under its proper use I suspect I won't have any trubble any more. :-) Maybe another "good thing" from this analysis effort was learning just what "schmuck" means. I've heard it used in context and could draw a good idea of its meaning but I have not until today had any need to know precisely what it meant. But now, because of this analysis, I do. Goodie! On to the analysis. The film starts with a few delightful minutes of a skilled artist creating male and female figurines with dead mice then setting them in a number of romantic and serene arrays such as in a row boat, on a tree swing, in an aerial balloon, on a foot bridge and in a juggling act. Truly a few moments of beautiful and colorful scenery and attention to detail. All this is set to the background music by the Beatles' "Fool on the Hill." But as to be expected of a PG-13 film all this pleasant display is shattered toward the end of the sequence with one scene of a male and female mouse on a picnic blanket -- she nude from the waist up. Then the serenity is shattered further with a scene of a male and female mouse, each with his and her hand on the buttocks of the other. There is set the stage for the rest of the story. I cannot believe this is Blockbuster's #1 rental for this week. Or any week. There is little to no entertainment value to this film at all ... for the first hour or so anyway. But that is a subjective comment .. one by which I will stand. Up and coming "stockbroker" Tim Conrad (Paul Rudd) has been invited by the company boss, Lance Fender (Bruce Greenwood) of Fender Financial to a special and exclusive dinner, a "dinner for winners" because of Tim's success with an innovative creation of a unique way to win a $100,000,000 account. At that dinner the company execs are expected to invite a "remarkable person" -- a victim, an idiot, a schmuck -- whom the rest of the attendees can ridicule and vote on as the biggest idiot. One of the previous dinner victims claimed to have developed an Iron Man™ suit which he demonstrated at that dinner ... a demonstration that failed of course but provided humor for the financial piranha attending the dinner. Conrad finds his idiot in the person of Barry Speck (Steve Carell). Conrad found Speck by hitting Speck with his car as Speck tried to fetch a dead mouse off the street. Speck is the artisan who made all the mouse scenes at the beginning of the show. Speck is truly odd to most people. He is bothersome and a pest. But he is genuine. There is little benefit in summarizing any further the plot and story as faint as they were. While most of the film is stupid, ridiculous and even vulgar at times, toward the end of the show some pleasant and noble content is presented. But realize that an ignoble path does not excuse a noble destination. I am going to sneak in a little sermon here. A sermon about sexual purity. God advises us in so many ways so many times in His Book -- front to back -- that any sexual contact (including visual), conduct or activity outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage is sinful. That includes cohabitation, i.e., when a man and a woman live together unmarried. [1 Cor. 7:1 - 2, 9; Deut. 22:29] Tim and his girlfriend, Julie (Stephanie Szostak) lived together before marriage. I know it is politically incorrect to say anything against a man and a woman living together unmarried since cohabitation before marriage is so widely practiced today, but I did not write the Rules. The One who spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there did. So, cohabitation is sinful. But God, knowing of our sinful nature, established the ground Rules. Any man and woman who cohabitate while not married are to get married to atone for their sin of cohabitation. Be careful with that, though. It is inadvisable for one to say to him/herself "We'll go ahead and have our fun then get married later." "Later" may not come. Now I will get to that for which most of our users come to our pages. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 83 out of 100 This film presents a non-violent face but some matters of the violent nature might warrant your attention. A breaking and entering, illegal government activity, an episode of vandalism and some action violence add to the violence picture but of most concern might be the finger amputation and the threat to kill. All violence adds up and can tend to lead the decision-making skills of the observer onto a path that is not good. God says so in Prov. 16:29. Impudence/Hate (I) - 36 out of 100 Thirteen times someone utters profanity, including an additional use of the most foul of the foul words plus a muffled version of it. Language is how we communicate and abuse of it communicates impudence and arrogance. [Col. 3:8, Prov. 22:11, Prov. 8:13, Eph. 4:29]. Many scoff at we who refuse use profanity and try to excuse their use of it with grasps at justification such as "They are just words. Where's the harm!?" Be not deceived my friends. [2Pet. 3:3] Note that the freedom of speech n-e-v-e-r addressed profanity until ten ex-hippies in long robes ("false teachers" who despise God's Authority) decided to change God's Truth into a lie about foul language. [2Pet. 2:1 - 14. Read this Scripture application if you dare.] Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 While there is no nudity nor is a man and woman seen in bed together, it does not take such display to make a film ooze with sexual immorality. Innuendo about sexual activities and private anatomy can be as morally corrosive as direct display, especially when there are so m-a-n-y innuendo as in this film. While most two year olds and even five year olds won't have a clue about the meaning behind most innuendo, don't for one second think the average 13 year old does not know the meanings. When such innuendo as are frequent in this film are augmented by more direct demonstrations and displays of a sexual nature the impact is amplified. There you have Dinner for Schmucks. Rather than trying to summarize the sexual content of this film here with a few examples of the many items of sexual immorality (immorality by His Word, not mine nor yours), please look to the listing of findings in the Findings/Scoring section. It provides a full accounting of the sexual content of this film. [1Thess. 4:1 - 7] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 77 out of 100 As with most PG-13 movies, the writers seem to think the average 13 year old is quite capable of avoiding emboldenment to drink even when it is portrayed as responsibly consumed and just as a social beverage. Wrong! At least so sayeth the American College of Physicians (ACP). And I agree with the ACP. You should, too. A 2002 study by the 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 Can that be said any better? [Luke 1:15, Prov. 20:1, Eph. 5:18] Offense to God (O) - 0 out of 100 God's name is uttered in vain 28 times and each time without the four letter expletive. But does leaving off the four letter expletive excuse abuse of His name? Since you've asked, I'll tell you. No. With or without the four letter expletive, the use of God's name in any way other than in prayer, with respect or reverence or in 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. So, trying to excuse such expressions with "I was talking TO God/Jesus/Christ when I said that" or "It's just words" or "I was acting" or "I was quoting" will not work with God. God is so adamant about abuse of His name that s/he who speaks His name in vain will not be held guiltless. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There were no murders or suicides noted in the entire 115 minutes of the film. 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) - 83 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 36 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 77 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - Zero 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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