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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 MAR28015  (2008), PG-13 [Hard R-13*] (1hr 48min) 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): Warner Bros. Pictures, De Line Pictures Distribution (US): Warner Bros. Pictures Director(s): Andy Tennant Producer(s): Donald De Line, Jim Dyer, Bernie Goldmann, Stephen Jones, Jon Klane, Wink Mordaunt Screenplay by: John Claflin, Daniel Zelman, Andy Tennant Story: John Claflin, Daniel Zelman Cinematography/Camera: Don Burgess Music: George Fenton Film Editing: Troy Takaki, Tracey Wadmore-Smith Casting: Juel Bestrop Production Design: Charles Wood Art Direction: Ray Chan, Damien Drew Viewed on Warner Brothers Homve Video DVD Wow! I didn't think it possible to cram enough "lesser" issues of assaults on morality and decency into a film to make a hardcore R-13 out of a PG-13. But with a final score of 16 out of 100, Fool's Gold is most certainly a R-13 (see R-13 for more information). If you want to know more about the technique of loading a film with tons of "lesser" ignominy to get the same effect as using fewer but more extreme moral assaults typical of more severely rated films and still stay under the less severe rating criteria, visit our CAP Rule of 1000 publication. Please note the CAP thermometers. Remember, the taller the "mercury" the more wholesome the content. Zero - Zero - Zero - Zero - Zero - 94. Do you really want your 13 year olds (or yourselves) to see this film? As a side note I have used a foreign source art to provide the poster art for this report due to the unacceptable level of skin in the American version. Further, since the English title text is imposed over the unacceptable skin exposure in the poster I prepared title text myself. Note that though I have made some changes to allow more wholesome display, copyright is still owned by Warner Bros. Benjamin and Tess Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson) get a divorce. Tess cannot stand Ben's flightiness and prefers a complacent Chicago book writer character. As the divorce proceedings are happening, Ben is 30 feet under water searching for the largest shipwrecked treasure shipment in history. Finding evidence of the treasure, Ben loses all track of time and misses the divorce hearing by one or two minutes. Alas, because Ben did not make it by 10:00 AM sharp Ben loses everything, even title to his (and her) boat that just sank. Fool's Gold is just another get-rich-quick story about diving for treasure with obligatory bad guys thrown in. There is nothing memorable nor even notable about the story or the performances. It is a standard "McConaughey plus girl" film. But there are plenty of little jabs and stabs (and some not so "little") at wholesome morality. Enough such content to cause the loss of all but 16 of the possible 100 final score points. The final score of 16 makes this PG-13 film indeed a "R-13" since all R-rated films in the comparative baseline database earned scores from 54 and below out of 100. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - Zero out of 100 There is a rather large helping of guns and gunfire to kill in Fool's Gold. Assaults, theft, fighting, abduction, impalement with a spear from a spear gun, attempted murder and death by tide and surf action plus more all combine to steal all of the starting 100 points in this investigation area resulting in an area score of zero. [Prov. 16:29, Prov. 4:14, Rom. 12:18] Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Fifty-three times someone utters one of the three/four letter words. [Col. 3:8] That alone in this 102-minute film is enough to steal all the starting 100 points in Impudence/Hate but arrogance and rebellion from a young daughter toward her father are thrown in for Spock-ian measure. [Isa. 13:11] Divorce proceedings [Mal. 2:16] and lies [Rev. 21:8] round out the reasons for the loss of all the starting 100 points in this investigation area, also resulting in an area score of zero. Sexual Immorality (S) - Zero out of 100 If one added up all the little sexually oriented innuendo, images and comments in Fool's Gold the "big picture" of sexually immoral content would easily be equivalent in magnitude to just about any R-rated film since the score for this investigation area based on content is zero. Rather, also zero. Women for toys/ornaments, below navel skin repeatedly, several implications and suggestions of homosexuality, dressing to maximize the female form and/or skin exposure often, brief full male nudity, inappropriate touch, intercourse either off screen or behind convenience objects and more. Much more. As is true for each investigation area discussion which is an abbreviation of the full content found, please look to the itemized listings in the Findings/Scoring section for a complete accounting of the findings. [Gal. 5:19, 1Ths. 4:1-5] By the way, about the intercourse. Ben and Tess were married in the film, at least until the beginning of the show. Married couples do that. But when Ben and Tess did the deed (twice), they were not married. Also, Matthew and Kate are not married. Even if Matthew and Kate were married, what a husband and wife do is not for public display. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - Zero out of 100 Booze. Bars, Drinking. Drunkenness. All for your often impressionable 13 year old children. Impressionable? Why would I say that? Since you've asked, I'll tell you. While I did not notice any smoking, this film does present booze, drinking and drunkenness. All in a somewhat glamourous or casual manner, of course. The drinking and drunkenness are of significant danger in this film suggested by the MPAA as being fit for the middle school age stratum. Why? Read on ... 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 kids. 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 from viewing R-rated movies. Within the ACP study population, the prevalence of having tried alcohol without parental knowledge was The researchers selected R-rated movies because they assumed R-rated movies typically present more drinking than movies of other classifications. This assumption is no longer true. The researchers were not aware of the matter of "R-13" proven by this ministry in 2000 (see R-13) with which Harvard University scientists agreed four years later (see Harvard Agrees With Us). The bottom line? The focus is that the influence of adolescent exposure to drinking (and smoking) in and as entertainment is undeniable regardless of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) classification. [Eph. 5:18] Rather revealing of the influences of the entertainment industry wouldn't you say? And emboldening children to sin with drink in and as entertainment screams of violating Luke 17:2. 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 influence is not so much the presentation of booze and cigarettes in and as entertainment as it is the attitude portrayed. It is not so much the presence and/or consumption and/or effects of alcohol in films that emboldens youth to abuse alcohol, but 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) - Zero out of 100 One of the favorite expressions spoken in this film is the teen-popular three syllable sentence with God's name trailing it. It and other forms of abusing God's name were spoken at least 36 times, thrice with the four letter expletive. God will not hold guiltless anyone who does. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 94 out of 100 One murder is seen in this teen sexfest, cussfest. One of the bad guys shoots and kills one of the other bad guys who has outlived his usefulness to the crime boss, Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart). [Prov. 28:17] 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) - Zero 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) - Zero out of 100 Murder/Suicide (M) - 94 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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