ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)
<http://www.capalert.com/>

Entertainment Media Analysis Report

MAR03198
Home Fries (1998), PG-13
CAP Score: 56, CAP ID: 0.98

Thomas A. Carder
CAP President


Executive Summary / Commentary
Findings / Scoring
Become a

CAPtain
The Global

Christian Network


ALERT: To fully understand this report you should first visit the topics suggested by the CAP Table of Contents.



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:

Home Fries, a burger, and a shake........with murder on the side? Two step sons decided they would fire some blanks from their attack helicopter at their unfaithful stepfather. But alas, the stepfather had a heart attack because of the assault. One of the sons turned out whacko and the other fell in love with the stepfather's girlfriend -- the home fries girl -- whose baby was to become the son of his his father's son!? Of his brother!? The father of the baby would then be the son of the father of the baby!? Shades of soap operas!

All the programming ignominy expected of a PG-13 movie was there: murder, attempted murder, violence, foul language, disrespect of God's sovereignty and law, and gunfire to intimidate. To cover up their dastardly deed, the boys -- with the help of their domineering mother -- planned to commit murder of the home fries girl, the only one whom (they thought) was able to reveal the blunder of the boys, and to cover up that murder. Open faced kissing, sexual innuendo, display of condoms, and rationalization to excuse immoral sex spackled the movie. Drunkenness and drinking, severe argumentation, attempted murder, and encouragement to commit murder were rampant. The mother was exceptionally good at being deceitful about her motives and sorrows. And as would be expected of an enlightened and progressive entertainment industry, consideration of abortion as an option was there.




FINDINGS / SCORING: Home Fries (1998) CAP Thermometers

Wanton Violence/Crime (W), Impunity/Hate (I)(1), Sex/Homosexuality (S), Drugs/Alcohol (D), Murder/Suicide (M)(3) lost no points to the intermediate or maximum levels.

Offense to God (O) lost points five times to the maximum level due to the use of God's name in vain with the four letter expletive.

Additional examples of ignominy, each warranting loss of points to the minimum level included:

  • an extramarital affair resulting in pregnancy
  • sexual innuendo
  • 34 uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary
  • two uses of God's name in vain without the four letter expletive
  • illegal pursuit
  • gunfire to intimidate, resulting in death
  • protrayal of sex out of wedlock as acceptable
  • lies and deceit about regrets and sorrow
  • drunkenness and beer
  • severe argumentation
  • planning to commit murder, and planning to cover up murder
  • display of condoms
  • arrogance toward parent
  • rationalization to excuse an immoral act
  • disrespect of the dead
  • entertaining abortion as an option
  • open-faced kissing
  • attmpted murder and encouragement of murder
  • a mother attacking a son
  • illegal restraint
  • vulgar sexual imitation
  • assault

    In accordance with the numeric comparative baseline database of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model, Home Fries (1998) presented programming equivalent to R-rated material in Wanton Violence/Crime, Impunity/Hate, and Offense to God. The movie was equivalent to PG-13 programming in Sex/Homosexuality. Home Fries was equivalent to G-rated programming in Drugs/Alcohol and Murder/Suicide. Thus, Home Fries is equivalent to 50% R-rated programming, 17% PG-13 programming, and 33% G-rated programming.


    (1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impunity/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

    (2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name is incorporated into the Impunity/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the three/four letter word vocabulary is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication. As required of the Holy Scriptures, unless God's name is used with reverence to His glory and praise, its use is considered in vain, whether literal or euphemistic.

    (3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Presentation of attempts to commit murder or suicide, deaths by police action, and deaths by war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.

    Please remember we believe that if even one of the six Investigation Area scores for a movie is equivalent to the CAP comparative baseline database scoring range for R, PG-13, or PG material, the entire movie should be regarded as so rated.  For example, if only Wanton Violence/Crime earns a score equivalent to R but all other Investigation Areas earn a score equivalent to G, THERE IS R-RATED MATERIAL IN THE MOVIE AND YOUR KIDS WILL SEE IT AND HEAR IT IF THEY WATCH THE MOVIE!




    Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Movie Review Query Engine at Telerama."




    The ChildCare Action Project (CAP) is a nonprofit Christian ministry. We rely on public support. If you wish to contribute to the CAP, please send your donations to

    ChildCare Action Project
    Post Office Box 177
    Granbury, TX 76048-0177

    Tax exemption applies in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Codes.

    Please feel free to write to us.



    You are welcome to
    Go back to the CAP Reports Page
    or
    Top of the CAP Home Page
    or
    CAP Table of Contents

    or leave me an email message or comment at

    cap@capalert.com





    Thank you for visiting us and may God bless you. Prayerfully, we will provide you with some of the most revealing commentary and investigative reporting you have ever read.

    In the name of Jesus:
    Lord, Master, Teacher, Savior, God.

    Thomas A. Carder
    President
    ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

    Copyright ChildCare Action Project (CAP)