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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 MAR2011.008  (2010), PG [Lite 13-PG*] (1hr 42.75min) 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.)
 Cast/Crew Details Courtesy Internet Movie Database Production (US): Touchstone Pictures, Offspring Entertainment Distribution (US): Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. DVD distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment Director(s): Julie Anne Robinson Producer(s): Tish Cyrus, Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman, Dara Weintraub Writing Credits: Nicholas Sparks (screenplay), Jeff Van Wie (screenplay), Nicholas Sparks (book) Cinematography/Camera: John Lindley Music: Aaron Zigman Film Editing: Nancy Richardson Casting: Amanda Mackey Johnson, Cathy Sandrich Production Design: Nelson Coates Art Direction: Scott Meehan Viewed on Buena Vista Home Entertainment DVD  I do not have much of anything positive to say about this epitome of the "It ain't good enough, no matter what 'it' is" genre of teen films. The film finally has something good to say, to be sure, but the 'good to say' is about 2% of all of what it says. And the other 98% is not good. Not good at all. But that is a subjective claim, an opinion. While Miley "redeems" herself in the end, please accept that an noble destination does not excuse an ignoble path. If you are looking for top notch fuel for teaching your teens how to disrespect you in just about every sentence spoken, this film is for you. If Miley Cyrus is truly trying to change her image from Hannah Montana™, she has succeeded ... at least my image of her. The bright and enjoyable sassy sprite that filled the Hannah role has become bitter, attitudinally ugly and up-yours. Some might call that just good acting. It more appears to me to be her natural state: an "It ain't good enough no matter what 'it' is" state. And the new attitude is cinematically "justified" of course. Or maybe her new attitude is "justified" because Cyrus is now all "growed up" and now has the right to ....... I am surprised Miley has not changed her name. Yet. Yes, I am miffed. It seems all the pleasant and "squeaky-clean" young teens of Hollywood decay into bitter and arrogant know-it-all young adults, bent on using their bodies to some degree to change their image when they hit their upper teens. Maybe it is [partly] because of the example set by their older counterparts in other films? Hmm? Veronica "Ronnie" Miller (Miley Cyrus), fresh out of high school, must spend the summer with her divorced dad, Steve (Greg Kinnear) and her brother, Jonah (Bobby Coleman). Both Ronnie and dad love music and both love Jonah, but does Ronnie love dad? No. At least her behavior and speech say "No." Maybe down deep she does love him but by all appearances, no. Jesus warns us about making judgments based on appearances: that we are to make the righteous [dikaios: observing of divine laws] judgment, i.e., based on application of His Word to observed consistent behavior rather than on suspicion. [John 7:24] So, let us all give Ronnie a chance. Too bad Ronnie's displays of contempt will likely cause others to sin against their fathers/parents as well. [Rom. 5:19] It is when Ronnie finds a love other than music, a love by the name of Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth), that she again finds love for her father. One of the soft and touching moments in the film (not until near the end) was when Ronnie played the last note of a song her father had started writing which she had finished moments ago ... her father died. Hence, the title of the film. Another clever piece of warmth in the film was built upon by dad telling Jonah after Jonah learned of his father's pending death that each time Jonah sees a beam of sunlight through the stained glass window started by dad that Jonah had finished it is him, that he will always be with Jonah. Just before Ronnie played the last song for the funeral attendees, while she stood on the stage anxious about playing the "last song" as a tribute to dad, a beam of sunlight shined through the stained glass window her father had made ... and she thanked her dad for letting her know he was there. If you watch the film in spite of what we have revealed for you, I am certain you will be able to capture the warmth of that cinematic moment better than I can tell you herein. Now to the reality of the content. While four of the six investigation areas found content to be equivalent to either G or PG rated films in the comparative baseline database, the Sexual Immorality (S) investigation area found content to be equivalent to the typical content of a lite PG-13 film. However, mainly because of Ronnie's mouth this film earned R-equivalence ... a zero area score ... in Impudence/Hate (I). Note that the CAP analysis model incorporates not only the extreme instances of assault on morality and decency but the plethora of seemingly "lesser" instances of assault on morality as well since each of them adds up. They are like those little straight pins that come in the collars and cuffs of new shirts getting lost in the couch. Many of them will eventually find their way to your backside to make their point ... usually painfully. Likewise, all those "lesser" examples of cinematic assault on morality and wholesome ethics can and do resurface sometime in life to make their "point." See our CAP Rule of 1000 publication for more information on the concept of loading content of films with tons of "lesser" issues of assault on morality to achieve the same effect or magnitude of fewer but more extreme examples of assault but still be labeled with a less severe MPAA rating. After about a half hour into the film I found myself wanting it to earn a low score because of the hatred Ronnie expressed of her father, but the objectivity of the CAP analysis model couldn't care less about what I want. The Last Song earned a final score of 68 out of 100. One more single-point instance of assault on morality and wholesome ethics and the film content would have earned a lite 13-PG equivalence, meaning a PG-rated film that earned a final score in the range of scores earned by PG-13 films (55 to 67 out of 100) in the comparative baseline database of films (the 39 films that served during model development to provide verification and validation of the CAP analysis model). Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 74 out of 100 The Last Song was not all that violent or criminal except when Marcus (Nick Lashaway) tried to kill Will with a crowbar. The strongest criminal activity in the film was shoplifting and planting of the stolen goods to implicate Ronnie. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 The strongest presence in The Last Song was Ronnie's mouth. Until her attitude and wants were satisfied Ronnie had nothing but contempt for her father ... and made it abundantly clear. [Exod. 20:12] Maybe Exodus 20:12 does not address abusive fathers but it does address, clearly, children who are disrespectful toward their parents. And so does Isaiaha. 30:1. And so does Ephesians 6:1 - 3. And so does Colossians 3:20. And so does ....... There are a number of other findings of impudence and/or hatred in the film such as lying, coaching to lie and five uses of profanity [Col. 3:8]. Each is itemized in the Findings/Scoring section of this report. Sexual Immorality (S) - 45 out of 100 Inappropriate touch seems to have found its way into PG nowadays. When a teen girl lays her foot on a teen boy's crotch, it is inappropriate touch. And don't for a moment think this might just be a slip up the filmmakers missed. They know the content of each and every frame of film and each ane every dyne of sound. They knew Cyrus had her foot on Hemsworth's crotch. And so did Cyrus. And so did Hemsworth. The filmmakers (and characters) knew where Lashaway's arms were when he accosted Blaze (Carly Chaikin) for the camera, for pay. And so on. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 71 out of 100 Teens planning to drink. Teens blaming arson on their drunkenness. Teens in possession of alcoholic beverages. Arrogant admission of teen drinking. I find it disturbing that the writers would include so much concerning drinking alcohol in this PG film, but there is no figuring the MPAA/Hollywood connection. Do they not know that the American College of Physicians (ACP) has found an undeniable link between abuse of alcohol by adolescents and presentation of it in and as entertainment? Indeed. The 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 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 • 46% for those with no viewing restrictions • 16% for those with partial viewing restrictions • four percent for those with complete viewing restrictions. [Eph. 5:18, Luke 1:15, Prov. 20:1] Offense to God (O) - 81 out of 100 Though none of the five abuses of God's name in this film were spoken with the four letter expletive, it was five times too many. God is jealous about his name. Why shouldn't He be? He spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there. God will not hold guiltless the ones who abuse His name. He said so. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 The CAP analysis model does not incorporate attempted murder or attempted suicide (or deaths due to police action or war) in this investigation area. They are, however, incorporated into the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. So, the attempted murder of Will by Marcus appears in the Wanton Violence/Crime investigation area. There were no instances of murder or suicide noted in the entire 102.75 minutes of the program. 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) - 74 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 45 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 71 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 81 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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