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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 MAR2011.012  (2010), PG [PG*] (1hr 39min) 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): Summit Entertainment, Applehead Pictures Distribution (US): Summit Entertainment Director(s): Gary Winick Producer(s): Ellen Barkin, Mark Canton, Eric Feig, Caroline Kaplan, Marco Valerio Pugini, Ron Schmidt, Patrick Wachsberger Writing Credits: Jose Rivera, Tim Sullivan Cinematography/Camera: Marco Pontecorvo Music: Andrea Guerra Film Editing: Bill Pankow Casting: Béatrice Kruger, Ellen Lewis, Cindy Tolan Production Design: Stuart Wurtzel Art Direction: Stefano Maria Ortolani, Saverio Sammali Viewed on Summit Home Entertainment DVD  Letters to Juliet is a touching, moving and warm love story about rekindling a 50 year old love through the efforts of softie Sophie Hall (Amanda Seyfried), a fact checker for a The New Yorker. Though the story is about 65 year old Claire Smith (Vanessa Redgrave) finding the love she walked out on 50 years ago in 1957, Sophie becomes a "victim" of her own efforts to find Claire's lost love. But Letters to Juliet has a few jagged edges morally speaking which is why it earned a CAP final score of 76 instead of a much higher score. This is great film of a great story. If it were not for all the drinking. the uses of God's name in vain and some "sexual situations", this film would be a great G-equivalent "chick flick" love story! And deleting all the drinking and abuses of God's name would not lose the film one iota of its cinematic power. Other than the drinking and the abuses of God's name, a few other jagged edges of "lesser" examples of immorality appear such as art nudity, anatomical references and cohabitation but without scenes of sex. If all the matters of "lesser" assault such as these and the drinking and abuses of God's name were left out, this film would have earned a final score of 100 and would still have been as great a film. Not one single iota of plot or story support or wattage was provided by any assault on morality. Not one. I guess the writers/filmmakers were afraid of the "G" label; afraid no one would want to see the film unless it had at least some slaps in the face of wholesome morality. In a pre-wedding vacation to Verona, Italy with her restaurant-starting, opportunity-seeking fiancé, Victor (Gael García Bernal), during her times of being left alone by "win-win" Victor as he met with suppliers for his restaurant, Sophie stumbles upon a "wailing wall." But rather than a wailing wall for the faithful it is a wailing wall for the forlorn: a wall of the Casa Di Giulietta, the House of Juliet. Visitors attach letters of their sad stories to the wall and the Secretaries of Juliet fetch the letters to write responses to them. Sophie manages to become a temporary member of the Secretaries of Juliet and finds a letter behind a loose stone in the wall. It is a 50 year old letter from Claire then Smith now Wyman whose husband has since died. Soon, we meet Charlie Wyman, grandson of Claire, who has appeared with his grandmother to confront the impudent young upstart who has stirred up feelings in his grandmother Charlie felt should have been left alone. Grandmother doesn't agree with Charlie and wants to, at the suggestion of Sophie, try to find her 50 year old love. Get two women focused on love together and any man who is realistic is background noise, is at best a necessary evil. Such is the lot for Charlie as Sophie and Claire scour the countryside looking for Claire's Lorenzo Bartolini, one of 74 Lorenzo Bartolini's within about 60 miles of Sienna. There is the basis of this delightful love story. The writers did an excellent job of portraying a growing love. Too bad the film is not cc'ed. If it were a TVGuardian unit would filter out the abuses of God's name and the single use of profanity, making this film equivalent to many G-rated films. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 100 out of 100 There was nothing at all even remotely associated with violence in the entire 99 minutes of programming. Impudence/Hate (I) - 83 out of 100 The single use of profanity was as uniquely unnecessary as the lies to manipulate the situation at hand and the rude hand gestures. [Col. 3:8] Sexual Immorality (S) - 73 out of 100 Here the content gets a little more dense: art nudity; sexual harassment; a woman wrapping her legs around a man; cohabitation without display of sex; female ogling at male anatomy in swim suits; an anatomical reference. But that is all. [Eph. 5:3 - 5, 1 Cor. 7:1-2] Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 43 out of 100 Drinking is a major element of content in this film. Seven times someone imbibes some alcoholic beverage. Sure, drinking wine is commonplace in Italy but that does not negate the influence of presenting alcoholic drinking to adolescents, so sayeth the American College of Physicians (ACP). 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 • 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] Offense to God (O) - 60 out of 100 Though Italy seems to be a God-fearing* country, this film is not. It presents 12 abuses of His name. Though each is without the four letter expletive, abuse of God's name is a sin whether used with the four letter expletive or not. [Deut. 5:11] * God fearing. Does that mean we are to be afraid of Him? See our publication Fear of God for the answer. Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There were no murders or suicides noted. 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) - 100 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - 83 out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 73 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 43 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 60 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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