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Reel World Reality 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 MAR2012.057  (2010), R [Hard 13-R*] (119min) 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): Sony Pictures Classics in Association with Everest Entertainment present a Mockingbird Pictures Production Distribution (US): Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Director(s): Rodrigo Garcia Producer(s): Julie Lynn, Lisa Maria Falcone, Alejandro Gonzalez I–‡rritu, Jonathan McCoy, Tom Heller, Karen Graci Written by: Rodrigo Garcia Cinematography/Camera: Xavier PŽrez Grobet Music: Edward Shearmur Film Editing: Steven Weisberg Casting: Heidi Levitt Production Design: Christopher Tandon Viewed on Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD As with many Hollywood productions presenting pregnancy by immoral sex, Mother and Child presents it in a warm and loving positive light where everything is all well, totally ignoring the reality of the Word of He who made us. Fully, a baby is a blessed thing but that which brought the baby about may not be blessed. The content of this film earned a final score of 55 out of 100 which places it one point above the R-13 threshold of 54 and below out of 100, making it a 13-R*. Indeed, the Sexual Immorality (I) content investigation area found enough sexually immoral content to earn R-equivalence. The same is true for the findings made by the Impudence/Hate (I) and the Offense to God (O) content investigation areas. However, the Drugs/Alcohol (D) investigation area found content to be PG-equivalent while the Wanton Violence/Crime (W) and Murder/Suicide (M) content investigation areas each found content to be G-equivalent. It was the relatively low or absent violence/crime (W), drugs/alcohol (D) and murder/suicide (M) content and the inherent relatively high scoring under those content investigation areas that brought the final score up from deep into the bowels of the R scoring range (54 and below out of 100). The content scoring distribution of this film is a prime example of one of the precepts of the CAP Ministry: that if any one of the six content investigation areas reveals content to be R-equivalent the entire film should be considered R since no one can watch such a movie without seeing/hearing the R-equivalent content. This film is a serpentine mixture of stories about the lives of three women: 50-year old Karen (Annette Bening), 37 year old Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) and Lucy (Kerry Washington). Nearly 40 years ago 14 year old Karen (Alexandria M. Salling) had sex with Tom Weller (Connor Kramme), a teen boy ... and then came baby. Karen gave up the baby for adoption. Now Karen is a 50 year old bitter physical therapist, is not married and lives with her ailing mother. It takes the TLC of Paco (Jimmy Smits), a fellow therapist to break down Karen's emotional shields. Elizabeth is a successful lawyer who uses her body to get her way. Not unexpected, Elizabeth prefers working for a man. The first man she works for in LA, Paul (Samuel L. Jackson) is the widowed owner of a successful law firm. It is not long before she gets him in bed. As an added character building device a young married neighbor man of Elizabeth's soon becomes a bed partner of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the baby Karen gave up for adoption. Lucy cannot conceive a child. She and her husband Joseph (David Ramsey) want to adopt. I dare not delve any deeper into the story or plot lest I butcher it beyond recognition. Subjectively speaking, I did not like the film because of its cavalier approach and handling of sexual relationships. Fortunately this film is rated R which has at least the potential to keep it from young girls during their social and emotional formative years. Following are brief discussions of the content per individual content investigation area. As always the Findings section of this report, the heart of the CAP Analysis Model, is the best source for discovering the full accounting of the content of this film. Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 89 out of 100 The only matters applicable to this investigation area were the two deaths, one by natural causes and the other the result of giving birth, and the display of birthing pains. Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Fourteen times someone utters profanity of some kind or another, one of them by a teen. In addition, nine times someone use the most foul of the foul words. [Col. 3:8, Eph. 4:29, 2 Tim. 2:16 - 17] Other than the foul language the only matters of impudence and/or hatred were the lies [Rev. 21:8] and an adult tantrum. Sexual Immorality (S) - 10 out of 100 Though this is not the lowest scoring content investigation area it is the one with the long list of findings, too long in fact to warrant the time and effort to summarize them all here. Besides, I didn't like typing them the first time. If you want to know the full accounting of the Sexual Immorality findings please inspect the listing of findings in the Findings/Scoring section. But I do want to address one particularly vile demonstration of sexually immoral behaviors by Watts. As her apartment neighbor man stood on his balcony, Elizabeth (Watts) stood on her adjacent balcony and opened her shower robe to expose her full nudity to the man to entice him into sexual immorality. This was a demonstration of God's admonition against the adulterous women (or man) who 'eats, wipes her mouth and says she's done nothing wrong.' [Prov. 30:20, Prov. 6:25 - 26, Ezek. 16:58] Let it be known that God has some very specific things to say about sexually immoral behaviors. [1 Thess. 4:1 - 5] So strong are His feelings against sexual immorality that He warns that they who are sexually immoral and are not forgiven of the sins will not make it to Heaven. [Again Rev. 21:8] All of His numerous admonitions against sexual immorality can be summed up as any sexual contact (including sight, sound and touch), conduct or activity outside of a monogamous heterosexual marriage is sinful. Remember, folks. I did not write the Rules. The One who suffered unimaginable mutilation and murder then spent three days in Hell so you and I would not have to spend one moment there did. Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 83 out of 100 The only issues applicable to this content investigation area were the appearance of dinner wine and other forms of alcoholic beverages. Only once was anyone seen imbibing. Offense to God (O) - 50 out of 100 Contempt for God's name is noted an equal number of times with and without the four letter expletive. With or without the four letter expletive, abuse of God's name carries consequence. [Deut. 5:11] Murder/Suicide (M) - 100 out of 100 There are no murders or suicides portrayed in the entire 119 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 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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(The objective heart of the CAP Analysis Model, independent of and insulated from the Summary / Commentary section.)   Wanton Violence/Crime (W) - 89 out of 100 Impudence/Hate (I) - Zero out of 100 Sexual Immorality (S) - 10 out of 100 Drugs/Alcohol (D) - 83 out of 100 Offense to God (O) - 50 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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| For G rated Films with G equivalence: G PG equivalence: PG-G PG-13 equivalence: 13-G R equivalence: R-G< | For PG rated Films with G equivalence: G-PG PG equivalence: PG PG-13 equivalence: 13-PG R equivalence: R-PG | For PG-13 rated Films with G equivalence: G-13 PG equivalence: PG(13) PG-13 equivalence: PG-13 R equivalence: R-13 | For R rated Films with G equivalence: G-R PG equivalence: PG-R PG-13 equivalence: 13-R R equivalence: R | For NR rated Films with G equivalence: G-NR PG equivalence: PG-NR PG-13 equivalence: 13-NR R equivalence: R-NR |
