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Entertainment Media Analysis Report
A service to parents and grandparents

MAR21053
Osmosis Jones (2001), PG
CAP Score: 59
CAP Influence Density: 0.74

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NOTE: If you do not want the plot, ending, or "secrets" of a movie spoiled for you, skip the Summary/Commentary. In any case, be sure to visit the Findings/Scoring section -- it is purely objective and is the heart of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model applied to this movie.





SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:

If Scriptural references appear, the full text appears at the end of the Summary / Commentary likely using a mix of KJV and NIV.


OSMOSIS JONES (PG) -- more of Hollywood's fascination with bodily functions and fluids.

OSMOSIS JONES is more of Hollywood's fascination with bodily functions and fluids, or at least their expectation of children to be fascinated with them. Gross is the best description. Some funny material, but most was just plain gross. Things like Frank's zit popping its puss onto the lips of Mrs. Boyd (Molly Shannon), the same woman on whom Frank had earlier upchucked. But a little deeper into vulgarity are things like slicing murders, talk of getting drunk, strip bar imagery, sexual innuendo and "You look good with falsies" to an adolescent girl who is wearing false eyelashes. The original "falsie" is not a false eyelash.

Frank (Bill Murray) after losing his good job ends up as a general aide at a zoo, doing high liability duties such as cleaning up the droppings of the animals. Frank is not a conscientious eater. He'll eat anything that happens to be easy. His barely teen daughter, Shane (Elena Franklin) is on his case about his eating and hygiene habits but to no avail. While chatting with Shane at a monkey cage, Frank tried to eat a hard boiled egg with mayo and salt when the monkey snatched it from him. After a scuffle Frank secured the egg from the ground after it fell from the monkey's mouth -- and ate it. Why not? The ten-second rule says if you pick it up before ten seconds, it's okay to eat. Little does he know he ate some quite nasty little boogers with it. Now starts the gross humor. Oh, yeah! The same fingers Frank used to hold the egg were just moments earlier between his glutei maximi.
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Now that Frank has introduced some nasties inside his body, a team of experts go to work. Osmosis Jones (Chris Rock), a cold capsule named Drix (David Hyde Pierce) for Drixoral, I think, a less-than-honorable mayor (William Shatner) and his assistant Leah (Brandy Norwood), his opponent Tom Colonic (Ron Howard), a virus named Thrax (Laurence Fishburne) do battle for Frank's life. Thrax brags of having a kill record of 72 hours and wants to beat his own record and kill Frank in less time.

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Some ingenious placarding of body parts were amusing. "Downtown Frank" was posted at the beginning of the digestive system. Frank's stomach was an airport with regular flights and airport-sounding announcements of arrivals from the swaller pipe and departures to the colon. His brain was the political center run by the mayor. Some criminals vying for the Godfather sound-alike award had their secret hideaway in Frank's armpit.
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Drix was the hero, combating all manner if infection and symptom, freezing the inflamed tissues the Frank Fire Department could not extinguish. He and Osmosis Jones, a ne'er-do-well police officer of the Frank Police Department who was responsible for pushing the Puke Button which caused Frank to launch his lunch onto Mrs. Boyd, battled side-by-side to vanquish Thrax.
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Since Osmosis Jones was originally PG-13 it might be expected for Hollywood to insert at least one or two visits to frank's genitals. Such was refreshingly avoided. However, in what I think was called the Unpleasant Memories room, some images of posteriors were clearly visible. Also, Murray is seen in only his briefs underwear in a classroom of elementary school kids. An out-of-control squad car crash lands in a rectum, wedged between two glutei maximi. And the ever-popular flatulence was there.

While this may sound quite humorous, it still has many of the earmarks of PG-13. Before I go any further, let me remind you that the CAP analysis model assumes that any animated behavior which can reasonably be duplicated by a human child is to be considered as having equal potential for emboldening copycat behaviors. Further, the model rests on an assumption that once a voice, a personality capable of planning, and feelings are given to a character, even if animated, the charater becomes personified thus fostering a bonding with the character, especially by children. Ascribing human characteristics to even animated characters can add to confusion. When these speaking, feeling characters exhibit behaviors onscreen, it is inevitable that the young observer is influenced. This has been known since Buggs Bunny(tm) and Road Runner(tm).

Knowing this, understand that a plethora of influential behaviors exist in Osmosis Jones. Behaviors such as those described above plus murder, defiance of lawful authority, talk of getting drunk and strip bar imagery may plant unwanted preferences in your children. Also, the fighting, the kidnapping and sexual suggestions may become indelible templates for your kids. Though the chances of copycat behaviors may be slim at best, the chances exist. Finally, that the imagery and attitudes portrayed do not visibly cause changes to your child's choices of behavior is no guarantee the influences will not manifest in seemingly totally unrelated areas of character and thinking. Please take to heart what God says about bad company in 1 Cor 15:33.

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SCRIPTURAL APPLICATION(S)
If needed to focus or fortify, applicable text is underlined or bracketed [ ]. 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.

  • 1 Cor. 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (NIV) Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.

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    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.




    FINDINGS / SCORING: Osmosis Jones (2001) CAP Thermometers

    NOTE: Multiple occurrences of each item described below may be likely, definitely when plural.

    Wanton Violence/Crime (W):
  • evil character
  • threats
  • gambling
  • talk of killing people: "I killed him in 72 hours
  • fighting
  • kidnapping
  • attempted murder by choking and impalement

    Impudence/Hate (I)(1):
  • six uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary, two were masked
  • defiance of lawful authority
  • gross behavior, imagery, many
  • flatulence
  • lie before daughter to excuse defiance of rules
  • adolescent defiance of father, repeatedly
  • portrayal of daughter being superior to father
  • daughter blaming father for mother's death
  • tattoos

    Sex/Homosexuality (S):
  • sexual suggestion, innuendo, imagery
  • drawing nudity, rear
  • portrayal of sexual attraction
  • strip bar imagery
  • necking in theater
  • brief nudity, rear
  • "You look good in falsies."
  • adult in underwear in an elementary school classroom

    Drugs/Alcohol (D):
  • talk of getting drunk
  • smoking
  • booze
  • drinking

    Offense to God (O)(2):
  • five uses of God's name in vain but without the four letter expletive, twice by an adolescent
  • argumentation in favor of evolution

    Murder/Suicide (M)(3):
  • multiple character murders by slicing and other means



    NOTE: The CAP Analysis Model makes no scoring allowances for trumped-up "messages" to excuse or for manufacturing of justification for aberrant behavior or imagery, or for camouflaging such ignominy with "redeeming" programming. Disguising sinful behavior in a theme plot does not excuse the sinful behavior of either the one who is drawing pleasure from the sinful display or the practitioners demonstrating the sinful behavior. This is NOT a movie review service. It is a movie analysis service to parents and grandparents to tell them the truth about movies using the Truth.


    "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 aplaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our five-year 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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    (1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impudence/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 in vain is incorporated into the Impudence/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the four letter expletive is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication.

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




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