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A service to parents and grandparents
MAR20088
Small Time Crooks (2000), (PG)
CAP Score: 58
CAP Influence Density: 0.84
Click on CAPCon Alert image for explanation |
A service to parents and grandparents MAR20088 Small Time Crooks (2000), (PG) CAP Score: 58 CAP Influence Density: 0.84 |
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SUMMARY / COMMENTARY: *Small Time Crooks* (PG) -- small time return on your entertainment dollar. In the shadow of The Crew, Small Time Crooks starring Woody Allen is a flick about some aging crooks trying once again to relive their youthful lawlessness [Hab. 2:12] and make that big score to retire in Miami. Not Ft. Lauderdale and not Tampa Bay, but in Miami. Ray "Brain" Winkler (Woody Allen) gets another hair-brained idea to rent a hole-in-the-wall pizza parlor close to a bank to tunnel to the bank two doors down and rob it. As a front Ray and his wife, Francis aka "Frenchie" (Tracy Ullman) set up a cookie shop in the rented pizza parlor. Ray digs and Frenchie cooks. Along with three of his ex-con buddies, Ray bungles his way up through the floor of a dress shop in stead of the bank vault. I have never seen a tunneling show that reveals what is done with the yards of dirt dug out to make the tunnel -- this one is no different. What do you do with the yards of dirt, especially in the downtown of a concrete and asphalt metropolis? But while the tunneling goes on, Frenchie is turning out to be a mighty fine cookie cooker. The business is doing so well the Winklers hire Frenchie's cousin May (Elaine May). And all seems to be going well for the dastardly deed doers -- until May blabs the "expansion plans" for the shop to a cop customer who had a brother who took a business class who, in the middle of arresting the quartet, suggests the foursome (plus Frenchie and May) franchise. That they do -- and make a fortune. The cop becomes a vice president in the new business. And so do the rest of the gang, vice presidents all with Ray as the CEO. And, of course, the criminal activities become background noise without the slightest hint of consequences [Eccl. 8:11]. Now that the Winklers are rich, Frenchie wants to hobnob with the elite and snooty. She even wants to become high society and snooty just like the highfalutin folks [Prov. 8:13]. So, enters David (Hugh Grant of Notting Hill), a most suave and debonair english-accented, art master who has caught the eye of Frenchie, so much so she hires him to teach her and Ray how to be 'real people', real snooty anyway. But David has other plans for a relationship with Frenchie, with her money anyway [Rom. 3:13]. But to implement his plan, he has to woo Frenchie which causes the Winklers to split up. Though May is said in the movie to have the IQ of a chair (and Elaine May was genius at the part), Ray finds consolation and companionship in her company. In an attempt to finance his and May's plans to run off to Florida, Ray brainstorms another heist but this time of a priceless necklace from the hostess of a gala high society shindig he was to attend shortly. Ray has a duplicate of the necklace made to replace the stolen real necklace to give them time to go on the lam. All would have went well until May, serving as lookout during the heist, bolted and caused ray to lose track of which necklace was the fake and which was the real McCoy. Elaine May was probably the funniest character in the whole show. She at least had the cleanest script. Which brings up why this is a PG movie. *Small Time Crooks* was a PG made into a "PG[13]" due mainly to language and booze. Fifteen uses of the three/four letter word vocabulary plus 26 uses of variations of God's name in vain but without the four letter expletive [Exod. 20:7]. While not a violent movie, several criminal acts (without consequences, of course) were noted. A monologue of sexual matters about how advertising can be more efficacious by taking advantage of the appeal of a pornographic magazine and picture nudity [Mark 7:21] topped off the reasons for the "PG[13]." 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: 
NOTE: Multiple occurrences of each item described below may be likely, definitely when plural. Wanton Violence/Crime (W): Impudence/Hate (I)(1): Sex/Homosexuality (S): Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O)(2): Murder/Suicide (M)(3):  |
