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A service to our youth through you, their parents and grandparents, in His name by His Word MAR22102 Sweet Home Alabama (2002), PG-13 Analysis Date: October 2, 2002 CAP Score: 44 CAP Influence Density: 1.20 MinMax: -100 |
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SWEET HOME ALABAMA (PG-13) -- the already married Melanie. Production: Pigeon Creek Films Distribution: Buena Vista Pictures Director(s): Andy Tennant Producer(s): Stokely Chaffin. Michael Fottrell, Jon J. Jashni, Wink Mordaunt, Neal H. Moritz, Charlize Theron Written by/Screenplay: Douglas J. Eboch (story), C. Jay Cox (screenplay) Cinematography/Camera: Andrew Dunn Music: George Fenton Film Editing: Troy Takaki, Tracey Wadmore-Smith Casting: Juel Bestrop, Kathleen Chopin, Jeanne McCarthy Production Design: Clay A. Griffith Art Direction: Jay Pelissier  Yes, it is R-13. "For some language and sexual references." Imagine that! Forty-four examples of "language" [ Col. 3:8, Prov. 22:11, Eph. 5:4] for your 13 year old kids and younger [Luke 17:2]. In 102 minutes. "Sexual references" content didn't help the final score either [Rev. 22:15]. Neither did the 23 uses of God's name in vain, once with the four letter expletive [Deut. 5:11]. Neither did the drinking and drunkenness [Gal. 5:21]. These and many other examples of ignominy in well-constructed, realistic, sometimes warm and moving cynematic cyanide for our youth at the age of least ability to cope with sexual and speech dissonance created by practice of them of it in and as entertainment. But hey! There were no murders or suicides in this sometime invasive romance comedy for teens! Indeed the only CAP investigation areas which did not reveal programming mathematically equivalent to R-rated movies were Wanton Violence/Crime and Murder/Suicide. All in all a bittersweet comedy romance: a sweet romance made bitter by 101 total tiny and not so tiny more or less (mostly more) assaults on morality and decency. Melanie Carmichael - er - Melanie Perry (Reese Whitherspoon), 'Carmichael' is a manufactured name, is daughter of country folks Earl and Pearl Smooter (Fred Ward and Mary Kay Place) and wife of country boy Jake Perry (Josh Lucas). All are of the booming metropolis of Pigeon Creek, Alabama. Fed up with being a nobody in nowhere, USA Melanie decided flip the bird at her promise and vows so she could break out on her own to become a successful fashion designer in New York. And that she does. Melanie is now mistress of the runway, a "steel magnolia." Whitherspoon is a far cry and a couple pounds from her hot pants and convertible days of some obscure movie in which she had a bit part a number of years ago. Now, Whitherspoon can carry a film all by herself just as she carried this movie almost on her own with only support roles rather than co-stars. As Melanie was becoming successful, a relationship developed between her and the adulterous Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey), the JFK-wannabe son of NYC Mayor Kate Hennings (Candice Bergen). Andrew is engaged to marry the already married Melanie Perry/Carmichael. He proposed to the already married Melanie in Tiffany's which he rented for the occasion. Already married Melanie was told to pick the ring she wanted out of all that was before her -- millions of dollars in diamonds. She said "yes." Bewildered and perplexed, already married Melanie decided that before she marries Andrew she had to go back to Pigeon Creek to tie up some loose ends, mainly her husband Jake and the divorce she had been trying to get for quite some time. Melanie arrives in Pigeon Creek announcing demands of Luke to sign the divorce papers. Now! But Luke, being an honorable man, refused because of Melanie's "hoitie, toitie" attitude. That, and he still loves her and has been working hard for the several years to change himself to meet her material-girl standards. Y'see, the Smooter/Perry lifestyle was apparently beneath Melanie. The apparent reason they married was due to sexual immorality. What happened to the baby I do not know. Luke not willing to sign the divorce papers, Melanie decides to play the housewife again and empties Luke's unexplainably sizable bank account on new appliances and furniture to accommodate or at least make gestures of accommodating the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed. Actually, she has moved back in to make life miserable for Luke to convince him of the error of his ways in refusing to sign the papers. Yes, some of this program is enjoyable and even delightful, but we do not have to "overlook" or try to filter out the assaults on morality and decency to be entertained. I guess since Melanie had filed for divorce and since she had sent the papers to Jake that it justified adultery. Hey, this is the 00s. I wonder if there is irony in the use of "00s?" Is it ironic that there seems to be almost 00 morality in entertainment for teens today? Almost 00 attention to morality by the filmmakers of today. Almost 00 open and honest observance of His Word? Publicly anyway? Is it ironic that for many of us today it seems God occupies 00 of our mind and heart as we go about our daily business and trudge though our hardships and trials such as marital friction: that there seems to be 00 reliance on His Intercession and Restoration? Remember, when He seems to be absent or uncaring as our world comes crashing down around us, it is not He who forsakes us [Heb. 13:5]. It is we who forsake Him. Look up "Footprints (in the sand)." I used "already married Melanie" in the above paragraphs intentionally in making what is now a probably transparent point for a sermon. Not only does God tell us He hates divorce [Mal. 2:16], God speaks of divorce in a very disapproving way 18 times in both the Old Testament and the New. Even when Joseph wanted to (quietly) divorce Mary since she was with a child not of his, God's angel advised against it. God also speaks of adultery as dark and forbidden 44 times in the Old Testament and New Testament of the NIV Bible. He speaks the same of the adulterous 9 times and of the adulterer 3 times. He likens adultery to evil and wickedness [Matt. 15:19, Matt. 16:4]. An example of His Wrath on adulterers is Hebr. 13:4 "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." I do not claim to be wise enough to know how God visits His Wrath on us for our sins. I have been told His punishment may be misery or trouble parallel to the sin or even completely unrelated years later or even on our children, or that it may be loss of rewards in Heaven. But just because God does not always openly punish for our sinful deeds and thoughts does not mean He won't or can't. All I do know is that once we have been Saved the punishment of our sins will not be eternity in Hell. That does not mean we will not be punished for our sins even if Saved. It just means our punishment will not be Hell. And just because someone who has not been Saved may live a bountiful and fruitful life in adultery does not mean s/he will not answer for such a choice. God will call for an accountability for our sins in His own way in His own day if He chooses to do so. Is the carnal pleasure worth the risk? All such entertainment as Sweet Home Alabama does is desensitize us to the gravity of His Word by ignoring it and by portraying the sin as acceptable and without consequences [Ps. 12:8]. There is warmth and humor in this movie but at what price? 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. *******Food for Daily Thought******* 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. |
 Wanton Violence/Crime (W): Impudence/Hate (I)(1): Sex/Homosexuality (S): Drugs/Alcohol (D): Offense to God (O)(2): Murder/Suicide (M)(3): |
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| 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 or example 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 applaud these associations for fortifying 1 Cor. 15:33. Read the rest of the story. From our nearly seven 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. |
