Unlike the MPAA we do not assign
one
inscrutable rating based on age, but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY, VIOLENCE/GORE
and PROFANITY on a scale of 0 to 10, from lowest to highest,
depending on quantity and context.
A boy who grew up in an orphanage that also serves as a delivery
room/abortion clinic leaves in search of a more meaningful life.
With Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd,
Michael Caine, Jane Alexander, Kathy Baker, Erykah Badu, Kieran
Culkin, Kate Nelligan, Heavy D, K. Todd Freeman, Paz de la Huerta,
John Albano, Sean Andrew, Mary Bogue, Spencer Diamond, Skye McCole
Bartusiak and Erik Sullivan. [2:11]
SEX/NUDITY 4 - Some sexual innuendo (mostly in
reference to incest) and a few kisses. A man and woman kiss
passionately and briefly have intercourse with heavy breathing (they
remain clothed throughout). One post-coitus scene: a presumably nude
man (only his shoulders are visible) gazes at a nude woman's bare
backside as she lies on top of a bed. We see a man's bare backside
as he gets out of the shower.
VIOLENCE/GORE 5 - We see a man with a bloody shirt
sitting on a blood-soaked bed; we learn someone stabbed him and he
then stabbed himself. A man breathes too much ether and dies; he
crushes the bottle of ether in his hand and we see some blood. A man
is threatened with a knife, then grabs it out of his attacker's
hand and slashes his shirt. A girl slaps her face a few times. A man
grabs a girl's wrist; she slaps at him and spits on him until he
lets go. A woman grabs a man's neck while she's giving birth. We
see a boy stop breathing and later see his grave being covered with
dirt. We see a film clip of "King Kong" during which King
Kong swings and throws several animals. We learn a woman who's
found outside the orphanage has a crochet hook stuck in her uterus
from a botched abortion (doctors examine her but we don't see the
wound). Abortions are performed on a few women (we don't see the
surgery, but in one scene we see a doctor with some blood on his
gown afterwards). We see a close-up of a cut on a man's palm as it's
being stitched. We see a slightly bloody newborn. We hear a boy
vomiting.
the review continues below...
PROFANITY 3 - An anatomical reference, some mild
obscenities, an insult and a racial epithet. [profanity glossary]
DISCUSSION TOPICS - Orphanages, abortion, drug abuse,
death, incest, suicide, falling in love, duty and obligation.
MESSAGE - Satisfaction comes from choosing your way of
life, not simply doing what others expect you to do.
A CAVEAT: We've gone through several editorial changes since we
started covering films in 1992 and some of our early standards were
not as stringent as they are now. We therefore need to revisit many
older reviews, especially those written prior to 1998 or so; please
keep this in mind if you're consulting a review from that period.
While we plan to revisit and correct older reviews our resources are
limited and it is a slow, time-consuming process.
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