| Overall: | A |
|---|---|
| Violence: | A |
| Sexual Content: | A |
| Language: | A- |
| Drugs/Alcohol: | A- |
| Run Time: | 94 |
| Theater Release: | |
| Video Release: | 05 Mar 2001 |
| MPAA Rating: | |
| See Canadian Ratings | |
| How We Determine Our Grades | |
After watching a movie with your children or students, we encourage parents and teachers to look for education opportunities to teach with movies. Here are a few discussion topics that can help with lesson plans or teaching in the home.
A well-written story will provide logical motivations for each character on the screen. Can you identify them in this film? (ie: Why does Homer stay? What drives Maria to keep doing what she does?)
Look for subtleties within the script that allow us to learn more about each character. For instance, what do we learn about the owner of the construction company when he donates poor quality bricks? What do we know about the people who donate the chandelier? What type of person is Juan, the owner of the restaurant?
Most movies have a clearly cut protagonist and antagonist. Who is the “good guy” in this film? Who is the “bad guy”? Is it difficult to identify anyone as good or bad? How does the writer hold your interest without resorting to these usual techniques?
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About the Reviewer: Rod Gustafson
Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. He currently serves as the President of the Alberta Association for Media Awareness, a provincial non-profit society. He also authors a regular column for The Parent's Television Council in Los Angeles. He and his wife Donna have four children.
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