Lost In Yonkers

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.

Jay helps Uncle Louie out of a tight situation involving his mob relations. Do you think he should have assisted him? Why do movies depict gangsters in comedic fashion? How do these portrayals influence our attitudes toward real criminals?

What do we learn about Grandma when she says goodbye to the boys near the end of the movie? Do you think she likes them more now than when they first came? What does Jay do that seems to earn Grandma’s respect? (You may want to discuss the fine line between being truthful about your feelings toward someone, and being considerate of their feelings.)