Movie Review: An American Carol
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this independent comedy from one
of the directors of
Airplane!
is designed to articulate politically conservative ideas and
criticisms -- specifically alleging that the movie industry is
liberal through and through. It depicts suicide bombing and
terrorist acts in a broadly humorous light and paints pacifism
as a naive, dangerous luxury. There's extensive crude and
coarse comedy (including jokes about sex), plenty of pratfalls,
strong language ("s--t," the "N" word), and some drinking and
smoking.
Families can talk about the cultural clash between liberals and conservatives. How does this conflict play out in the media? Families can also discuss the film's varying tone. Is it appropriate to mix slapstick comedy with depictions of the aftermath of 9-11? Finally, families can talk about the film's central thesis: Is mainstream Hollywood really anti-conservative and pro-liberal? What real-life evidence can you point to on either side of the argument? Do you think the media influences your own social and political beliefs? How?
Common Sense Media Review
At a Fourth of July picnic, a grandfather (
Leslie
Nielsen) tells a group of children a story that's a
variation on Charles Dickens'
A
Christmas Carol
: Liberal documentary maker Michael Malone (Kevin Farley,
playing a character clearly based on
Michael
Moore), who's campaigning to abolish the Independence Day
holiday, is visited by several ghosts -- including Gen. George
S. Pattton (
Kelsey
Grammer) and George Washington (
Jon
Voight), who show him the error of his ways and his
political philosophy. At the same time, a group of Afghan
terrorists have approached Malone to shoot their next "training
video," and he's hoping their funding will enable him to make
his first feature film and get out of being a "mere"
documentarian.
AN AMERICAN CAROL is an incredibly uneasy mix of broad, slapstick comedy and ham-handed political commentary. For example, a scene mourning the victims of 9-11 is followed within seconds by the film's lead character banging his head repeatedly on some church bells. And the film, directed by Airplane! helmer David Zucker, seems to know exactly how uneven it is, with the characters themselves commenting on unlikely and uneven moments -- like a musical number led by a group of academics commenting on the left-wing "bias" of academia. Star Farley, the brother of deceased funnyman Chris Farley, is a fairly shameless comedic performer, and he throws himself into his pratfalls and stunts with vigor, but he doesn't have the acting skill to make us believe in, or care about, his ultimate transformation.
The film's throw-it-all-at-the-wall-and-see-if-it-sticks methodology results in scenes like a visit to a parallel America in which the Civil War was never fought and slavery is still legal, with the massed slaves singing the traditional Hebrew folk song "Hava Nagilah." There are also jokes about suicide bombing, terrorism, and murder -- and the mix of violence and comedy is remarkably uncomfortable. The contrast is huge; the comedy payoff miniscule. Culminating in a stop-the-bombs finale at a Madison Square Garden concert for America's troops -- and in Malone's reformation from a documentarian responsible for films like Die, American Pigs! to a filmmaker interested in showcasing the greatness of America -- An American Carol has a definite position and point of view, but it doesn't have a lot of laughs.
For an earlier, funnier film from director Zucker, teens can try Airplane! ; kids who want to know what all the fuss is about may want to view Moore's films Fahrenheit 9/11 and Sicko .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
