"Parental Warning"
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| Nudity |
What You Need To Know:
JOSHUA the movie contains excessive foul language, brief sexual content, drinking, and a scene where the horrible child goes to church with his grandmother and supposedly accepts Jesus Christ as Lord. This too just turns out to be an act the child knows will anger his parents, who throw a fit when the Christian grandmother proudly tells them that she believes in the Good News. Grandma gets an earful of profanity and shortly thereafter dies, with some help from Joshua. Joshua shows more interest in some Egyptian gods than he does in the one true God.
Content:
(PaPaPa, ABABAB, FRFR, LLL, V, SS, N, A, D, M) Very strong pagan, anti-Christian worldview featuring parents violently opposed to their child becoming a Christian, child pretends conversion to Christianity in order to anger parents, child shows fascination with Egyptian gods, child apparently pushes Christian grandmother down stairs to her death, child kills family dog and school hamsters, child pretends to be abused in order to get social workers to charge his father with abuse; child hides with baby sister to scare mother and father; 19 obscenities and 12 profanities; father hits disobedient son, son kills pets (not shown), and son pushes grandmother (not shown); parents engage in sex, some affection shown with partial undressing; father and mother in underwear in one scene, naked, but not graphic, in another scene; some alcohol use but no drunkenness; smoking; and, dishonesty and bearing false witness against another person.
More Detail:
OSHUA is not exactly a horror show but it is perhaps the ultimate parental nightmare. Joshua (Jacob Kogan) is a brilliant boy who decides to drive his parents insane when they bring home his newborn baby sister. Joshua is smart enough to skip two grades in his elite private school. He plays the piano better than many adults, but he does not intend to share his parents’ attention with any sibling. He proceeds to help his sister become a near constant screamer. This drives his mother (Vera Farmiga) into a permanently nasty mood, which in turn makes life miserable for his father (Sam Rockwell).
The tension builds as Joshua kills the family dog, the school’s hamsters and his own gerbil. While not shown, it appears that he caused an accident that killed his grandmother. Joshua’s dad becomes paranoid that Joshua intends to kill his sister. He hires a child psychologist to meet with Joshua, but Joshua proceeds to convince the doctor he is a victim of child abuse.
JOSHUA the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat concerned for the safety of the sister and the sanity of the parents. The movie is certainly not to be recommended for couples considering having children. But, in truth, the movie is not worth recommending to anyone. The idea that murderous, manipulative children are entertaining is ridiculous.
The movie contains drinking, smoking, bad language, and a scene where the horrible child goes to church with his grandmother and supposedly accepts Jesus Christ as Lord. This too just turns out to be an act the child knows will anger his parents, who throw a fit when the Christian grandmother proudly tells them what she believes in the Good News. Grandma gets an earful of profanity and shortly thereafter dies, with some help from Joshua. Joshua shows more interest in some Egyptian gods than he does in the one true God.
While walking the isle at a church in response to a sermon does not always result in a person sincerely making Jesus Lord of their life, this movie uses the experience as a cheap plot device. Millions of people who do walk the isle are transformed for the better. Marriages are saved and addicts set free. Angry, hateful people become kind and generous.
What drives many people in Hollywood crazy is the fact that Christianity and especially Jesus Christ are the only moral alternative to an immoral lifestyle. People who make movies like JOSHUA don’t like to be told their work is immoral. You can call George Bush immoral or call global warming immoral, but if you call making degrading movies immoral, you are engaging in hatred and intolerance.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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