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Diminished Capacity

(2008, Rated NR, Comedy, Starring Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0

  • Common Sense says

    Bland indie comedy has some iffy alcohol content.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Discussion of fitting into social norms/expectations; discussion of divorce and family tension. Lots of contrast between small-town values and big-city speed. Much of the plot revolves around a valuable rare baseball card and attempts to steal or swindle it.

  • Violence:

    Warning shotgun blasts are fired; characters scuffle and fight; one character strangles another (non fatally) with shoelaces; guns are pointed. A Cubs fan has a screaming, TV-smashing fit over the team's poor play.

  • Sex:

    Some kissing.

  • Language:

    Language includes "goddamn," "bulls--t," "pissant," "craptacular," "s--tball," "hell," "son-of-a-bitch," and the like.

  • Consumerism:

    Some real-world brands are in the background at a grocery store; some major brands and professional sports teams are visible and mentioned as part of a sports collectible show. Contextual mention of fictional branded characters Superman, Batman and Spider-Man; discussions of Starbucks.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    One supporting character is a recovering alcoholic who seems to be gaining relief through Alcoholics Anonymous; another alcoholic character is seen being shepherded into recovery. Alcohol abuse is seen to have clear ramifications. Characters drink beer and liquor in a bar. Cooper received his concussion at the hands of a friend on a drunken tear.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Diminished Capacity

Parents need to know that this indie comedy probably won't be on most teens' radar. Perhaps that's just as well, considering that it's pretty unflinching about alcohol abuse (and its negative effects) and revolves around characters dealing with severe memory loss and the loss of some mental function -- whether due to a concussion or Alzheimer's disease. One character veers between charming befuddlement and full-on dementia, which might be unsettling for viewers who've watched relatives suffer through Alzheimer's. There's some salty language ("s--tball" is as strong as it gets) and some fairly mild violence, some of which is played for humor.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the film depicts alcohol use and abuse. What are the consequences of drinking too much in the movie? Are they realistic? How does the media affect our perception of drinking? Families can also discuss the film's essential question: "How much are your memories worth?" What would you do in Cooper or Rollie's place?
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