Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Crime thriller has corruption, violence, language, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Edison
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In EDISON, young newspaper reporter Joshua Pollack (Justin Timberlake) investigates police corruption and sets off an unexpected chain of events.
Is It Any Good?
A forgotten mid-2000s crime vehicle for pop star turned actor Timberlake and several other famous faces, this movie was quietly ushered out straight-to-video and it's easy to see why. Early on, Edison (also known as Edison Force) seems to flirt with the idea of becoming a John Grisham-esque legal drama before quickly morphing into a clunky thriller. Writer and director David J. Burke seems caught in two minds about what type of movie he wanted to make. LL Cool J's turn as conflicted corrupt cop Deed is typical of the almost-symbolism we get throughout, while Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey come and go as a newspaper editor and ace detective who are oddly sidelined away from the movie's action.
The whole thing is about as convincing as the voluminous wig that Spacey sports throughout, with Timberlake's voiceover in the closing stages suggesting the makers felt the need to patch up the ending. Amid the crooked cop cliches and the action taking place in a police force that doesn't noticeably employ any women, the only really novelty here is spotting so many familiar faces in a movie you've probably never heard of -- for good reason.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Edison. What impact did it have? What consequences were there? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
How did Pollack attempt to expose police corruption? How would he do this differently nowadays, with the widespread use of the internet?
How was drinking, smoking, and drug use depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
Did you notice a lack of female characters? How might the movie be different if it were remade today? Why is representation important?
Discuss the strong language in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 18, 2006
- Cast : Justin Timberlake , Morgan Freeman , LL Cool J
- Director : David J. Burke
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violence and language, and brief drug use
- Last updated : December 15, 2022
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