Hancock - Fun, but Foul Mouthed

Yesterday afternoon, we had a rare family outing to the movies and went to see Hancock, the new Will Smith flick. My sons are now nearly 17 and 14, so my desperate attempts to talk them into Wall-E were met with scowls. Hancock won out, since I'd seen the trailers and really love most Will Smith movies.

The first thing I'd like to say is that Hancock is definitely not a movie for young kids. The film earned a PG 13 rating and an "A III - for adults" classification from the USCCB. The most objectionable thing about this movie, for me, was the bad language, including one instance of the "F" word. Right away, that takes it out of the running for a feel-good family movie. That being said, I enjoyed the movie and our family dinner discussions after the viewing.

One of my favorite aspects of the movie was the Jason Bateman's character Ray's outlook on life. Ray is a PR executive who's out to get big companies to help save the world through acts of charitable giving. Ray honestly has an optimistic, altruistic outlook that seems to permeate the way he lives his life. Perhaps I gravitated towards Ray's character because I, too, have the hope that each of us in our own ways can do our part to make this world a better place. In the end, Ray and Hancock (played by Will Smith) come together in a partnership that does much to benefit both of them - but you never get the feeling that Ray is out to help Hancock simply to get something for himself in the bargain. Ray honestly believes that the foul mouthed, rudely behaving Hancock, can make a difference in our world.

I don't want to spoil the movie by giving away any of the mythology that plays a large part in the second half and ultimate climax of the film. I found the story interesting, the portrayals believable and the action gripping. I could have done without the running "A-hole" gag or a lot of the bad language. The relationship between Hancock and Ray's wife Mary (played by total stud Charlize Theron) prompted an interesting discussion over family dinner. I wish that the movie could have been made without these instances of bad language, thereby making it more of a family film.

If you've seen the movie, or plan to, I'd love to hear your thoughts. In the mean time, head over to Hancock's Helping Hand Mortgage Payoff Contest for your chance to have your mortgage paid.

Hancock - Official Site