eZine 02.10.2009

Two normal teenagers thrust together for one sleepless night of club-hopping in New York City. Hookups, drinking, crude sexual jokes… teenagers are loving Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, starring voluptuous Kat Dennings and Juno‘s Michael Cera. It’s the modern day Fast Times at Ridgemont High… but with only a PG-13 rating.

My dad had American Grafitti– clean by today’s standards, but pretty edgy for its time. In the 80’s my generation had the R-rated Risky Business and Fast Times. Teenagers in the 90’s (my first youth group) had Dazed and Confused, also R. The new millennium must have ushered in a new standard, because Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist is the same ol’ thing, but somehow it squeaked through with a PG-13.

Sure, Nick & Norah’s doesn’t have nudity. It just has orgasms, implied sex, non-stop sensuality, plenty of sexual references and crude humor. It seems as if the MPAA rating just doesn’t spell it out clear enough. Nick & Norah’s rating is: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including teen drinking, sexuality, language and crude behavior. Do you think that particular rating prepares parents for this?

• A gay band brainstorming band names: The Jerk Offs, Sh** Sandwich, D**k Ache, and Fistful of A**holes.
• Songs like “I’m Going to Screw the Man” or “Balls Deep.”
• Comments from girls like, “You’re practically blowing him with your eyes.”
• Gay and lesbian references throughout
• A discussion about orgasms (“Word on the street was, you never had an orgasm.” “I’ve probably had a million! How am I supposed to know?” “Oh, you’d know.”)
• A couple have sex (out of sight) in the back of the car, resulting in the lead character breaking out cleaning supplies, commenting about having to “clean up the mess.”
• A scene where we hear the “play by play” of two other people having sex (“your bra… I can’t undo this button on your pants… your hands are cold…”) and then we watch the studio’s sound meter as it records the girl’s orgasm.

If you’re offended by the above list… good! So am I. Just realize that many of our youth group kids will be watching this film in the next few weeks. After all, public high schools are even allowed to show PG-13 films without parents’ permission. Consider that on your kids’ next slow school day where the teacher pops in a movie.

I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less. For those of us who put our faith in God and His Word, we know that these are the world’s morals, not ours. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Peter writes:

In Ephesians 4:17-24 Paul writes:

In God’s word, we are consistently reminded that we are different than the world. The world lives for temporary pleasure and impurity. We, however, aren’t supposed to live that way. Both Peter and Paul (above) remind us, “But you aren’t like that!”

It’s really a shame. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a very creative film…

Jonathan McKee, president of The Source for Youth Ministry, is the author of numerous youth ministry books including the brand new 10-Minute Talks, and the award winning books Do They Run When They See You Coming? and Getting Students to Show Up. He speaks and trains at camps, conferences, and events across North America, and provides free resources for youth workers internationally on his website, TheSource4YM.com.

Top 10 lists are sometimes fun ways to open a topic. These are best done “David Letterman” style, on PowerPoint, read one at a time.

10. I shaved my sideburns for this date.
9. Do you care if my great grandma comes along?
8. You call that a burp?
7. This is my fifth date today.
6. My dad is in jail for assaulting the last guy I went out with.
5. The doctor says that I will be legally sane after 3 more years of counseling.
4. This is my imaginary friend Mr. Boom Boom.
3. The cat food I ate for lunch is just not settling right.
2. My friends were right, you are a loser.
1. Can I have your best friend’s phone #?

10. What I’m looking for is someone who shares my passion for polka music.
9. Hope you don’t mind, I insist that you pay.
8. I think we’re wearing the same color nail polish.
7. These are the same socks my dad wore on his first date.
6. I can shoot laser beams out of my eyes.
5. Hope you haven’t seen Barney on Ice yet.
4. Hey, let’s talk only in Elvish on this date.
3. I brought my teddy bear because movie theatres are dark places.
2. Pull my finger.
1. Don’t worry, I can outrun these cops.