Burt is unpopular; even his mother misses his birthday
party. On his birthday, Burt received a magic kit and was encouraged by an
instructional video which promised that by becoming a competent magician, Burt
would make people love him. His first friend, Anton, was attracted to him by
magic. Burt and Anton spent time together practicing illusions and devising new
ones. Eventually, they became Vegas headliners. Ten years later, Burt and Anton
have a falling out; Burt has became proud and arrogant and has driven Anton
away. Burt’s stage career suffers as a newer, edgier magician becomes far more
popular. Burt ends up playing to smaller and smaller venues, and eventually
becomes an entertainer at a retirement community. There, he meets his childhood
idol, rediscovers his love of magic, and becomes a humbler person. He
apologizes for past wrongs, makes amends with Anton, and resumes his successful
career.
How is This Relevant
to Adoption / Foster Care?
The
movie opens with ten-year-old Burt being chased through the neighborhood by
bullies. After they rough him up, he goes home to an empty house. Although it’s
his birthday, the home is empty. His mother has left him a note saying that she’s
bought him his favorite cake. Unfortunately, it’s a mix, and Burt has to go to
the store to get eggs to make his own birthday cake, which he then eats alone.
He is promised that if he becomes a good magician, people will love him. Sure
enough, he forms a friendship with Anton over their shared interest in magic.
Kids
get picked on for lots of things. The wrong brand of shoes, the wrong accent,
the wrong taste in music, or a physical or learning disability are often enough
to subject a child to ridicule and feelings of loneliness. The same is true for
kids in foster care; other kids tease and adults often unfairly expect ill of
foster kids. An already painful situation is made worse by insensitive peers
and adults. The desire to be loved and to have friends is shared by all kids,
and perhaps felt particularly poignantly by kids in foster care. They’ll
probably understand Burt’s grief at being alone and rejoice with him when he
makes a friend. The theme of “missed birthdays” is very relevant to many kids
in foster care.
Strong Points
A
Vegas hotel owner encourages Burt to break his partnership with Anton because
Anton is “homely.” Burt valiantly sticks up for his friend, saying “Anton and I
are a team.” Burt is rewarded when both he and Anton are given a long-term
performing contract. The film presents a
positive message, “You need your friends, and you’re not doing yourself any
favors by pretending that you don’t.” Burt and Anton eventually affirm that
they will always be friends with each other.
Challenges
Burt
apologizes to both Anton and his female assistant for a decade of rudeness.
However, his apology to his female assistant is fairly quickly rewarded by sex,
which could certainly help kids develop confused ideas of how communication works
in relationships, and misguided expectations of how their apologies should be rewarded.
Weak Points
Burt
has become egotistical, insensitive and rude. He propositions women frequently
and seems to have a system for creating one-night-stands. He is rude to Anton
and especially rude to his female assistant.
A
street magician harms himself on several occasions. He performs stunts such as
cutting his face, holding his urine, and drilling into his own brain. Burt
makes a particularly insensitive comment – in response to seeing the street
magician mumble and cut himself as part of an act, Burt dismisses it by saying,
“my niece does that.” Many kids struggle with cutting and other self-harming
behaviors, and it might be even more prevalent in the population of kids in
foster care. It’s not a good topic for a joke.
Burt
and Anton drug rooms full of non-consenting adults. Burt expresses his belief
that men are better than women. There’s
an insensitive joke about Mexican water. There’s some rough language in the
movie. A scene where an elderly man approaches death may be traumatic to some
young viewers.
Recommendations
The
Incredible Burt Wonderstone has plenty of gruesome street magic and off-color
sex jokes which earn it the PG-13 rating, and it probably isn’t a good pick for
kids younger than 13, but teenagers between the ages of 14-17 would probably
enjoy the movie’s sense of humor and could also connect with the premise of an
unpopular child desiring to make friends and ultimately becoming popular. The
film’s message – “you should value and respect your friends” is a valuable one.
It’s your call whether that message is worth the laundry list of “Weak Points.”
Questions for Discussion after the movie
Do
you think Burt was saddest about being bullied, his mom missing his birthday
party, or something else?
Why
did Burt and Anton become friends? Why did they stay friends? Do you think
their friendship will be stronger or weaker now that they’ve fallen out and
gotten back together?
How
do you try to make friends? How do you show them that you care about them?
Have
you ever known someone who acted like they were more important than their
friends?
Burt
and Anton were mad at each other. It
seemed like they were going to have to spend a week together in a box. If Burt
hadn’t been able to escape – they would have had a week to talk, or a week to
stay silent. What do you think would have happened? Is there anyone you’re not talking to? How
would it go if you were given time where you either had to talk or stay silent
for a week?
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