The Good Son/The Program/A Bronx Tale/Bopha!/Dazed and Confused

Roger Ebert - Host: "The Good Son" is a reprehensible film, treading on little children in order to create sick images with no redeeming value except, I guess, to entertain, although I cannot imagine anyone being entertained by this movie. What really disturbed me were the scenes of small children in danger, and the scenes in which this young man, Macaulay Culkin, is required to act out the murders of his family members, innocent bystanders, and even a dog. Macaulay Culkin has a lot of young fans, and all I can say is, the movie, which is rated R, is completely inappropriate for children. And two of the children who should've been kept out of it, are Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood.

Gene Siskel - Host: They're both pretty good actors.

Roger Ebert - Host: Yes, they are.

Gene Siskel - Host: And it IS awful, an awful film for all the reasons you mentioned. And then it's stupid also on its own level. For example, the dummy is thrown off- Macaulay Culkin throws the dummy off, in a highway, the cars crack up. Never again is it mentioned in the investigation about the dummy. Did you notice that?

Roger Ebert - Host: Yeah, uh-huh.

Gene Siskel - Host: That's not pursued.

Roger Ebert - Host: And the two kids are in full view of anyone on the highway.

Gene Siskel - Host: In other words, it doesn't have, it's stupid and, offensive as the film is, it doesn't even have a logic within its own sordid details. The ending of the film is similarly awful, where the character questions the mother's mental state, when it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Even the last LINE of the film is a fraud. It's a terrible film from beginning to end, and I hope you're right, I hope that kids are prevented from seeing this picture. Parents might not be smart enough...

Roger Ebert - Host: A lot of kids know that Macaulay Culkin is in it.

Gene Siskel - Host: Has a new movie.

Roger Ebert - Host: And they loved his other movies.

Gene Siskel - Host: Yes.

Roger Ebert - Host: And I've already gotten letters from parents saying, "Is this okay for my nine year old or my eleven year old?" And the answer is, NO.

Gene Siskel - Host: It's not okay for anyone.