SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: LOST IN LA MANCHA

"LOST IN LA MANCHA"
(2002) (Terry Gilliam, Johnny Depp) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Minor	Mild	None	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	None	None	Extreme

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Mild	Heavy	None	Mild	Minor

QUICK TAKE:: Documentary: Director Terry Gilliam tries to film his version of Don Quixote, but runs into various difficulties and setbacks that threaten to derail the effort.

PLOT:

In 2000, documentary filmmakers Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe set out to record director Terry Gilliam filming "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" -- the filmmaker's version of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's classic tale -- from pre-production through finished product.

Choosing to shoot in Spain to reduce production costs, Gilliam's first setback was a reduction in his operating budget. Nevertheless, he forged ahead in his effort to create a highly imaginative and stylized film starring the likes of Johnny Depp and Jean Rochefort.

Yet, once the actual shooting begins, one setback after another occurs, resulting in Gilliam and his cast and crew trying to deal with them and keep the production on track. From that point on, it's uncertain whether the various difficulties will ultimately undermine the overall effort.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Unless they're fans of someone in the film, director Terry Gilliam or are desirous of seeing a "behind the scenes" look at filmmaking, it doesn't seem very likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: TERRY GILLIAM is the film's director who tries to keep things in order as everything quickly begins to spiral out of control. He also uses strong profanity as things get worse.
JOHNNY DEPP is an actor scheduled to appear in the film. He mostly sits around waiting to work, and briefly smokes and uses strong profanity as scripted.
JEAN ROCHEFORT is the veteran actor chosen to play Quixote who suffers from various ailments that prevent him from filming.
PHIL PATTERSON is the first assistant director who's responsible for keeping the shooting schedule in order but finds that difficult when one disaster after another strikes.; JOHNNY DEPP is an actor scheduled to appear in the film. He mostly sits around waiting to work, and briefly smokes and uses strong profanity as scripted.
JEAN ROCHEFORT is the veteran actor chosen to play Quixote who suffers from various ailments that prevent him from filming.
PHIL PATTERSON is the first assistant director who's responsible for keeping the shooting schedule in order but finds that difficult when one disaster after another strikes.; JEAN ROCHEFORT is the veteran actor chosen to play Quixote who suffers from various ailments that prevent him from filming.
PHIL PATTERSON is the first assistant director who's responsible for keeping the shooting schedule in order but finds that difficult when one disaster after another strikes.; PHIL PATTERSON is the first assistant director who's responsible for keeping the shooting schedule in order but finds that difficult when one disaster after another strikes.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this R-rated documentary. Profanity consists of at least 22 "f" words, while other expletives and some colorful phrases are also uttered. One instance of sexual or at least anatomically related dialogue is present, while various people smoke. Some fake wounds are briefly seen, as is some brief in-the-movie whipping and a flash flood washes away some film equipment.

Beyond all of that and some brief bursts of bad attitudes during tough times, the rest of the film's categories have little or nothing in the way of objectionable content. Nevertheless, if you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with flashes of light on the screen, some of that occurs during test footage screening where the image flickers on the screen in a minor strobe-like fashion.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: Depp, Gilliam and another man have wine.

BLOOD/GORE: We see a few performers, including Depp, who have fake cuts on their heads or other parts of their bodies.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Various people have bad attitudes in response to adversity and complications that arise.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: Various prop swords, lances and a gun are occasionally seen or held.
Fighter jets are occasionally seen flying around the set.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "We are f*cked," "F*ck you," "F*cking crazy," "Oh, f*ck," "You wanna f*ck with me?" "F*cker," "F*cked up," "Bullsh*t" and "Pisses me off."
Depp has tattoos on his arms.
A man makes the male masturbation gesture with his hand.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 22 "f" words, 5 "s" words, 1 slang term using female genitals ("p*ssy") and 1 use each of "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY: We briefly see a cartoon drawing of a nude man with a fig leaf (or something similar) covering his crotch.
A person comments (in a nonsexual situation) on something being the "negation of the p*ssy."

SMOKING: Various film people smoke (one a cigar) throughout the film, while Johnny Depp smokes twice.
We see archival footage of Orson Welles smoking a cigar.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: The intricacies of trying to make a film.
How different people respond to adversity, setbacks and complications.
The original Don Quixote story.

VIOLENCE: A flash flood washes away some of the crew's film gear (damaging or destroying it).
In a scene from the movie, a man on horseback whips some prisoners (nothing graphic).

Reviewed February 6, 2003 / Posted February 14, 2003

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