Running head: A MOVIE ANALYSIS
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A Movie Analysis of “Red”
Julie A. Saladin
Ferris State University
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Abstract
In this paper, this author describes basic concepts of sociological theories of aging and middle
range nursing theory of health-related quality of life, and correlates them to characters identified
in the motion picture “Red”. The concepts of sociological theories of aging are discussed within
the role theory, activity theory, disengagement theory, continuity theory, age-stratification
theory, and the modernization theory. Concepts explaining the middle range nursing theory of
health-related quality of life include health and functioning, socioeconomics, psychological and
spiritual, and family. Ageism, “the systematic stereotyping of, and discrimination against,
people because they are old” (Touhy and Jett, 2012), is identified throughout the film and
presented in this paper. A description of the motion picture’s content is provided to assist the
reader in understanding the background of the characters and the basic plot of the film.
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A Movie Analysis of “Red”
The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the motion picture “Red” and to
help the reader understand the key characters. Understanding the characters is essential to
relating them to the basic concepts found in sociological theories, and the health-related quality
of life theories of aging. These theories attempt to explain changes in roles and relationships that
accompany aging (Touhy & Jett, 2012) and the importance of improving and maintaining quality
of life in promoting health. Correlating concepts of the theories with each character during
different events in the film provides a better understanding of how these theories actually work.
The concepts and how they relate to the characters will be explained and examples of ageism
will be identified from multiple scenes in the film.
Summary of Movie
Di Bonaventura and Schwentke (2010) produce and direct the movie “Red” where Frank
Moses , played by Bruce Willis, is a retired CIA spy who has settled into a mundane daily
routine. His only contact with another person being telephone calls to Sarah Ross, played by
Mary-Louise Parker, a pension office worker who Frank lies to about not receiving his pension
checks, just so that he can speak to her. Sarah plays along, always stating that she will have
another check sent out, and then the two discuss things like the book Sarah is currently reading,
places she wants to visit, and her boring life. Eventually Frank builds up the courage to tell
Sarah he will be in her area and would like to meet. Sarah not knowing if she wants to actually
meet the man behind the phone calls, says to call her when he gets into town.
Frank’s life quickly changes as a hit squad arrives at his house and his old training kicks
in as he defends himself and realizes that his identity has been compromised. Frank also realizes
that Sarah is probably in danger because of their telephone conversations, so after blowing up his
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home, he goes to Sarah’s home where she is not too excited about his letting himself in while she
was out. Due to Sarah being apprehensive about Frank telling her that her life is in danger, he
kidnaps her and eventually gains her trust as he reassembles his old CIA team.
First, Frank finds Joe Matheson, played by Morgan Freeman, who is living in a nursing
home with stage IV liver cancer. Joe reaches out to some old contacts to find out that it is the
CIA that actually wants Frank and his team dead. Frank then finds Marvin Boggs, played by
John Malkovich, who is paranoid and presents as a psychopath. Marvin eagerly joins forces with
Frank. Eventually Frank, Sarah, Marvin, and Joe meet up with Victoria, played by Helen
Mirren. Victoria removes a bullet from Franks arm and joins forces with the team. The team
receives help from a Russian spy named Ivan Simanov, played by Brian Cox. Ivan and Victoria
have a complex history as they were lovers before Victoria shot Ivan in the chest three times
because she was ordered to do so by the CIA.
Eventually, Frank and his team find that Alexander Dunning, played by Richard
Dreyfuss, is responsible for ordering the teams death and the team shows that they still have
what it takes to beat the odds in their older ages. This team showed that they were still the top
notch agents that they were prior to retirement (Di Bonaventura & Schwentke, 2010).
Sociological Theories of Aging
The sociological theories of aging have several different concepts which attempt to
explain how the process of aging is perceived. The theories discussed include the role theory,
activity theory, disengagement theory, continuity theory, age-stratification theory, and the
modernization theory (Touhy & Jett, 2012, pp. 37-38). Each theory defines a different concept.
The role theory states that a person’s ability to adjust to new roles as he or she ages
predicts whether or not he or she will adjust to the aging process (Touhy & Jett, 2012, p. 37).
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For example, the characters Frank Moses, Joe Matheson, Marvin Boggs, and Victoria were all
trying to play the role of a retired person but all of them appeared to just be going through the
motions. A person who retires, and is comfortably receiving a pension, should be able to enjoy
life. Frank was living a boring and unhappy life with no interaction with the outside world.
Marvin lived in fear of the real world and lived under ground. Victoria acted as though she
loved retirement but said she took contracts on the side because “you can’t just flip a switch and
become someone else” (Di Bonaventura & Schwentke, 2010). Joe lived in Green Springs
Nursing Home with stage IV cancer and manipulated the nurses so that he could google their
behinds. The characters did not exhibit signs of truly adjusting to their new roles as nonworking
people.
The activity theory basically states that in order to feel self-worth and satisfied with one’s
life, a person must stay active (Touhy & Jett, 2012, p. 38). If a person does not remain active,
the aging process most likely won’t be successful and health will be compromised. The team of
retired CIA agents proved this to be true throughout the film because none of them truly felt
alive until they were back to killing people and doing what they were doing as CIA operatives
before they retired.
The disengagement theory contends that it shows a natural sign of aging when an older
person moves out of the way to allow for a younger person to take over his or her role (Touhy &
Jett, 2012, p. 38). Di Bonaventura and Schwentke (2010) revealed this throughout the movie by
presenting newer agents who were younger with William Cooper, played by Karl Urban, calling
Frank Grandpa throughout the film. The records keeper named Henry, played by Ernest
Borgnine, defended Frank’s age and honor by telling agent Cooper that Frank was the best agent
the CIA every had.
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The continuity theory proposes that a person should continue with healthy habits and
relationships that make them happy throughout the aging process (Education Portal, 2014). Di
Bonaventura and Schwentke (2010) present the character Frank as being an unhappy older man
with the same boring daily routine in the beginning of the film. Once he develops a relationship
with Sarah and brings his team back together, his character changes into a vibrant and happy
man who doesn’t seem old at all. This would show that continuity of relationships and doing the
things that makes a person happy is important to the aging process and promoting health.
The age-stratification theory is best explained by putting a person into a group with
others similar to that person (Touhy & Jett, 2012, p. 38). An example of this is shown in the film
when a female looks at Marvin and says “That’s right old man” (Di Bonaventura & Schwentke,
2010). The woman is putting Marvin into a group by calling him an old man and Marvin is
clearly unhappy by her referring to him as old.
The modernization theory claims that when a person is no longer able to continue to work
and no longer needed because they have gotten too old and have been replaced, they no longer
hold value (Touhy & Jett, 2012, p. 38). This is shown in the film when Agent Cooper refers to
Frank as just a retired old man and is confused as to why anyone would bother with him to the
records keeper Henry. Agent Cooper is basically stating that Frank has no value any longer and
Henry defends Frank stating that he was the best the CIA ever had (Di Bonaventura &
Schwentke, 2010).
The sociological theories focus on a person as he or she changes roles and relationships
throughout the aging process (Touhy & Jett, 2012). Roles and relationships are important factors
in the aging process. In order to achieve positive relationships and appreciate a person’s roles as
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he or she ages, he or she must feel that the quality of his or her life is worth improving and
maintaining.
Health Related Quality of Life Theories of Aging
The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) theory “focuses on the quality-of-life
consequences of health status. Another related concept to HRQoL is well-being. Measures of
well-being typically assess the positive aspects of a person’s life such as positive emotions and
life satisfaction” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Four areas of quality
of life which impact an individual are health and functioning, socioeconomics, psychological and
spiritual, and family (Peterson & Bredow, 2004).
Di Bonaventura and Schwentke (2010), initially presented the elderly characters in the
film as being dissatisfied with their lives as retired CIA agents. Frank lived in a nice house in the
suburbs but lacked friends and social support. He went through the motions of fitting in without
participating in social interactions with neighbors. The highlight of his day was his phone call to
a complete stranger working in the pension office. Joe was an 80 year old man living in a
nursing home with a terminal illness and who faked his own death when a hit man attempted to
kill him. Marvin thought that everyone was out to get him and denied himself of any interaction
with people. Victoria lived in a beautiful home where she arranged flowers and did some baking
but often felt restless.
Although these characters were portrayed as having mundane lives, their true
personalities came to light when they were brought back together to defend those who were sent
to kill Frank, Sarah, Marvin, and Joe. Joe came back to help his friends after faking his own
death. He then willingly gave up his life to save the lives of Frank and Marvin because he knew
he was dying of cancer and was at peace with that realization. Marvin had legitimate reasons for
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some of his paranoia and was perfectly satisfied using what others thought of as crazy to his
advantage. Victoria was shot towards the end of the film and was content to give up her life but
found happiness when her lost love Ivan saved her. Frank was finally felt alive and finally found
love with a woman who loved him and accepted him for who he was. These friends had
improved their quality of life because they found that they had the support of their CIA family
and that they could still do what they loved doing (Di Bonaventura and Schwentke, 2010).
Healthy People 2020 accentuates HRQoL and well-being with a goal of “promoting
quality of life, healthy development, and health behaviors across all life stages” (2014). This goal
was met in this film as evidenced by the characters satisfaction with their accomplishment and
their plans to stay together and continue on to their next adventure. Their bond with one another
and the fact that they were active again improved their quality of life, which positively affects
health behaviors.
Ageism
Ageism is “the stereotyping of, and discrimination against, individuals or groups because
of their age” (World Health Organization, 2014). The characters in the motion picture “Red”
were subjected to ageism throughout the film. The young agent Cooper referred to Frank as
Grandpa and grossly underestimated his abilities due to his being a retired elder. A man was sent
to kill Joe as it was assumed it would be easy to take out an 80 year old man living in a nursing
home. A woman referred to Marvin as an old man when she spoke to him simply because he
appeared to be older because of features like grey hair and facial wrinkles. A CIA agent told
agent Cooper that he just got his butt handed to him by a retiree after Frank beat him badly in a
fist to fist fight (Di Bonaventura and Schwentke, 2010). These are examples of stereotyping
retirees as old, fragile, and weaker than the young person.
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Participating in ageism is disrespectful to those that are being targeted. In the film, when
the woman called Marvin an old man, Frank stated, “No respect” (Di Bonaventura and
Schwentke, 2010). “Ageism serves as a social divider between young and old” (WHO, 2014).
This motion picture depicted a definite delineation between young people and those that are
retired. Those that were retired were portrayed as old and used up. The fact that these retired
characters proved the younger generation wrong is what made this motion picture desirable.
In conclusion, the motion picture “Red” depicted many examples of the concepts
explained by the sociological theories and the HRQoL theory. It showed the importance of
adapting to new roles and developing relationships. The characters in the film shared in an
improved quality of life and well-being by coming together and performing activities that they
had participated in while they were still working. They exhibited a renewed energy proving to
those who participated in ageism that they were just as important and useful as the younger
generation. The aging process is one that should be cherished and valued. This film, although
not completely realistic, shows that the aging process does not mean giving up quality of life and
total well-being. The aging process involves promoting an increased quality of life and wellbeing that will improve and maintain the health care continuum.
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References
Di Bonaventura, L. (Producer), Schwentke, R. (Director). (2010). Red. United States: Deluxe
Digital Studios
Education Portal. (2014). Psychosocial theories of aging: Activity theory, continuity theory &
disengagement theory. Retrieved from http://educationportal.com/academy/lesson/psychosocial-theories-of-aging-activity-theory-continuitytheory-disengagement-theory.html#lesson
Healthy People 2020. (2014). Health-related quality of life and well-being. Retrieved from
http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicId=19
Peterson, S.J. & Bredow, T.S. (2004). Middle range theories: Application to nursing research.
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Touhy, T. A., & Jett, K. F. (2012). Ebersole & Hess' toward healthy aging: Human needs &
nursing response (8th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier/Mosby.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Healthy People 2020. (2010). Foundation
health measure report: Health-related quality of life and well-being. Retrieved from
http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/HRQoLWBFullReport.pdf
World Health Organization (WHO). (2014). Are you ready? What you need to know about
ageing. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/world-healthday/2012/toolkit/background/en/index3.html