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- Aug 5, 2010
First let me say I have not seen the film and what I know of it comes from a variety of news and media sources. From what I gathered, without sensationalizing it, the film shows the problems and failures in both with schools and parents on the issue of adolecent bulling. The MPAA gave it an R rating due to one scene where one teen bully drop the f-bombs two or more times, which is the rule defining R rating for language. The film makers appealed for a PG-13 and it was denied.
Now I do have complaints about the MPAA. If you have seen "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" you will know what the complaints are. But that documentry on the MPAA focused more on the NC-17 rating than R vs. PG-13. When they do focus between those two ratings, it involved more on how violence gets a pass compared to language or sex/nudity. (Along with perceived Hollywood vs. Indy films)
Yet the response from the film makers make me question what they might be thinking. Instead of accepting the R rating, they are declaring it unrated. Which equals NC-17 more often than not for theaters. (Some are still going to show it, as an R rated film) And here I become torn. Since I have not seen the film, is the f-bombs just one scene and how many? Could the film makers just bleep it? Sure the rules the MPAA set forth is sometimes obnoxious. The Exorcism of Emily Rose was initially R due to autopsy photoes being in color. So they made it black and white and got a PG-13. Obnoxious, but still doable.
And really, for a film like this, should it be what the R rating was designed for, considering it looks not just at the youth but the adults too? That is, those under 18 may see it, with a parent? An actual R-rated family film? Yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but its how I now see this till, well, when I do see Bully. A better way to protest the decision, and what I would have done, was bleep or censor the language out and put on the start of the film this is not what the director initially visioned the film to be instead of making it unrated. Then release the directors cut on DVD which is now common with the controversy as a DVD extra. Also I have seen Schendler's List in high school without a problem.
For some perspective: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-6-biggest-nc-17-and-r-rated-controversies-in-film-history-2012-3
On AMC allowing minors to see it (as an R rated film): http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-bully-amcbre82r1fr-20120328,0,5210733.story
Now I do have complaints about the MPAA. If you have seen "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" you will know what the complaints are. But that documentry on the MPAA focused more on the NC-17 rating than R vs. PG-13. When they do focus between those two ratings, it involved more on how violence gets a pass compared to language or sex/nudity. (Along with perceived Hollywood vs. Indy films)
Yet the response from the film makers make me question what they might be thinking. Instead of accepting the R rating, they are declaring it unrated. Which equals NC-17 more often than not for theaters. (Some are still going to show it, as an R rated film) And here I become torn. Since I have not seen the film, is the f-bombs just one scene and how many? Could the film makers just bleep it? Sure the rules the MPAA set forth is sometimes obnoxious. The Exorcism of Emily Rose was initially R due to autopsy photoes being in color. So they made it black and white and got a PG-13. Obnoxious, but still doable.
And really, for a film like this, should it be what the R rating was designed for, considering it looks not just at the youth but the adults too? That is, those under 18 may see it, with a parent? An actual R-rated family film? Yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but its how I now see this till, well, when I do see Bully. A better way to protest the decision, and what I would have done, was bleep or censor the language out and put on the start of the film this is not what the director initially visioned the film to be instead of making it unrated. Then release the directors cut on DVD which is now common with the controversy as a DVD extra. Also I have seen Schendler's List in high school without a problem.
For some perspective: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-6-biggest-nc-17-and-r-rated-controversies-in-film-history-2012-3
On AMC allowing minors to see it (as an R rated film): http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-bully-amcbre82r1fr-20120328,0,5210733.story