The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) slapped Lee Hirsch's documentary Bully with an R rating for "some language". Hirsch and others involved with the film including The Weinstein Company were really hoping for a PG-13 rating because they wanted to show the documentary to middle and high school students as a teaching tool, but with the R rating, their plans were ruined since minors under 17 can't watch rated R films without being accompanied by a parent/guardian.
The Weinstein Company went to the MPAA to appeal their ruling and make a case for a PG-13 rating. Speaking to appeals board included Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company, and one of the subjects from the film, Alex Libby.
Earlier today, the appeals board, The Classification and Rating Appeals Board, decided to uphold the R rating for Bully.
Harvey Weinstein wasn't too happy about the outcome of the appeal, so he released a statement where he expressed his disappointment in the outcome of the appeal and how the company is "considering a leave of absence from the MPAA for the foreseeable future."
In response to Weinstein's statement, the MPAA released their own statement which says that while bullying is a "serious issue", the MPAA still has a responsibility "to acknowledge and represent the strong feedback from parents throughout the country who want to be informed about content in movies, including language."
I know that Harvey Weinstein doesn't have the best reputation in Hollywood, but in regards to this issue, he's right. The MPAA is a joke and giving a documentary about bullying an R rating for "some language" is pretty strange because I've seen movies with a rating of PG-13 that contained a whole lot more than just "some language". I recommend one to check out the documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated by Kirby Dick. It gives an excellent look into the MPAA and the double standards it has when it rates films.
Check out the trailer for This Film is Not Yet Rated below:
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