The battle over “Bully” – Why the rating system is so wrong
Mar 28, 2012, 1:49 PM | Updated: Oct 14, 2024, 9:12 am
The controversy continues over
the new documentary “Bully” and the decision to release it
without a rating after the Motion Picture Association of
America gave it an R rating. Young people under the age of
17 would not be able to see it without an adult.
At issue is the use of obscenities in several scenes.
But nationally-renowned film critic and AM 770 The Truth
talk show host Michael Medved says when it comes to
ratings, there is no reason.
“The entire system is entirely broken. You have no idea
why a movie is rated the way it is,” Medved told Luke
Burbank and guest host David Boze.
“Why does a violent film like The Hunger Games get a
PG-13 rating while a documentary about bullying that has a
few obscenities get an R?”
Medved says a big problem is the lack of formal
standards and board members remain anonymous, so there is
no way to review or even discuss a ratings decision. He’s
also critical of a seeming morality that stems from the
MPAA’s early days rather than contemporary values and
norms.
“They’re like executioners with their hoods,” Medved
observes.
Burbank agrees and says he’s troubled by the MPAA’s
decision about “Bully”.
“It seems a bizarre thing that a movie that has
swearing in it and that illustrates this problem of
bullying is now not going to actually be available for a
lot of kids and young people to see,” Burbank says.
But Medved says despite the controversy and the
decision by producers to release the film without a
rating, it won’t be hard for young people to see.
“I don’t really think there’s any theater anywhere in
the Seattle area or anywhere in Alabama for that matter
that’s not going to show “Bully” because it’s unrated,”
Medved says.
The AMC theater chain has already announced it will
show the film without a rating and most others are
expected to follow suit.
Meanwhile, Boze suggests much of the controversy is
actually shrewd marketing by the producers of the film to
help raise awareness.
“It gives the film more publicity, we ordinarily
wouldn’t be talking about a documentary. They’re following
a very clever marketing strategy,” Boze says.
