Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep urge MPAA to lower 'Bully' rating
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees also joins the fray
Credit: AP Photo/Matt Sayles (Depp); AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi (Streep)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — More Hollywood heavyweights are joining the call for a lower rating on the teen-focused documentary "Bully."
The Weinstein Co, which is releasing the film March 30, said Tuesday that Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees have signed on to support the film.
Lee Hirsch's documentary on bullying in American schools has been rated R, which restricts children under 17 from seeing it without an adult. The Motion Picture Association of America, which oversees movie ratings, cited language as the reason for the R rating.
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Meanwhile, Weinsteins continue to protest R rating for 'Bully'
That prompted a Michigan teenager who was bullied in middle school to start an online petition calling for a lower rating for the film so more young people can see it. She met with MPAA officials last week and delivered the 200,000 signatures she collected, but the group declined to change the rating.
Katy Butler, a 17-year-old high school junior from Ann Arbor, now has nearly 300,000 signatures on her petition on Change.org. Among them is that of New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who tweeted Monday that she supports the teen's effort to lower the film's R rating to PG-13. Gerry Lopez, chief of AMC Theaters, also added his name to the petition, the Weinstein Co. said.
MPAA spokesman Howard Gantman did not address the possibility of a PG-13 for "Bully" in his response Tuesday to the growing call for a revision of its rating.
"We respect the viewpoints of members of Congress and the public and Hollywood celebrities who care deeply about an issue that is troubling our nation," he said in an email. "The MPAA shares the goal of shining a light on the problems caused by bullying, and we hope that this new film and the national discussion about it among educators, parents and students will help lead to ways to better ensure that kids feel safe and protected when they come to school."
Copyright (2011) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupSarah J
March 14, 2012 at 1:58AM EST Reply to CommentOh, that's crazy. Language? Really? PG-13 horror movies can get away with all this gore, but god forbid teenagers hear some swear words that they've already heard a million times before and may even use it in everyday conversation.
ceggertsen Exactly! Seems so backwards.
March 14, 2012 at 2:27AM ESTDave I
March 14, 2012 at 9:57AM EST Reply to CommentI think at some point, considering what goes on in the world, the MPAA needs to realize we do not need to be quite so "protected" by language and that maybe, even if we did, there are things worth looking at based on context. Teens should be exposed to the message in "Bully" for the same reason they should be exposed to Holocaust videos, and not sheltered from what actually goes on in the world. In other parts of the world and throughout history, children have been exposed to and forced to do terrible things, and great things for that matter.
This is really a slap in the face. Here is a project that could have a profound impact on teens, and is a documentary showing teens doing what they do, and the MPAA through some sense of entitlement to protect the youth of America (from foul language nonetheless, not, you know, being bullied into killing themselves) are destined to undermine the ability of the movie to even reach its target audience. Do we really even NEED the MPAA at this point? There has to be a better way. In this case, it is arguably an educational (and societal awareness) project as much as anything else. That should be worth more than whatever the MPAA has to say about it. Really, the MPAA's stance on what is objectionable for us to watch is more offensive than anything I am likely to see in this movie.
-Cheers
Chaz
March 14, 2012 at 10:19AM EST Reply to CommentIf they want and PG-13 version, they producers should edit out the words. Its an easy fix.
Chaz
March 14, 2012 at 10:22AM EST Reply to CommentWhy is the first response to get MPAA to lower their standards?
Why wouldn't the first response be for the movie producers to raise their standards?
Just cut out the offensive words. Bleep them. The message will get through and there will not need to be a compromise of standards.
Dave I How is censoring a documentary "raising their standards?" It is a documentary! It is like saying let's do a documentary on the tragedies of Darfur or Syria and just blur out the frightening images. For a movie where you are creating content, maybe. Sure. For a documentary about bullying? Or a documentary about anything for that matter. I think you are obligated to show what actually happened. Not bleeping the words, not selective Michael Moore editing, just straight-up showing what happens. I would also argue that bleeping out the words waters down the message. Not because of foul language per se so much as actually getting through to people how hurtful the words are that these kids are saying to other kids.
March 14, 2012 at 10:35AM ESTSo I disagree that this is about the MPAA lowering standards. I AM saying it is everything about considering the context of the movie as well as the reality that kids (the very ones they are apparently trying to protect from naughty words) are the ones that are both using, and being subjected to, these words in their actual lives. It is like the MPAA is trying to make the claim they are protecting kids from what they already go through. If they HAVE to edit the words to get more kids to see the film, maybe it is worth it. However, they should never have to do that, not for something like this.
-Cheers
Paul
March 14, 2012 at 12:33PM EST Reply to CommentLooks like the MPAA is "Bullying" them into censoring their film! Wakka! Wakka!
Luke
March 14, 2012 at 3:12PM EST Reply to CommentDear Weinstein Co, just bleep some of the offensive words. Audiences will still get the point of what's being said and the MPAA will give you your PG-13 rating.
If you ask me, Weinstein Co is being just as stubborn as the MPAA on this.
Dave I Maybe they should because the message is important enough to compromise whatever might be gained artistically (or whatever) by NOT censoring the movie.
March 14, 2012 at 4:47PM ESTThat said, given the context, they should not have to. I will also say I believe the MPAA has gotten ratings wrong in the past and think maybe some stubbornness is warranted when it comes to standing up for values you believe in. Like a movie where you are showing just how bad kids treat each other in real life, and not just for shock value.
-Cheers
Jason
March 14, 2012 at 7:12PM EST Reply to CommentIf Titanic can keep its pg-13 rating upon re-release - and still have Winslet's tits & bush fully visible - then Bully should get its lower rating...
Fuck censoring the words out..
March 14, 2012 at 7:47PM EST-Daniel
vlc Funny, I've seen Titanic several times and never saw what you're referring to--and I have the DVD too.
March 19, 2012 at 4:02AM EST