PTC to MPAA: New Film’s Content, Not Harvey Weinstein, Should Determine Age Rating

Written by PTC | Published April 11, 2017

Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is demanding his R-rated movie's rating be changed. LOS ANGELES (April 11, 2017) – The Parents Television Council is urging the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to keep the R-rating for Harvey Weinstein’s new film, 3 Generations, if the film’s content objectively warrants such a rating. The MPAA assigned the R-rating because of language and sexual references, according to news reports. “The most worn-out page in Harvey Weinstein’s playbook describes how to whine about an age rating from the MPAA. And with his new film, 3 Generations, he is back at it once again, suggesting that his film is too important to be rated accurately. Mr. Weinstein must think that if a standard is good, then a double-standard is twice as good,” said PTC President Tim Winter. “The MPAA should stick with the assigned R rating if that movie ratings body believes it to be warranted by the content of the film, period. Either Weinstein can remove the content that causes the film to be rated R, or he can keep the content in and have the film rated R. Regardless of his two options, the man has been exposed for his dishonesty when he suggests that his film is too important to be rated R. If he is truly advocating for children, and if it is a ‘travesty’ that children won’t be able to watch his film if it is rated R, then why must those same children pay him to watch it? “There is abundant evidence pointing to inaccurate and inconsistent age ratings for entertainment media content. The various age rating systems are becoming muddled and more confusing not because of what parents want, but sadly because of what entertainment industry executives can get away with. “If the MPAA chooses to create special age rating criteria for Harvey Weinstein, then it will simultaneously destroy whatever level of trust parents have placed in the system over the past 50 years.” The PTC spoke out about the MPAA’s decision to reduce the R-rating of Mr. Weinstein’s film, Bully, to PG-13.

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