Scene - Blogs - This just in Bully given a PG13 rating

This just in: "Bully" given a PG-13 rating
Published: 4/5/2012 6:27 PM
Last Modified: 4/5/2012 6:28 PM

"Bully," a documentary about bullying that received an R-rating despite the Weinstein Company's recent appeal — and later decision to release it without a rating — has now been assigned a PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America.

The MPAA's move on Thursday comes just before the film expands from the Los Angeles and New York theaters to 55 new markets on April 13, according to a Weinstein Company press release.

An intense scene showing a teen being bullied on a bus, which has been at the forefront of the battle with the MPAA, "has been left fully intact and unedited," according to the release, adding that the director had felt that "editing the scene was not an option....since it is too important to the truth and integrity behind the film."

The documentary includes two Oklahoma connections, including the case of Ty Field-Smalley, an 11-year-old who committed suicide in 2010 after reportedly being bullied at his school in Perkins.

Another victory in the appeal to the MPAA, according to the release, was the decision by the agency to drop its usual 90-day limit before considering a ratings change, so as to not cause the public undue confusion about a picture's rating.

"Bully" has not been assigned a release date in Tulsa by Weinstein Company, but from what I'm hearing, you might want to leave April 20 open if you're looking to see it locally.

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Shutter Bug (10 months ago)

It should have been a PG 13 all along. The R rating was ridiculous. Kids are living the theme of this movie every single day of their life.

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“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

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2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
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2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

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