Weinstein Company Fighting Blue Valentine NC-17 Rating

The other day we reported on the MPAA’s decision to stamp the upcoming drama Blue Valentine with a big NC-17. The ruling was met with much confusion from the film community, especially those who were lucky enough to see it at Sundance. No one really thinks it deserves such a harsh rating most notably its producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein. They won’t take this judgment laying down.

Thursday morning Harvey Weinstein issued a statement expressing the disappointment he and his brother feel over the ruling.

“We are taking every possible step to contest the MPAA’s decision. We respect the work of the MPAA and we hope, after having a chance to sit down with them, they will see that our appeal is reasonable, and the film, which is an honest and personal portrait of a relationship, would be significantly harmed by such a rating.”

The rating was given to the film for one specific scene which features “a drunken attempt at sex between the married couple after they head off for a night in a hotel in an attempt to repair their relationship.” A hearing will take place where attorney Alan R. Friedman, who will likely be accompanied by director Derek Cianfrance, or star Ryan Gosling, will plead their case to the board. They’ll each get 15 minutes and are allowed to show footage from several films that have comparable scenes and got the R rating.

Hopefully the MPAA changes their mind because there are several other films that have been allowed into theaters with an R rating that would blow Blue Valentine out of the water. Yes, the scene in question is uncomfortable but we’ve seen worse and so have they.

What do you think of the Weinstein’s decision to repeal the decision? Should it be changed?

Source: Deadline