The Weinstein Company issued a release today vowing to “battle with the MPAA” over the R rating given to The Tillman Story, a documentary about the struggle of Army Ranger Pat Tillman’s family to learn the truth of how Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to join the military after 9/11, died in Afghanistan in 2004. The MPAA gave the film an R rating due to “language”; in the release, director Amir Bar-Lev asserts “the language…is not gratuitous” and instead reflects “how many people would react when faced with the unthinkable.” TWC head Harvey Weinstein made the argument more personal, stating “I want my teenage daughter, and the nation’s young adults to be able to watch Pat’s story.” The rating will be appealed Aug. 12, and the film is due for release Aug. 20. Ironically, right before the film’s premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Bar-Lev changed the title of the documentary from I’m Pat F—ing Tillman, reportedly the last words Tillman said before he died, to The Tillman Story.
Reps for the MPAA could not be immediately reached for comment.
The MPAA is a joke. I have been disgusted by them since I saw ‘This Film is Not Yet Rated’.
“Eat, Pray, Love” also had an “R” rating and battled the MPAA and won, so good luck to this film.
To be fair, his daughter could still see it. He just has to be with her. But the ratings system really is a joke. Considering some of the movies that somehow squeak by with a PG13, it’s insane that this is an R just over language.
No doubt the ‘R’ rating is about the political content of the film. Disgusting behavior on the part of the MPAA.
whoooooooooooooooooooo cares! just leave it unrated then.
Unfortunately, unrated movies are assumed to be worse than R movies, so going that route puts them in a worse position. Gotta love the MPAA, which gave “Once” an R rating for “language” also.
Wish they’d kept the original title.