Why the “Bully” Movie Rating Doesn’t Matter

For weeks now, there has been significant outrage from parents, educators and others about the Motion Picture Association of America's assignment of an "R" rating for the upcoming movie "Bully." This is a movie that is created by The Bully Project intended to show audiences the type of living hell kids who are being bullied go through.

The movie is getting some good reviews, but it's the "behind the scenes" action that is getting all the attention. There has been a strong response from the public that the "R" rating given the movie by the MPAA is going to prevent those people who need to see it the most from getting that opportunity.

That's where I say, "What????" Are you serious?

Now, let's break this down, shall we?  An "R" rating means that the subject matter is not intended for children under 17. This might include content involving violence, language, sex and nudity...any or all of the above.  But, if you examine what the rating MEANS, it specifically says that children under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

So, then, where's the problem?  I can tell you that most kids under 17 (the ones that, according to the supporters of changing the rating), aren't going to go see "Bully" because it's the hottest thing to hit the teen market.  You won't see a group of 15 year olds weighing the pros and cons of seeing this movie, over, say "The Hunger Games."  Not gonna happen.

The kids that go to see this movie will be going there largely because their parents want them to see it -- and they will take them to see it.  I do not expect a long line of 9 year olds in front of the theater to see "Bully" on their own -- no, that line is for "The Lorax."

As far as not being able to show it in schools with this rating, that, too, is ridiculous.  Movies with "questionable" content are shown all the time. If a school is progressive (or if the movie violates their normal policy), they inform parents who can opt-in or opt-out. Heck, even my own kids were shown "An Inconvenient Truth" in their SCIENCE class as "proof" of global warming (remember how "valid" all that research has been shown to be lately?), and we didn't know about it until after the fact.  Comparatively, "Bully" could be seen as much less "questionable" because we SEE first-hand proof, that bullying occurs in every school across the country today.

But, media types and celebrities are jumping on the outrage bandwagon. Ellen DeGeneres has done a segment praising Katy Butler's attempts with Change.org to get the rating changed.

I just have to ask another unpopular question: is this movie about SOLUTIONS, or is it more "awareness?"  Raise your hand if YOU don't know that bullying is horrible, is at epidemic proportions and frequently causes lasting trauma and even death?  I'll bet not a hand in the room goes up! Why, then, do we need a MOVIE to show us more? Is this intended to be entertainment or educational?  I don't object to calling attention to the problem, but the problem with this approach is that we all walk away saying "oh, how AWFUL," agreeing we all have to do something about it...and then we don't. Or, won't. Or, we decide we need a better policy. How about another, tougher law? Let's hold an assembly at school...and then the kids listen (maybe) for 1/2 an hour, go back to their classes, and later, home...and life goes on as normal.

When will we understand and admit that these visuals and story-telling do not constitute "behavior change?" Ellen doesn't want to talk about how we change behavior; but she does invite parents of bully victims on the program to talk about their tragedies. Anderson Cooper commits a whole show to the problem, and nothing to the solutions. We talk about "anti-bullying" when we should talk "pro-social skills."  Now, when we stop calling attention to the problem, and start focusing on the solution, then I think we'll see change. In fact, I'm staking my career on it!

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 Did you like this post? For more on the problems with "anti-bullying" and what to do about it, see http://corinnegregory.com/blog/2012/02/28/why-anti-bullying-doesnt-work-part-i/ And, share it with your friends!