This film is not yet rated (Review)

Ewwww, a bottom!

In America the ratings system is monitored and applied by the MPAA – the Motion Picture Association of America. They decide what the viewing public should and shouldn’t see when it comes to sex, violence and profanity, and after viewing each film they apply a series of ratings to the film.

The dreaded ‘NC17’ rating is the worst grade that can be bestowed upon a film from a commercial perspective, as it means that those under 18 – specifically a huge proportion of the ticket buying public – cannot gain access to the film. These films are incredibly difficult to market and are generally viewed as inaccessible.

NC17 is often the ‘kiss of death’ to a film’s commercial potential.

This documentary aims to uncover how the MPAA arrive at their decisions, why studio backed films seem to get preferential treatment and smaller independent filmmakers are regularly inconvenienced.

Should I mention that the MPAA is financed and supported by big studio money?

The early scenes highlight various inconsistencies between similar looking situations across many films. Many directors and filmmakers are interviewed and seem to share the same prevailing message, that ‘independent filmmaking’ is constantly given the short end of the stick.

These scenes are quite interesting and highlight some obvious discrepancies in the way these two distinct areas are treated.

Only the smarmy figurehead and leader of the MPAA Jack Valenti is known, the weasely head of a studio funded organisation and arbiter of taste for a nation, who happens to be in the good graces and *COUGH* pockets of all six studio heads.

Unfortunately for the independent filmmakers and this documentary, the rest of the MPAA is largely faceless and anonymous, comprised of unknowns. Unknown people in unknown numbers following unknown methodologies with only the outcomes known and made public in letter form: G, PG, M, MA, R & NC17.

It is the ‘why’ that I would want to know; why the difference in rating in two very similar films? Why is sex so very taboo in independent films while realistic and brutal violence often gets a free pass?

The documentary maker instead focuses on ‘who’. He hires a private investigator and over half of the film is devoted to surveiling, researching, tailing and uncovering the real identities behind the members of the team of censors. After about five minutes of sitting in vans, fitting cameras and sifting through garbage I grew very bored with this aspect of the film.

What we eventually realise is that the MPAA is comprised largely of old white girls and gals, with the rules all tilted in their favour and seemingly changed on the fly to suit the MPAA board. There are even representatives of church groups on the appeals board.

But who couldn’t have guessed any of that?

The prevailing message of This film is not yet rated is that there do indeed to be two sets of rules in the film industry, one for the rich and privileged and one for the hard working independents.

But again who couldn’t have guessed any of that?

The interviews with directors and the tales of how they came to see their cinematic visions compromised and their careers and integrity continually frustrated were actually very interesting. The scenes with the documentary creator and private investigator naming MPAA staff members sensationalist and irrelevant.

Still, despite the patchy nature of the film, there is certainly a story here in the material, it just wasn’t the one they chose to tell.

Final Rating – 5.5 / 10. Interesting in parts, but being partly interesting won’t get it done. I’d rather they looked at why violence is ‘cool’ and sex is ‘gross’ to Americans and what it says about them…

About OGR

While I try to throw a joke or two into proceedings when I can all of the opinions presented in my reviews are genuine. I don't expect that all will agree with my thoughts at all times nor would it be any fun if you did, so don't be shy in telling me where you think I went wrong... and hopefully if you think I got it right for once. Don't be shy, half the fun is in the conversation after the movie.
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