Blue Valentine MPAA Rating Appeal

On October 8th, 2010, the MPAA gave 'Blue Valentine' an NC-17 Rating because of its supposed "shocking, gory depiction of a dying marriage."

Harvey Weinstein issued this statement: "We want to express our deepest gratitude to our colleagues in the industry and in the media for their recent outpouring of support for Derek Cianfrance's 'Blue Valentine' after the film surprisingly received an NC-17 rating from the MPAA. 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."
http://www.awardsdaily.com/2010/10/harvey-weinstein-responds-to-the-nc-17-rating-for-blue-valentine/

Stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams have both opposed to the rating saying, respectively:
"You have to question a cinematic culture which preaches artistic expression, and yet would support a decision that is clearly a product of a patriarchy-dominant society, which tries to control in response, how women are depicted on screen. The MPAA is okay supporting scenes that portray women in scenarios of sexual torture and violence for entertainment purposes, but they are trying to force us to look away from a scene that shows a woman in a sexual scenario, which is both complicit and complex. It's misogynistic in nature to try and control a woman's sexual presentation of self. I consider this an issue that is bigger than this film."
http://www.movieline.com/2010/11/ryan-gosling-tees-off-on-misogynistic-mpaa-over-blue-valentine-rating.php

"The MPAA's decision on 'Blue Valentine' unmasks a taboo in our culture, that an honest portrayal of a relationship is more threatening than a sensationalized one," says Williams. "Mainstream films often depict sex and violence in a manner that is disturbing and very far from reality. Yet, the MPAA regularly awards these films with a more audience friendly rating, enabling our culture's desensitization to violence, rape, torture and brutality. Our film does not depict any of these attributes. It's simply a candid look at the difficulties couples face in sustaining their relationships over time. Blue Valentine opens a door for couples to have a dialogue about the everyday realities of many relationships. This film was made in the spirit of love, honesty and intimacy. I hope that the MPAA will hear our pleas and reconsider their decision."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weinstein-hires-lawyers-challenge-mpaas-47047


Here are some 'Blue Valentine' reviews:
"Beware its Brilliance"
http://screencrave.com/2010-01-30/sundance-2010-blue-valetine-beware-its-brilliance/

"This has definitely been the most impressive and moving film I've seen at Sundance"
http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/01/28/blue-valentine-review-sundance/

"One of the stand-outs of the festival"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/7746369/Cannes-Film-Festival-2010-Blue-Valentine-review.html

Check out our Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/bluevalentine and www.twitter.com/bluevmovie

Please help us appeal the NC-17 rating that the MPAA has given 'Blue Valentine.' The NC-17 Rating diminishes the possibility for a lot of people to see this beautifully written and acted film. With your help, we can persuade the MPAA to revoke the NC-17 Rating. We greatly appreciate your support!

Sincerely,
The Weinstein Company