In the 2006 documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated, various filmmakers confirmed something we already suspected: how the MPAA, which governs film ratings within the industry, is a self-serving entity with its own set of prejudices, double standards and yes, even phobias.
We had no idea how far-reaching their issues were, however, until this month when our top young adult pick for 2013, the light, charming and sometimes biting high school comedy G.B.F., was slapped with an R-rating. If you haven’t already seen the film, allow us to elaborate: it doesn’t get any more ‘high school’ than G.B.F. (or ‘gay best friend’), which is akin to an updated, on-trend Clueless. Here we are, in 2014, and a similar film which deals with similar themes, albeit evolved and in keeping with the current times, is getting a rating that will make it difficult for teens and young adults to see it. And why is this the case? Simple: because the film’s central characters are gay, as are the main themes.
The ramifications of this move on the part of the MPAA are manifold: aside from the obvious sidelining of the film due to its gay content, historically, R-rated films make a lot less money and are seen by a lot fewer people than their PG-13 counterparts. Hollywood knows this all too well—just look at the ratings for the American remakes of the Japanese horror films The Ring and The Grudge, starring Naomi Watts and Sarah Michelle Gellar, respectively. Both of those films, which were terrifying and certainly not appropriate for most teens, were rated PG-13.
So why is there this double standard when it comes to film ratings? Why is it OK to push the envelope violence-wise, but not when it comes to the ever-evolving notion of sexuality (especially teen sexuality, which may be a bit more fluid)? As the director of G.B.F., Darren Stein, awaits the official letter from the MPAA which lists the exact offenses that made his film subject to the ‘R’, he took some time to answer a few of our questions.
YOUNG ADULT: How has the general reaction been to this matter since you first shared the news on Facebook?
DARREN STEIN: People who have seen the film are pretty shocked by it. Many have responded that there’s nothing about the film that merits an R. People who have only seen the trailer and poster say it doesn’t look like the kind of movie that would merit an R-rating. There’s been quite an outpouring of support on Facebook about the double standard the MPAA has for films with gay content. It’s been great to see artists like Tegan and Sara, who have songs in the movie, speak out about it on Twitter.
YA: Do you have any hope of changing/overturning this rating?
DS: It’s a bit late in the game for us. The posters have been printed and the DVDs are being manufactured. We don’t have the time or money. The film is coming out in theaters and VOD on January 17th, then DVD in early February. But I think the fact that this has started a dialogue is what’s important. People can now watch the film and judge for themselves, and I think the majority will find the rating unjustified.
YA: What do you expect the ‘list’ from the MPAA to include as justification for this R rating?
DS: Our MPAA consultant let me know that the MPAA does indeed consider sexual material stronger if it involves gay characters. [In our opinion, this is already outrageous!] He also said that there is still a fair amount of content in the film that would not fly regardless for a ‘PG-13’. I’m not denying that a lot of the slang in the film is racy, but the way kids talk in most teen comedies [with PG-13 ratings] can be inappropriate and offensive. That’s what teens do. They push boundaries. There’s no nudity, sex, violence or even an F-word in G.B.F., which is ultimately about tolerance and acceptance. It’s not right.
—DH