The Art of Appealing MPAA Film Ratings

It is no surprise that the more restrictive the rating, the narrower the audience eligible to see the film. A film rated “NC-17,” meaning that no one under the age of 17 can attend it, or “R,” so that anyone under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, will be limited to a smaller pool of potential moviegoers than less restrictively rated movies. Even some adults who may be interested in a film's subject matter, actors or director nonetheless will not see a film if it is rated “R” because they anticipate that it will contain scenes or language that they would find offensive or more intense than they are comfortable seeing. Thus, an “arthouse” film intended for people over the age of 18 may suffer if it receives an R rating, even though the target audience is not foreclosed by its rating. This problem is magnified if a movie receives an NC-17 rating. Not only does the NC-17 rating signify the presence of more intense, potentially offensive content in the film, but also NC-17 rated movies are more difficult to market and exhibit than less restrictively rated movies. For example, television ads generally cannot be shown before 10:00 p.m., print advertising is harder to place and some exhibitors are reluctant to show NC-17 rated movies.

In recent months, there have been several rating-appeal decisions. This article addresses the steps available to filmmakers and distributors when a film they plan to release receives a rating they believe is overly restrictive. While an unwanted rating cannot always be avoided, there are steps that can be taken to try to change the rating.