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Too sexy!
So how much sexuality does it take to get an R rating?
Apparently, just “some.”
Finally checked out “Match Point” last night on DVD. The film is rated R for that aforementioned “some sexuality.”
Now, this had us intrigued. This “some sexuality” must be something else to get an R. After all, it took “brutal scenes of torture and violence, strong sexual content, language and drug use” to get “Hostel” an R. The American “Grudge” gets away with a PG-13 for “mature thematic material, disturbing images/terror/violence, and some sensuality.”
Not so much. It’s nothing against Woody Allen’s ability to stage a sex scene. All the screen romping was indeed quite sexy, but fairly modest. No breasts, no buttocks, nothing unconventional.
We have a couple of questions here: 1) Why the R? 2) Why is the “some sexuality” the only thing cited in the rating?
The first question takes us back to “This Film Is Not Yet Rated”, an excellent documentary that screened at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival. The film argues that the MPAA is stricter on movies featuring sex scenes in which the woman looks like she’s enjoying herself, and indeed Scarlett Johansson’s character seems to be having a marvelous time.
The other thing that’s mystifying is why the sexuality is the only thing that concerns the MPAA. There’s definitely “mature thematic material” here, and a couple of violent (albeit nongory) deaths.
Don’t get us wrong: “Match Point” is not a feel-good family classic. But it deserved a PG-13 rating. The rare 14-year-old who’d want to see it is mature enough to handle the material — and has already seen more sexuality in Maroon 5 videos anyway.
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