Pat Tillman is the closest thing the USA has to Captain America minus the superpowers. He became a national icon after 9/11 as he left a promising professional pro-football career to become an Army Ranger to fight in Afghanistan.
Tragically he was killed in the mountains, but the controversy over how spawned a huge intelligence scandal. The government maintained he was killed by enemy fighters, but digging uncovered that he was actually killed by friendly fire from a unit that mistook his unit for insurgents. There was a big coverup, and the entire thing seemed like the plot of some twisted conspiracy movie.
Well, now there is a movie, and the Weinsteins have submitted their Tillman documentary to the MPAA who has rated it R for “excessive language.” Director Amir Bar Lev responded to the ruling:
“The language in this film is not gratuitous. I think this is how many people would react when faced with the unthinkable. Giving this film an ‘R’ rating prevents young people from seeing this film; the very people who should be exposed to a great American like Pat Tillman.”
I never have, and never will understand the MPAA, especially their hard-on for the word “f*ck.” I remember watching ONCE, the touching love story of two musicians who find each other and have a completely non-sexual love affair, and seeing that it was rated R because there were a few F-bombs tossed around in casual conversation. Now, the same thing is happening to the Tillman doc, which presumably shows family members swearing after their loss. But naturally, no need to rate REVENGE OF THE SITH “R” even though we watch a man’s arms and legs severed shortly before he burns alive right in front of our eyes. As always, violence is cool, but sex or language? Get the f*ck out of here.
What’s the strangest MPAA ruling you think you’ve seen to date?
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What’s Not Allowed