Why was this rated R? - J. Edgar (2011) Discussion

[–] thequeenofrck 13 years ago

Have no idea. The 'R' rating was too much.

It was for "brief strong language" which was one use of the 'F' word and two uses of the phrase cock sucker.

However, I've seen plenty of other films with much worse language along with the 'F' word given a PG-13 rating. So I do not know what was the motive to make it such a rating other than wanting to make sure only a mature audience attended the movie.

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[–] nyjack 13 years ago

Yeah, but it was a president of the US who used 2 of the 3 expressions! lol

Nixon's scene did bring a lot of humor, by then needed, to the film.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] CeroneSicario 10 years ago

The term cock sucker is considered much more vulgar (almost as vulgar as *beep* having it been said twice in the film is actually a bit more than enough of an excuse for MPAA to give it that genuine R rating.

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[–] Sweet_Solitude99 13 years ago

I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with the homosexual overtones. Stupid, but it's happened before.

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[–] spiderfingers86 13 years ago

there are many factors that can go into a film's rating, sometimes it is even at the request of the filmmakers for targeting a specific audience. I think it is the use of the 3 words used as well as the hightened maturity and complex storyline that younger audiences wouldn't necessarily grasp. That is my theory at least.

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[–] mikeyflatley 13 years ago

ur absolutely correct. they did it so only mature audiencez wud come bec younger ppl will never be able 2 sit thru dis since there r no fx or car chasez. also since leo is in it, some air-head gurl may go see it and then find out its da boringest thing she ever saw

unfor puttin R is not enuf. i tell u i wuz into movie but dis couple sittin across get figetin like constantly. it wuz annoyin bec da chair kept squeakin and da woman obviously wanted 2 leave bec she has no patience and da guy is tryin but totally not into it either. so there r adultz who have brainz of teenagerz so R ratin doesnt alwayz work.

i only feel sowie 4 these ppl bec u know they only watch moviez like real steel or fast 5 which r actually purdy good moviez but quite limited in quality

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[–] blindboyman3795 13 years ago

I beg to differ, I'm only 16 and I couldn't wait to see J. Edgar. Leo was an actor who always grabbed my attention. I was always very fond of him. He did a wonderful job potraying Edgar and his discreet gay undertones. But besides that Fast Five and Transformers 3 is my best films of this year, nothing wrong with that. A lot of kids have very diverse interest. Eastwood had a right mind to make it R, I agree that the majority wouldn't appreciate a film of this substance. So why make it PG-13?

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] canmark 13 years ago

It's rated PG in Ontario.

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[–] pjpoconnell 13 years ago

And he always says the same things!

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[–] mikeyflatley 13 years ago

if u read my post i didnt say kidz only but adultz wid mentality of kidz as well. dis type of film is beyond maintstream audience. mainstream audience wud rather watch piratez caribbean and transformerz

I live, I love, I slay, and I'm content

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[–] lloydbowman 13 years ago

Please write using actual words. I don't think many of us care for the time to decipher your cell phone text version of a posting in a group discussion.

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[–] franklen 13 years ago

This trolling is terrible, please write like normal human being.

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[–] franklen 13 years ago

This trolling is terrible, please write like normal human being.

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[–] lgiampaglia 13 years ago

I find your post correct in its content, but highly annoying in its bastardisation of the English language.

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[–] Buff70 12 years ago

mikeyflatley -- you again :-)

Are you intentionally trying to make people laugh? or are you suffering from a disability, in which case people on here should know so they dont mock/ridicule you.

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[–] mistereight8888 13 years ago

I work in post production and have dealt with the MPAA. You are only allowed one usage of the "f" word for pg-13. A huge exception was made for The King's Speech, but they're strict on that otherwise.

In this case they might've wanted the R because it would've been easy to drop some usages of it. Didn't seem that crucial to the story.

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[–] SteelCitysFinest417 11 years ago

I work in post production and have dealt with the MPAA. You are only allowed one usage of the "f" word for pg-13. A huge exception was made for The King's Speech, but they're strict on that otherwise.

They also made that same exception for "Finding Forrester". Also the movie "Big" is rated PG & has 1 utterance of the F word.

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[–] mattiasflgrtll6 11 years ago

Actually, I've seen PLENTY of PG-13-movies where they say "*beep*" TWICE, it's not even that unusual anymore.
Some examples are "World Trade Center", "Scary Movie 3", among some other movies I can't remember.
There are movies rated "R" for only one or two uses, but that rarely happens.

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[–] quillw 13 years ago

As you say, sometimes it is at the studio's request. PG-13 makes it seem like it's geared at a younger audience, so sometimes they suggest, "so how about an R for this?"

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[–] Scoods 13 years ago

Actually it was most likely for the word *beep* Used by Hoover in a conversation with Tolson.

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[–] WhySoSeriously 13 years ago

They were used SEXUALLY!

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[–] TheMgnt 13 years ago

One thing that drives me nuts about this site is when people ask questions that are answered on the main page of the movie... It says right there that the film is rated R for "brief strong language"

The discussion should be "was the language in the film enough to warrant an R rating?"

I don't think so. But they have wacky rules. Like, You can say *beep* once and get a PG-13. Say it twice, you get an R.

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[–] moviegeek06 13 years ago

Not only was an R-rating ridiculous for this movie, but I got carded going in. I'm 28. What the hell.

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[–] monstermayhem32 13 years ago

I didn't really the reason for the film being R rated since there really wasn't anything about the film that justified the rating.

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Buff70 12 years ago

moviegeek -- take it as a compliment! :-)

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[–] GayActivist 13 years ago

Watch the documentary Don't Rate This Movie and you will see that the reason this received an R rating is because their were gay characters in the movie. The rating system is just as corrupt the mafia. It is run by a very conservative group.

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[–] moviemaniac008 13 years ago

@GayActivist: That really doesn't justify the R-rating. Many teenage movies nowadays feature gay characters and are still rated PG-13. Maybe the rating system is corrupt, but I don't think they would rate a movie with an R rating only for homosexual themes.
That being said, I still don't know why it was rated R. Agree with the OP on everything, language being MODERATE and having no graphic violence or sexual content, it's a mystery. Eastwood made no decision to appeal this film which leads me to believe he was okay with it (like some have mentioned, target audience). But maybe in a few years, the rating could be lowered to a PG-13...I don't know.

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[–] baseballgirl 13 years ago

The only thing I can think of is the dead baby corpse decomposing. I mean, you see stuff like that on Law and Order and CSI, but maybe that put some people off. Who knows?

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[–] Cantoris-2 13 years ago

Censorship, such as Hoover probably loved. Serves him right.

Not knowing that much about him, I don't know for a fact that he actively advocated it. However, he was undoubtedly squarely behind the fear of Communists lurking everywhere that inspired the McCarthy era (which, as we know, was aimed partly at Hollywood). And he was very anxious to eliminate the influence of Martin Luther King.

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[–] WhySoSeriously 13 years ago

Because of the word c*ck***ker.

It even got a 15 in the UK.

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[–] Max_cinefilo89 13 years ago

I agree with WhySoSeriously: I remember seeing Jodie Foster on Inside The Actors' Studio, and when she was asked about her favorite curseword she said it was "c@cksucker", adding that if you use that word even once in a film, it's automatically rated R.

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[–] lloydbowman 13 years ago

The MPAA does not provide reasons for why it rates a film as it does. However, even if there is no offensive language, sexual situations (heterosexual), or violence, the MPAA considers homosexuality alone justification for an R rating. Additionally, the depiction of a homosexual relationship or homosexuality in any way, even without any overt homosexual sexual situations or depictions, is still considered sufficient for an R rating.

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