With the Motion Picture Association of America refusing to budge on the R rating it has slapped on the documentary Bully for strong language used in the film, the distributor Weinstein announced this week that it would release the movie unrated. Weinstein had sought a PG-13 rating that cautions parents that some material in a film may not be suitable for children under the age of 13. An R rating prevents anyone under the age of 17 from seeing the movie without an adult and prevents some schools from showing it because some school districts don’t allow the screening of R rated films in schools in general.

Releasing a film without an official rating from the MPAA can limit its distribution because many of the large theater chains have policies in place against showing unrated films. But Bully may prove to be the exception because of the widespread publicity it has received in advance of its release including support from famous people as Ellen DeGeneres, Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp. The film will open this weekend in a few selected cinemas before its wide-spread release on April 13.

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