The decision by Hollywood to give an upcoming pro-life film that recounts the real-life story of abortion activist turned pro-life champion Abby Johnson an R rating will NOT stop Pure Flix, the production and distribution company responsible for the film, from promoting it.
If anything, Pure Flix president Michael Scott is taking the decision in stride.
“We’re proud to be associated with this film and we are confident that our fans will not stay away because of the opinions of reviewers and listen to those in the faith community who have seen the film and agree with us,” he said to Fox News this weekend.
“In this case, R stands for recommended,” he added.
Recommended indeed.
Watch the trailer of “Unplanned “below:
The film tells the tale of Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who abruptly after she witnessed an ultrasound-guided abortion at 13 weeks gestation in 2009.
“Abby was asked to assist with an ultrasound-guided abortion. She watched in horror as a 13-week baby fought for, and ultimately lost, its life at the hand of the abortionist,” her biography notes.
“At that moment, she fully realized what abortion actually was and what she had dedicated her life to. As it washed over Abby, a dramatic transformation had occurred. Desperate and confused, Abby sought help from a local pro-life group. She swore that she would begin to advocate for life in the womb and expose abortion for what it truly is.”
Scott made the “recommended” remark Saturday after word broke that the Motion Picture Association of America has given the film “Unplanned” an R rating because it contains scenes of abortions. But not everybody at Pure Flix has responded as congenially as him.
“A 15-year old girl can get an abortion without her parent’s permission but she can’t see this movie without adult supervision? That’s sad,” Ken Rather, the company’s executive vice president of distribution, rightly complained to The Hollywood Reporter.
An R rating specifically prohibits children 17 and under from viewing a film unless accompanied by an adult guardian. Yet as rightly pointed out by Rather, in some left-wing states children as young as 15 (if not even younger) can easily obtain an abortion without their parents’ consent.
Mike Lindell, the inventor and CEO of MyPillow, as well as an investor in “Unplanned,” was equally irritated by the unexpected rating.
Unapologetic My Pillow CEO sinks big bucks into new film that takes Planned Parenthood head-on https://t.co/50xd1bOLkX pic.twitter.com/x4Bc4wAbgW
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) November 29, 2018
“I feel the fix is in,” he said to Fox News. “Whoever rated this movie must not be watching TV or videos on social media! I have a cameo in this movie and do not appreciate the R-rating. I got involved to get a message out to everyone with this true story.”
“What a shame that some might be blocked by an R-rating from getting the truth. I hope millions of Americans will ignore this attempt at moviegoer suppression and flood the box office on opening day.”
The film’s co-writers and co-directors responded as well.
“We consider the MPAA’s current standards to be deeply flawed, insofar as they allowed scenes of remarkably graphic sex, violence, degradation, murder and mayhem to have a PG-13 rating, whereas our film, highlighting the grave dangers of abortion in a straightforward manner, is considered dangerous for the American people to view,” Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman reportedly wrote in a complaint letter to the association.
The most problematic scene, according to the association, is one that shows a doctor watching a computer screen “that shows the image of a fetus as the abortion is completed,” according to Fox.
“We have three scenes in the film which directly address abortion, and the MPAA objected to all three,” Solomon said to The Hollywood Reporter. “They specifically made mention of objection to grainy, black and white sonogram images that were part of one of the scenes. It was clear that any meaningful treatment of the issue was going to be objectionable.”
Meanwhile, the film reportedly contains no profanity, drug abuse or nudity.
Despite the frustration over the association’s rating, Pure Flix has no intention of either changing the film so it earns a PG-13 rating or appealing the MPAA’s decision, since successful appeals are “historically a longshot,” according to Solomon.
The company remains hopeful nevertheless that Americans will come out in droves to watch the film once it hits theaters on March 29.
“This story needs to be told and the message needed to be delivered,” Scott said. “It is our calling as Christians to tell the story about the moral implications of abortion that the mainstream media refuses to acknowledge.”
The good news is that there’s already an army of Americans just itching to watch it:
I will be taking my 10 year old daughter to see this movie. Regardless of the rating. Hollywood will not stop the educational process!
Exclusive — ‘Unplanned’ Filmmakers Explain Surprise R-Rating: ‘We Made a Pro-Life Movie in a Pro-Choice Town’https://t.co/S1YnkZcJu7
— ReaganRepublican (@ReaganRepublic4) February 24, 2019
I can’t wait to watch #Unplanned movie.
I think it’s going to generate a cultural swell for life in our society and the world over.
Check the trailer out athttps://t.co/VUpLLruq0V@UnplannedMovie— Right2Life (@StHelens4Life) February 18, 2019
@dougontap Hey Douglas! Can’t wait to interview your wife on my show in a couple of weeks! It’s gonna be a great time and can’t wait to watch the movie “Unplanned.” Very timely for Christians to watch today! Blessings
— Andrew Brunet And Friends (@BrunetAnd) February 7, 2019
@dougontap Hey Douglas! Can’t wait to interview your wife on my show in a couple of weeks! It’s gonna be a great time and can’t wait to watch the movie “Unplanned.” Very timely for Christians to watch today! Blessings
— Andrew Brunet And Friends (@BrunetAnd) February 7, 2019
My wife and I can’t wait to see unplanned. https://t.co/oKraNF4b00
— Ultraconservative (@RightwithReagan) February 23, 2019
Some are hopeful President Donald Trump might watch it too:
WE see you @MPAA Nothing can stop what is coming. @realDonaldTrump should screen #Unplanned @WhiteHouse and serve #popcorn. Or maybe wait for the sequel #Adrenochrome? #EyesWideOpen #WWG1WGA #MAGA #Q https://t.co/NZZBICISij
— Eye Of Providence 1776 (@1776_eye) February 24, 2019
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Lawmakers from both parties look to Mayorkas to explain Russian cyberattacks on US water systems - April 24, 2024
- INSIDER: Biden reportedly mulling ‘desperate’ exec order that could impact more than 1 million criminal aliens - April 24, 2024
- House Sgt. at Arms threatens GOP Rep to delete video of Dems waving Ukraine flags or else - April 24, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!