MPAA Overturns Blue Valentine's NC-17 Rating

Finally, the MPAA has come to its senses: after slapping a dreaded NC-17 rating on the Derek Cianfrance-directed drama Blue Valentine, in which Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams portray a couple whose relationship unravels, the film ratings board has decided to overturn their judgment and give the film an R rating. The change of heart took place after the film’s distributor, Harvey Weinstein of Weinstein Co., personally argued on the film’s behalf in today’s hearing. The harsh rating was apparently given for a realistic sex scene between the two stars that occurs as their relationship begins falling apart, but the appeal board’s decision to reverse it to an R rating was reportedly unanimous.