Expert: Expert - 6/10/2005

Question
My mom and I were talking about the new movie Crash. It is rated R and I want to see it she says no, but my argument is that I saw The Passion of the Christ and it was also rated R. She disagreed by saying it was rated PG-13, and so I looked it up on the internet and it said R. She is still arguing though, that they changed it from PG-13 to R after everyone made a big deal about the rating. I still disagree, but am starting to question whether she might be right. Do you know if the rating was ever PG-13? Thanks!

Answer
PERHAPS this review might help:

http://preview.gospelcom.net/passion.html

It notes that the DVD version of this film TRIED to get a PG-13 rating but could not. It is thus releasd unrated.

On the facts alone I agree with you; I seriously doubt this film was ever, in any release at any time, was PG-13.

However, there is a MAJOR difference in realistically showing violence and suffering that has a moral purpose, against doing so as a way to make nihilistic violence seem thrilling, energizing, and empowering. If you can understand this concept, you can appreciate the difference between _Passion_ and _Crash_ is FAR deeper than the level of on-screen violence. And if you CAN'T understand this concept, that's all the MORE reason not to see R-rated films like _Crash_.