Why is 'Couples Retreat' Rated PG-13?

Every week, the MPAA releases its ratings of upcoming films. Based on X, Y, or smoking, a movie might get a PG-13 or an R or whatever. Last week, I caught the list that indicated Couples Retreat would be rated R. "Sounds about right," I thought. The comedy stars Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristin Davis, Kristen Bell, Malin Akerman, and Tasha Smith as four couples who trek to an island paradise only to find that all the couples (instead of one) are required to go through therapy sessions designed to help their relationships. If hijinx persist for over 100 minutes, contact your physician. This past weekend, the advertising blitz started for Couples Retreat in earnest. A lot of TV commercials during college and pro football games, which isn't surprising given Vince Vaughn's demo. The commercials said, "This film is not yet rated," and I just took it to mean the ads weren't ready prior to the MPAA's ruling on the rating. But that's not it. New commercials say Couples Retreat is rated PG-13, which means the studio must have quietly asked for another opinion after making some necessary changes. The original decision was based on "some sexual material" and the new ruling, released yesterday, now mentions "sexual material and some language." I believe the language is probably English. Be that as it may, it's worth noting that there was raunchier stuff present in Couples Retreat on September 9th then there is now. Why does this matter? Because the movie should be rated R, for starters. How big a draw is this movie to teenage boys on October 9th? The week before is Zombieland, the week after is Law Abiding Citizen, the PG-13 horror flick Step Father, and Where the Wild Things Are, and then on the 23rd it's The Vampire's Assistant. I really don't see positioning Couples Retreat to draw any male teens as a good reason to possibly sacrifice the core demo. Sure, adults can still watch it, but have we not learned that R-rated raunchfests are better than tamed versions of the same thing? There's a reason I never watch GoodFellas on USA, and it's not the commercials. You can't take the R-rated stuff out of a movie intended for adults and keep the same tone. We're liable to get one F-bomb, when you'd think so many more are more adequate. And if writers Vaughn and Favreau expected a PG-13 all along...why? The concept is completely for grown-ups. So like the drinks at one of those tropical getaways, expect Couples Retreat to be watered down.

Comments

[jonathan silva]

I looked on MPAA.org to see if it was a mistake, but it is indeed rated PG13 on APPEAL. So Favreau and Vaughn intended this to be tame from the pre production. The trailer gave me a sense of the film being pretty raunchy especially the Favreau Davis storyline. I doubt that the film would work despite it having a great comedy cast.

[Will]

The only thing I can think is that the movie was right on the fence anyway, with maybe one or two brief instances that crossed the line into hard R territory. Once producers figured out what scenes those were, they were removed and off to the MPAA they went.

The real appeal here though is Vaughn and Favreaux, whose careers were both born in Swingers. They are reuniting on screen for the first time since Made (also rated R), and the fans of Swingers are all now well into their thirties. That coupled with the fact that The Hangover did so well this Summer means that this could do well as an R rated film.

Still, Vince and Jon have both become noticeably more family friendly over the last 5 years. Mr. Vaughn does a Santa movie every year, while Mr. Favreaux directed such kid friendly flicks as Iron Man and Jumanji 2, not to mention Elf.

Maybe the PG-13 had the blessing of both stars all along.

[Carv]

I'm just gonna throw this out there: Hey, studios! Occasionally we like seeing people who are famous for their physical perfection take their clothes off. So?

[Nemo]

"The real appeal here though is Vaughn and Favreaux, whose careers were both born in Swingers. They are reuniting on screen for the first time since Made (also rated R), "
Vaughn and Favreaux have appeared in a few movies on screen since MADE. "The Break Up" & "Four Christmases" just to name the two right off the top of my head.
I do have to agree with Will though regarding the success of The Hangover. As long as the R comedy is done well and not rated R just for over-the-top ludeness and needless profanity and things of an obscene nature, it could be much more appealing in it's original cut. Not to mention, the nature and storyline of the movie precludes it really being a "kid or family friendly" movie anyway, does it not? It is a movie about married couples(adults) working on mature issues (adults) in a mature exotic location (adults). Why water it down instead of playing to your audience and being true to what the film is in it's purest form.

[MYMHM]

There's another consequence to this R to PG13 culture in Hollywood.
The spirit of these films is STILL R. Cutting some of the moments from the film may illicit a PG13, but the subject matter is still intended for adults. With so many of these films shoehorning themselves into PG13, it's rendered the rating useless. Even some of my favorite flicks of recent memory like The Dark Knight are really only PG13 on paper...
I'm not trying to be a prude, but when Hollywood demonstrates that it can no longer police itself, then censorship starts rearing it's ugly head, and currently there is another congressional inquiry happening into the validity of MPAA ratings.

[Lengthy Johnson]

Colin, do you know of any movie in which Vince Vaughan dies? I have hated his face and voice ever since I saw Made five years ago. That's a long time to hate. Seeing him go down would help ease a lot of that tension.

[Logan M]

@ Lengthy, although I don't agree with your VInce Vaughn hate, have you seen the Cell? The movie was so-so but Vince gets his innards ripped out. and how didn't you like Made? I thought it was funnier than swingers, and Peter Falk was great.

[Vince]

I think they're going for the same exact audience that embraced "He's Just Not that Into You", "The Break-Up" and even "Four Christmases" (Jon Favreau & Vince Vaughn were in the latter two movies as well!). By watering down the content, they can appeal to the widest amount of moviegoers. Plus, unlike the rest of the comedies this upcoming month, this looks like the only film that'll have solid appeal to both guys and girls.

Although, I was uninterested when I heard that they're wussing out with the PG-13 rating, I'm like 99% sure I'll get coerced to see it when it opens.