Plan B Forum

British film Philomena has been granted a less restrictive rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) after its US distributor campaigned to overturn its original certification.

The film, about a woman searching for the son she was forced to put up for adoption, had initially been rated 'R' for two instances of bad language.

The 'R' rating requires cinema patrons under 17 to be accompanied by an adult.

Dame Judi Dench's drama will now be a PG-13 when it comes out on 22 November.

The rating warns parents that "some material may be inappropriate for children under 13" but does not require them to be accompanied.

The MPAA reversed its original decision following a media campaign that saw Dame Judi resurrect her M character from the James Bond series in an online sketch.

Philomena is the true story of one mother’s search for her lost son.

Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a “fallen woman”. When her baby was only a toddler, he was taken away by the nuns for adoption in America. Philomena spent the next fifty years searching for him in vain.

Then she met Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary political journalist who happened to be intrigued by her story. Together they set off for America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son, but also create an unexpectedly close bond between them.

http://philomenamovie.com/

What does the 12A symbol mean?

12A means that anyone aged 12 or over can go and see the film unaccompanied. The A stands for 'accompanied' and 'advisory'. Children younger than 12 may see the film if they are accompanied by an adult (eg someone over the age of 18), who must watch the film with them.

Philomena is the true story of one mother’s search for her lost son.

Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a “fallen woman”. When her baby was only a toddler, he was taken away by the nuns for adoption in America. Philomena spent the next fifty years searching for him in vain.

Then she met Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary political journalist who happened to be intrigued by her story. Together they set off for America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son, but also create an unexpectedly close bond between them.

I'll bet next months salary that the "R" rating was given in deference to the howling mad religious lobby in the USA.

Empire Damon Wise
A terrific, sophisticated comedy that tackles serious issues with a lightness of touch and a spirit of steel, Philomena is the British film to beat come BAFTA time.

Time Mary Corliss
Getting full comic effect from its class-comedy abrasions, Philomena rises to poignancy and profundity as Dench reveals her control of a character stained by the loss of her child and troubled by her suspicion.

The Playlist Oliver Lyttelton
It's certainly a crowd-pleaser...and something close to a triumph, if not an unqualified one.

Time Out London Dave Calhoun
It's a terrifically moving film that has a fitting earthbound feel to it.

The Guardian Xan Brooks
Its main focus is the sparky, shifting relationship between its two protagonists and its trump card the startling chemistry between its two main stars.

The Telegraph Robbie Collin
This is a heartbreaking story - how could it not be? But Frears' film breaks your heart and then repairs it.

Total Film
Odd-couple chemistry from Dench and Coogan, a smart script and honed direction make this real-life story highly compelling. Blending comedy and tragedy, it secretes a potent sting.

Variety Justin Chang
It's an undeniable whopper of a yarn and, coming after a string of middling efforts from Frears, easily the director's most compulsively watchable picture since “The Queen."

Critical response

Philomena received critical acclaim from reviewers upon release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a score of 94% based on reviews from 35 critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film received an average score of 81 based on 8 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim"

one of the best movies I ever seen I will likely never watch again. It is just takes too much of an emotional toll.

Not all movies want to be blockbusters Jim.

Falling pregnant as a teenager

Lord Jim wrote:
Two hours of somebody riding around trying to find a kid they lost 50 years ago would have me fighting The Sandman in a big hurry...

rubato wrote:Movies made for a demographic group are usually about that demographic group. As this is a movie about a female teen tragedy I suspect it will have a decent following among female teenagers.


yrs,
rubato

A rich asshole dies.

Philomena is not only my favorite film of 2013, but one of the most eloquent, powerful and perfect movies I have ever seen. A focused and triumphant performance by the miraculous Judi Dench keeps the harrowing aspects of a great story in flawless balance, and every other aspect of this film works like a hypnotic charm. Sensitively and carefully directed by Stephen Frears and brilliantly written by co-star Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that deserves genuflection...etc., etc., etc...

Read more at http://observer.com/2013/11/seek-and-ye ... z2nKrdeDQM