The Motion Picture Association of America tags "Unplanned" with an "R" rating.
Unplanned is a pro-life Christian Movie based on the true story of Abby Johnson, a former abortion clinic director-turned-pro-life advocate. Written and directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, the team behind the God's Not Dead franchise, it stars Christian actress Ashley Bratcher as Johnson.
Today, the MPAA gave the film an "R" rating, something that rarely happens with Christian movies, though another one - The Reliant, starring Christian actor Kevin Sorbo - also recently got an "R" rating, a decision its team calls biased. The concern is that that kind of rating could suppress the faith-based audiences that typically attend these films.
The Unplanned directors tell Movieguide that the only violence in this movie is "directly associated with the abortion process." They find that ironic.
"The MPAA seems to be indirectly endorsing the pro-life position: namely that abortion is an act of violence."
Furthermore, the filmmakers say this "R" rating means that teenage girls who can get an abortion without parental consent will not be able to see this film without their parents' permission. That is, indeed, the height of irony.
Abby Johnson told Christian Film Blog earlier in the week that this movie is realistic and "raw" and they would not appeal an "R" rating if it came. Now that it has, directors Solomon and Konzelman confirm that in their statement to Movieguide. Unplanned is scheduled for nationwide release on March 29th.