Comedian Bo Burnham made his directorial debut by creating an emotional, empathetic, and realistic film called “Eight Grade” which has been garnering buzz all throughout the summer. The problem, however, is that this movie that every eighth grader needs to see cannot be seen without parental permission because it snagged an R-rating by the MPAA.
Fittingly, on August 8th (8/8) it was required by the studio that at least one theatre in each state filmed the movie for free with no rating restrictions so that any and all eighth graders, neigh, anyone who has been through eighth grade, could see this movie. It was a bold move for Burnham, who said in an interview “I hope anybody watching it feels something. Not necessarily taking anything away, but just seeing themselves in these characters and feeling something.”
I know this isn’t something we normally talk about on WiseDime, but it’s important nonetheless. Children need more free experiences that can help them better reflect the tribulations they are undergoing. Middle school and high school are ruthless times, so it seems fitting that the movie’s studio offered this free night for kids to really feel the impact of the film’s emotional message. Hopefully, more companies that produce media and content can take initiatives that focus on giving their desired audience the experience they need without any restrictions like cost or age restriction.
