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Wednesday February 10, 2010

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Psychologist attacks Will Smith's flick

Posted by: 3AW Mornings | 8 January, 2009 - 10:05 AM

Adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg has attacked the film classification system in light of the movie Seven Pounds receiving an M Rating.

Carr-Gregg believes the previews for the film make no reference to the fact the lead character - Will Smith - kills himself (shown graphically in the film according to Carr-Gregg).

The psychologist strongly warns people who have been touched by suicide to steer clear of this film.

Many callers suggested the preview does make reference to the suicide, in the first seconds of the film's trailer.

Listen above or watch the trailer by clicking the link below. Do you think the suicide is sign-posted well enough? Should the film be rated R?

Blog comments Your Say

  • My family has suffered with suicide twice. The effects are more devastating than can ever be described with words, pictures or any other medium. For those who have suffered this devastation, no topic can be more painful. Dr. Carr-Gregg understands this level of scarring, and I commend the warning. Unless you have experienced this firsthand, I do not believe you can appreciate the impact.

    Ron Monday 9 February, 2009 - 11:23 AM

  • where were you in the seventies alex.I can tell you m8 clockwork orange started the whole droog gang thing in melbourne no doubt about that and a lot of people got bashed because of that films influence.Anyway in my mind and heart i think people who commit suicide are arseholes for what they leave thier families with.I dont even want to look at them or what they do i dont even like the word let alone have it as a part of an m rated movie that my kids could be adversly affected by.catch ya

    john Thursday 5 February, 2009 - 2:29 PM

  • This is an issue for my family having suffered the effects of a family member who did commit suicide. I watched the trailer & even looking for evidence that it indicated that Will Smith's character took his own life -I CANT see it. I did want to watch this film but thanks to this warning I will now be carefully selecting who I ask to watch it with me.

    Cherie Friday 30 January, 2009 - 12:34 PM

  • I agree 100 % with Dr Carr- Gregg . Will Smith is very popular among young people and many will want to see this movie. I haven't seen the movie yet, so can't comment a lot on it but I am concerned about the suicide scene in it, after hearing about it. Many times we see a movie and get lost in it. We imagine we are a part of it and feel as though we can empathize with the characters and sometimes even see ourselves in them . That's why a movie like this can be dangerous because as Dr Carr-Gregg said it is glamorizing suicide and there is nothing glamorous about it.....

    Dora Argy Sunday 11 January, 2009 - 12:10 PM

  • Max, I completely agree with you. I think that we, as a society, feel we need to be protected from every little thing that may "attack" our way of life. Take A Clockwork Orange for example - that was banned so long ago, but why? Because people were worried that normal viewers and teenagers would be influenced by the films content...They weren't. I feel Michael Carr- Gregg should stop being the martyr he thinks he is; he's just perpetuating a cycle of paranoia and fear

    Alex Saturday 10 January, 2009 - 10:14 AM

  • I agree with Dr Carr-Greg. After hearing your discussion I decided to go and see the movie. There was a woman in the queue who has going to see it with her 8 year old. She changed her mind when I told her about the suicide.
    I thought it glorified the suicide of a man obviously suffering from Post Traumatic Stress and Depression and decides to kill himself. It made him look noble for taking this action. Should be R rated or a warning added to trailer.

    Geraldine Pye Friday 9 January, 2009 - 11:49 AM

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