Producer aghast seeing kid at R-rated film

• Tweet

TIGARD, Ore., Sept. 26 (UPI) -- A Hollywood producer who lives in Oregon said he was outraged to see a woman bring her young son to a violent R-rated movie.

Stephen Simon, whose producing credits include the 1998 film "What Dreams May Come" and the 1989 comedy "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," said he attended a showing of the R-rated film "End of Watch" at the Bridgeport Village Regal Cinema in Tigard and was shocked to see woman viewing it with a boy who appeared to be 4 or 5 years old, KGW-TV, Portland, Ore., reported Wednesday.

"It was very violent and very profane from frame one," Simon said, "there were people getting beat up and shot."

"I thought this is child abuse," he said of the woman who brought the young boy to the movie.

Simon said he confronted the woman before leaving the theater and calling Child Protective Services.

"The woman told me on the phone I was absolutely right and this was a dreadful thing to do but then said there's nothing we can do and suggested I talk to the manager," Simon said.

Simon said he is calling on theater owners to have employees speak with parents who bring their children to R-rated films.

"In the box office, they should ask if parents are aware the movie has very violent or profane content," he said.