How Old Do You Have to Be to See a Rated R Movie?

Cinemahdv Net
4 min readMay 28, 2022
How Old Do You Have to Be to See a Rated R Movie?

The age you have to be to see a given film can sometimes be debated. The answer, of course, is always different for different people. Some people will tell you it’s maturity levels that put them in the R age bracket — and that some films are just too dark or mature for their audience. On the other hand, others will say that it’s how old you are: If you’re a senior in college and planning on leaving home for grad school, then by all means go ahead and see “Citizen Kane” (1941). But if you’re a 20-year-old theater-goer looking for her first “Old School” experience, maybe wait until later in life? It might be too late for that these days. But regardless of your answers, there’s one thing everyone can agree on: People are much more likely to go to a rated R movie than an unrated one — so it may not be as outdated as we think.

What is a R Movie Exactly?

How Old Do You Have to Be to See a Rated R Movie?

As I mentioned above, a “R” film is one that has a GR rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. That’s it. No other criteria. The MPAA only sets a rating for movies that have been “professionally graded” by them, meaning that the film has received a “ letter grade ” of “ G” or higher. “ G” is the highest rating the MPAA allows — and only the most “ distinguished ” movies receive the accolade. A “ R” film is therefore a movie that has received a “ R” rating from the MPAA.

How Do You Define a R Movie?

A “R” movie is far from a new concept — they have been around since the inception of the MPAA. When the rating system was first introduced, most people would define a “R” movie as one that is “too old to be called a ‘movie’,” as well as being “too dark for celluloid”. In other words, these are filmCritic terms that are too strict and limiting. In reality, there’s no hard and fast definition of what makes a movie “R” — or, for that matter, what makes a movie “Old School” or “New School”. All that can be said with certainty is that there are fewer “R” movies these days than there were 10 years ago.

The Biggest Problem with Rating Movies

The problems with rating movies aren’t so much with the system itself, but with the subjective nature of what makes a “good” movie. As I mentioned above, some people will tell you that the only reason they go to a “R” movie is to see stuff they haven’t seen before — or to see something that they can only watch in a theater. However, the biggest problem with the “oldness” excuse is that it assumes that all “old” movies are necessarily bad or “bad for you” — when in reality, very few are. In fact, many are quite good, and have aged quite well. The problem is simply that so many of them are no longer made.

Why Are So Many R Movies Made Now?

scary movie

As I mentioned above, the number of “R” movies is relatively stable. But the ratings are not. In the early 2000s, a number of movies received “G” ratings from the MPAA because of the subject matter of the film. Afterward, there was a large increase in the production of “R” movies — and as a result, the ratings plummeted.

The Biggest Reason You Can’t Go to a R Movie

As I mentioned above, there are very few “R” movies that are genuinely good — or even that are “good for you”. However, the most common reason people give for not going to a “R” movie is that they feel it would be “ too old for them” — or that they “don’t like old things”. This is a very broad and generalization — and one that’s probably not true for everyone. Some people love old things, and others would rather not go near any “old” things. However, if you answered “yes” to both of these questions, then you likely won’t enjoy yourself at a “R” movie — as the experience will be far too similar to going to an “old” concert or movie.

Bottom line

So, why are so many movies “R” these days? Simple — money. The studios that produce these films need to make a profit, and the only way they can do that is by including the “R” rating. Many of the recent “R” movies have been expensive to make — and therefore require a higher “R” rating to ensure that the audience is entertained. That said, “R” movies are not always bad. There’s still a huge spectrum of quality in film — and “R” movies fall into that category. If you’re just starting to explore the world of cinema, then a “R” movie may be exactly what you’ve been looking for. All you have to do is find one that’s old enough for you, and then sit back and enjoy the ride.
#Cinema_Hd_v2 #Cinema #Cinema_hd

--

--