Violence, gore, and oh, so much nudity. Plenty of ways to get an R-rating,
but who knew all it takes to get on the MPAA’s bad side is a little magic and an F-bomb or two?
Written and directed by John Hughes, the 1985 teen drama "The Breakfast Club" stars five members of
Hollywood's so-called "Brat Pack": Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson,
and Ally Sheedy. Set at a fictional high school, the story revolves around a group of students
from different walks of life who seemingly share nothing in common other than the fact
that they've all been assigned Saturday morning detention. There we meet angry, malcontent Bender,
morose recluse Allison, cocky jock Andrew, awkward and nerdy Brian, and snobby Claire.
Over the course of the film, the five misfits muse over the struggles in their
vastly different lives, and they each come to understand each other a little better.
It's a tender, heartfelt coming-of-age story with few equals in its day. Sadly,
it earned itself an R-rating thanks to its frank discussion of sex and drugs,
some crude language, plus a scene where they get high together.
"Chicks cannot hold their smoke. That's what it is."
But while edgy for the '80s, "The Breakfast Club" isn't actually all that explicit,
using suggestive euphemisms more often than not. And while some mild drug use
may have riled parents in 1985, it hardly seems all that R-rated today.
Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, "Almost Famous" is inspired by the filmmaker's own
unique life story, paralleling his days as a teen journalist for Rolling Stone. The film follows
15-year-old William Miller, who worms his way into the inner circle of an up-and-coming rock
group called Stillwater. Along with alluring bohemian groupie Penny Lane, William joins the
band on tour, going on a journey of self-discovery as he learns about life, love, and friendship.
A touching story of a young man looking to find his own path,
"Almost Famous" got its R-rating thanks to some of the usual swear words and drug use.
"I'm on drugs!"
What might have crossed the line, however, was a single partial nude scene where Penny Lane is
briefly seen dancing with her shirt hanging open. But take that out and what you're left
with is a rather subdued story — where most of the sex and drugs are only implied — and with
none of the raucous antics you might expect from a more wild and crazy rock n' roll biopic. Given
its poignant story of youthful rebellion and the moral lessons it peddles, it seems
almost a crime that its target audience was kept out of theaters by its R-rating.
An absolutely iconic buddy comedy, "Blazing Saddles" is a 1974 Western classic starring
Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little as a pair of mismatched partners in the Old West. Written
and directed by Mel Brooks, it puts Little into the role of Bart, a black laborer who becomes the
new sheriff of Rock Ridge. But Bart is only given the job because the corrupt governor hopes it will
prompt the townsfolk to flee, allowing a railroad to dismantle the town. When Bart gets wind of the
plan, though, he recruits local outlaw Jim to help him stop the governor's dastardly scheme.
A major hit, "Blazing Saddles" pulled in a whopping $119 million at the box office
thanks to the chemistry of its star pair and a sidesplitting script from Brooks. A wildly
successful movie among critics too, it's been hailed as one of the best comedies of all time
and even earned itself four stars from Roger Ebert. But despite its success, we're forced to
wonder how much more popular it might have been had it not received an R-rating, mostly because
it doesn't deserve it. Sure, in 1974, some of the more vulgar jokes may have offended uptight types.
*fart sounds*
Looking back, though, it wouldn't earn that rating today, as much of what crossed the
line at the time is more veiled humor and innuendo than anything explicit.
When it comes to action movies, it can be fairly easy for a tame flick
to just barely cross the line and earn an R-rating. In the case of "Constantine," we
don't suspect it was the violence, blood, or death that got it a stricter label,
but its overall tone and dark themes. The film centers on the eponymous John Constantine,
who has been sent to Hell, but is back on Earth where he fights for righteousness — hunting
demons and fallen angels — in an effort to stave off his soul's delivery to Lucifer.
The movie has some fantasy violence, and there are a few grim moments, but the overall tone is
often rather tongue-in-cheek. Nevertheless, it's the demonic nature of the story that is
most likely to blame for its harsh rating. The MPAA cautioned viewers that the film
contained "violence and demonic images," but the violence hardly seems any worse
than your standard PG-13 blockbuster. And while hellish visuals may be cause for concern for
more devout religious folk, it might not even register as harsh for anyone else.
It's certainly not a surprise to learn that one of the most popular horror movies of the
2010s is rated R. But when you actually sit down to watch "The Conjuring," the 2013 ghost story
by director James Wan, you might be surprised to find it's really not that shocking at all.
The film tells the story of a pair of supernatural experts played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga,
who are brought in to investigate a potential haunting at a remote farmhouse. Given the
R-rating by the MPAA for "terror," it seems it was the overall spooky vibe that rankled the
labeling agency rather than any explicit bloodshed or even disturbing visuals.
*clap clap*
Because frankly, the film isn't really all that violent. And according to Wan,
that was by design, as he'd held out hope of the film making it out with a PG-13 rating,
in an effort to attract a wider audience.
But as the film's producer Walter Hamada told fans during an appearance at WonderCon not long
before its release, the MPAA had told him they were stuck with a stricter rating. He explained:
"It's just so scary. [There are] no specific scenes or
tone you could take out to get it PG-13."
Eighth Grade
It seems like critically acclaimed coming-of-age stories can often fall victim to the R-rating
despite it not being warranted. That might be because being earnest and true
to life sometimes means showing young, often underage characters acting crudely and vulgar,
or engaging in taboo activities like sex and drugs as they navigate their way into
adulthood. Such is the case with comedian Bo Burnham's full-length directorial debut,
"Eighth Grade," which introduces us to Kayla Day, an ordinary middle schooler struggling with stress
at school and at home as she prepares to graduate the titular year of school.
Aimed at an audience of teens,
the film is a tender and heartbreaking look at adolescence and was praised by
critics and young audiences for its realistic depiction of growing up in modern America.
"What was in there?"
"Just sort of my hopes and dreams."
Unfortunately, thanks to some pervasive profanity and a couple of suggestive moments,
the film garnered an R-rating, preventing kids who might relate to it from seeing
it in the theater on their own. Of course, this effectively cut them out from seeing it at all,
as we're not sure any 15-year-old wants to be going to the movies with their parents.
A watershed movie from 1999 that mixed sci-fi and action, "The Matrix" revolutionized both genres,
with groundbreaking special effects and a mind-bending, immersive story that had
audiences questioning reality itself. Full of dazzling visuals that included the innovative
"bullet time" effect, the film's mix of rapid-fire martial arts moves and break-neck, guns-blazing
shootouts had the audience's jaws on the floor. The film follows Neo, a young hacker played
by Keanu Reeves, who is recruited by Laurence Fishburne's enigmatic Morpheus, and learns that
the world as he knows it is merely a constructed reality, and he is the key to saving mankind.
Exploring deeply philosophical issues like fate vs. free will and the nature of identity, "The
Matrix" captivated movie-goers like few films ever had. But with plenty of violence, including loads
of hot lead sprayed like water, and shoot-outs that left dozens dead, this is one film that
might not come as a surprise to learn was rated R. But watch the film with a more discerning eye and
you might start to rethink everything you thought you knew about it. Because on closer inspection,
you'll notice that most of the violence is almost entirely bloodless — and the victims all
simulations. With a few minor tweaks, "The Matrix" could probably have snagged a PG-13 rating.
Spun out of a series of impromptu performances from "Saturday Night Live," the 1980 film "The
Blues Brothers," is directed by John Landis and stars John Belushi and Dan
Aykroyd. They put on fedoras, suits, and shades to become Jake and Elwood Blues, a pair of musically
inclined ex-cons who find themselves clashing with police, a gang of Neo-Nazis, a rival music group,
and a crazed killer, all while trying to save a Catholic orphanage from going under. To complete
their "mission from God," the Blues Brothers need to raise $5,000, which they plan to do
by putting on a musical showcase, and must recruit other musicians to make it happen.
With very little violence, "The Blues Brothers" is much more like a classic
'80s caper and buddy comedy than any kind of violent action movie you might expect
would warrant an R-rating. But indeed, that's just the rating it received,
owed almost entirely to its generous use of swear words.
"Christ Jake, take it easy man." "That word."
"Ow, s---!" "Jesus Christ!"
"S---!" "God dammit!"
And while that did necessitate the harder rating, the movie was a big hit anyway,
and the censors seemed to get it right the next time around because the belated sequel,
"Blues Brothers 2000," was handed a PG-13 rating in 1998.
"The Craft" was a pioneer in the sub-genre of supernatural teen dramas,
led by a foursome of troubled young women imbued with otherworldly powers. Starring Robin Tunney,
Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, and Rachel True, the film's mix of coming-of-age story and dark,
supernatural horror may have been a poor choice if they were looking for a PG-13 rating. Combining
those two elements may have been what doomed it to the hard R-rating, much to the chagrin
of younger teens — although the film did still manage to be a hit at the box office.
Admittedly, there are a few moments in "The Craft" that could have rightfully warranted its label:
There are a couple deaths that border on graphic, as well as a scene where one of
the young women is the target of a failed sexual assault. But it's not that far
from most of the PG-13 thrillers you'd see today. Sure, there's some crude language,
and vague discussion of sex and drugs, though almost none of it is shown on screen. What
might have pushed it over the edge, however, is a wrist-slashing scene that includes plenty
of blood. It's a disturbing sequence that some audiences might understandably want
to be cautioned against. But considering that the 2020 sequel, "The Craft: Legacy," wasn't
much different and garnered a PG-13, it makes one wonder if the original's R was a bit of a reach.
In what might be one of the most egregious examples of a movie being given a harder
rating than it deserved, the 2010 drama "The King's Speech" was slapped with an R for one
simple reason: too many "F" words. But the use of profanity wasn't gratuitous
or unmotivated and was actually a key component in the story of the life of
England's King George VI, who suffered from a debilitating speech impediment.
Set in the 1930s, "The King's Speech" is the remarkable true story of the real Prince Albert,
who is faced with the terrifying prospect of giving a national speech on his ascension to
King after his brother abdicates the throne. The crux of the story centers on his treatment
for a stammer with the help of speech therapist, Lionel Logue. Logue is able to help Albert with
some unorthodox methods and eventually makes the realization that swearing can help abate
Albert's stutter. And it's a now-famous scene that led to the film's R-rating,
as Albert lets loose a torrent of comical obscenities in a session with Logue.
"Bugger bugger buggity buggity buggity f--- f--- ass!"
"Yes!"
Unfortunately, because of its importance to the story, the swearing is not a superficial
element that can be easily excised to get a lighter rating. But no matter,
because the film went on to win critical acclaim en route to capturing the Academy
Award for best picture, and earning its lead, Colin Firth, an Oscar for best actor.