What Do Movie Ratings Mean? (G, PG, R, etc.) [Updated]
![What Do Movie Ratings Mean? (G, PG, R, etc.) [Updated]](https://assets.blog.engoo.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/01/31070924/movie_ratings_meaning_1-1024x574.jpg "What Do Movie Ratings Mean? (G, PG, R, etc.) [Updated]")
With the popularity of streaming services, movie ratings may not seem as important as they did in the past, when theaters were the main places to see films.
However, ratings still provide very useful information, especially for parents. They give viewers an idea about the kinds of content a film contains and help parents decide if something is appropriate for their children to watch.
This article will provide some basic information about the different ratings films receive, as well as keywords you will see when choosing if a movie is right for you or your child.
The 5 ratings of the MPA (the Motion Picture Association)
G
G is the lowest rating and stands for “General Audiences.”
The MPA refers to films with this rating as “All Ages Admitted.” In other words, anyone buying tickets for these films at a movie theater would be allowed inside. G-rated films do not contain anything that may be scary or inappropriate for kids.
Examples of films with a G rating:
- The Lion King (1994)
- Ratatouille
- Toy Story
- Kiki's Delivery Service
PG
PG is the next highest rating and stands for “Parental Guidance,” or the longer version, “Parental Guidance Suggested.”
While parents can let their children watch G movies with no worries, PG films may contain some things they may not want their children to see — or at least, to not see alone. This is generally the lowest rating you will see for most modern movies, even animated family films.
Examples of films with a PG rating:
- Paddington
- Spirited Away
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
PG-13
The descriptor for this rating is “Parents Strongly Cautioned.”
As you can guess from the name, PG-13 films may not be appropriate for children under 13 years old. However, children are still allowed to see them.
Because most adults are not interested in G or PG movies, PG-13 is thought to be the most important rating to movie studios because it has the biggest possible audience for a film. That means PG-13 films have the best chance of making a lot of money!
Examples of films with a PG-13 rating:
- Barbie
- Top Gun: Maverick
- The Avengers: Endgame
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts I and II
R
“R” stands for "Restricted."
This is the first rating that includes a strict rule: “Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.” That means no one under 17 can watch an R-rated movie in a theater without having an adult with them.
These movies might contain things like strong language, violence, scenes of sexual activity or drug use. R is typically the highest rating most major movies receive.
Examples of films with an R rating:
- The Conjuring series
- Deadpool & Wolverine
- Ted
- Bridesmaids
NC-17
NC-17 movies are for “Adults Only.”
A parent taking their child to an NC-17 film would not be allowed to buy tickets or enter the theater. These movies typically have similar content to R films, but it may occur more frequently or in more detail.
NC-17 films often don't receive as much promotion or attention as other movies. Therefore, movie studios usually try to avoid this rating.
Unrated
The last rating isn't a rating at all!
You may see "Unrated" (sometimes shortened to "UR" or "NR" for "Not Rated") before a film's trailer or on its promotional material. In some cases, it means a film simply hasn't received its official rating yet; some films, however, never get one.
Similar to the old and unofficial “X” rating, some films use the fact that they are unrated as a way to attract viewers interested in extra-violent or sexual content. However, unrated films do not necessarily contain those things. If you are not sure about what's in a movie, we recommend researching it online.
Related article: The Many Meanings and Uses of X
Common keywords in ratings
Although ratings help to give a general idea of what's in a film, you may still be confused about details. To help solve this problem, ratings have started including additional information.
Generally, a film's content is separated into a few major categories:
- Language
- Violence
- Sexual content
- Thematic elements
Words you will see describing each category usually start with “light” or “mild,” which means there is only a small amount or that it is not very intense.
As the content of a film becomes more mature, you will see descriptors like “strong” or “pervasive,” which means it occurs many times throughout the film.
Language
The "language" descriptor means a movie may contain some "dirty" words that parents may not want their children to hear. Even PG and PG-13 films may have this descriptor, but it is generally not severe.
However, there may be other descriptors related to language, such as "crude humor," which refers to jokes about body functions.
Violence
Violence may be described in many ways, such as “cartoon violence,” “sci-fi violence,” or simply “action.” Many blockbuster films are described this way.
On the other hand, horror films may have stronger descriptors like “graphic violence” or “gore,” which means the film contains very dramatic or detailed scenes that are definitely not appropriate for children.
Sexual content
Sexual content is indicated by terms like "sexuality," “nudity” or “brief nudity” if it is on the screen for only a short time. These do not necessarily mean a film is bad for younger audiences. However, additional descriptors like "strong" or "intense" will warn you if they are.
Thematic elements
This category (also called “adult/mature themes”) is a little trickier to understand. Instead of specific words or scenes, it refers to the overall themes or topics in a movie.
For example, films with this descriptor may feature things like drug use, disease, gambling, suicide, disasters or serious social issues. They may be topics younger viewers may not fully understand or may ask their parents about.
Extra resources
If you'd like to know more beyond the standard ratings, the popular movie website IMDb.com has information provided by other viewers that can help. After a film has been released, click the rating on any movie's main page to go to its Parents Guide, which has specific details about what the movie contains.
For movie lovers interested in learning more English from films, we recommend the following articles:
