How Old Should You Have to Be to See Rated-R Movies?
Thirteen. Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Boys Don't Cry. Varsity Blues. Kids. American Pie.
It seems like most movies about teenagers are rated-R -- which means if you're under 17 years old, you can't watch or rent them unless you're accompanied by a parent. While it's important to have rating guidelines for movies, there's a big jump between the ages of 13 and 16. In many states, 16 year olds can drive to the video store before they can rent Cruel Intentions.
Teens are one of the biggest groups of consumers out there, so it makes sense that many movies are geared towards teen culture. But just because a movie like American Pie is about seniors in high school, that doesn't mean that all seniors are allowed to watch it. A number of factors contribute to a movie's rating: language, theme, violence, sexual situations, and its portrayal of drug use. And while teens in movies have sex, party, and curse (all things that are shown on teen TV shows and that realistically occur in teen life), you're not allowed to see those things portrayed if you're under 17.
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