# When should kids get to watch "R" rated movies



## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

Here is a question for those of you who have kids (or those who don't for that matter). At what age do you believe it is appropriate to let a child see an "R"rated movie? I am not talking about the Friday the 13th or Halloween genres, which I obviously believe would be inappropriate. Here is my situation. I have an ten year old who loves to play war, cops and robbers, etc. Obviously most kids engage in that type of play, however, I am beginning to think he might need to understand that when somebody gets killed, it is not a pretty sight and is forever. I have been thinking about letting him watch at least a portion of "Saving Private Ryan" for a "realistic portrayal" of the violence of war. My only concern is it may be too intense. I am just curious about your thoughts and experiences. Thanks.


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## Martyva (Apr 23, 2002)

both my kids turned into responsible, caring adults. They had no TV or movie restrictions.


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## James_F (Apr 23, 2002)

They also might not get the point of "Saving Private Ryan" without your supervision.... I'm sure with you to explain what the movie is about, he'll be fine.


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## jrjcd (Apr 23, 2002)

yeeps-i thought you meant you were taking the blocks off of showtime and cinemax....

really, depends on the maturaty level of the child(and the age)...
and i agree-you need to explain the point to him/her just to make sure they understand...


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## gcutler (Mar 23, 2002)

If your Son "Loves to Play War" at the age of 10, he may generally grow out of it on his own. I think that "Saving Private Ryan" may be tooo intense (Closer to a movie for a 13 year old you might want to see it). Movies like "The Big Red One" (Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill) may help without being tooo graphic. "Boys in Company C" maybe, possibly "Platoon" might be less intense than SPR? Perhaps even best is to find a family friend who is a vietnam vet and might "Lay some reality" on your son, with a little coversation, nothing graphic???

Even "The Longest Day" may be good as it does not hold back showing off death.

I think SPR excelled at showing the reality of it, but maybe that level of reality might be overkill for many?


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## Martyva (Apr 23, 2002)

my dad was on Omaha beach. The first time i heard him mention the war was when we took him to the movie, the Longest Day, and he said quietly 'thats Omaha beach. When i watched Private Ryan, i wandered back that time and knew that i wouldn't show hoim this movie.


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## gcutler (Mar 23, 2002)

When I saw Saving Private Ryan, 1/2 the audience looked like they were WWII veterans. The theatre said that 1 hour in they would have an intermission (that was the end of the beach scenes). There had been alot of talk about the need for veterans of any of the wars to have a little decompress time.

It was quite a profound experience to see the # of people obviously emotionally affected by the beach scenes. It was quite well known that the scenes were going to bring back memories, and some would say that many of the veterans were COMPELLED or DRAWN there knowing that there might be so emotions to be dealt with.


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## Steve Mehs (Mar 21, 2002)

First war movie I saw was Full Metal Jacket, I think it was when I was 9. Prior to that it was maily Halloween and Freddy movies until I relized how stupid they were after the first sequal. I dont think theres nothing wrong with Saving Private Ryan, after all it can be used as a history lesson. Hey, now that Im 17 I can buy R DVDs legaly now but as if that ever stopped me before


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## Kevin (Mar 27, 2002)

I've watched alot of R-rated movies prior to turning 17, none of them bothered me at all and my parents didn't seem to mind.


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## gcutler (Mar 23, 2002)

The only movie my parents didn't let me see before 15 was "Helter Skelter". And lookling back on it, it was a little freaky and did "throw me off" for a few days when I snuck off and saw it anyway at a friends house. They never stopped me from seeing a movie involving sex, but the violence was what they were worried about.

Not that there is anything wrong with the Violence in SPR, but each parent should decide if the graphic nature of those scenes is tooo much for the 10 year old thru 15 year old. I think once you are in high school there is little out there that would disturb a normal teen.


But then again is there such a thing as a "Normal Teen" 

I remember being so fixated with death at around 15-18, not that I was going to die, but I didn't want to just be sitting on the subway and have a metal beam fall on my head and kill me. I was obsessed with "Going out in a blaze of glory" or 'Death with Honor" type stuff. Of course by the time I was 25, the idea of Dying in my sleep at the age of 100 with no lingering illness was became much more attractive a death. I wonder when the change occurs???

I guess that is why they prefer to draft 18 year olds than 25 year olds.

Seargent tell an 18 year old to rush a machine gun nest, 18 year old replies "YES, SERGEANT!!!!"

Seargent tell an 25 year old to rush a machine gun nest, 25 year old replies "F**K Y*U, SERGEANT!!!!" :lol:


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## Karl Foster (Mar 23, 2002)

I have an eleven-year-old, and we are just venturing into PG-13 movies. She is nowhere near mature enough to watch or understand Saving Private Ryan. 

She isn't allowed to watch R movies at all, and no PG-13s without parental supervision. Maybe we are prudes, but we want her to be a child as long as possible. I never saw a R rated movie until I was 18, and I don't think I missed much.


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## Rage (Aug 19, 2001)

I noticed that many of today's PG-13 movies were easily rated R when I was a kid. I'm very concerned about this.


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## Rick_EE (Apr 5, 2002)

I agree, Rage. At one time dropping the "F" bomb would be an automatic R. Now an R means showing the act.


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## Neil Derryberry (Mar 23, 2002)

Having worked with teenagers in youth ministry, I've seen the sensationalism that can occur because of exposure to inappropriate content. My recommendation would be no earlier than 14 or 9th grade, whichever comes first. I say this because at that point, you lose control of the ability to meter your child's exposure to things such as this. Try and teach the lesson in an alternative manner until then, if possible.


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## MarkA (Mar 23, 2002)

I've never seen Saving Private Ryan, but as I understand it, it's very realistic. I'd say that's not as bad as most R-rated movies. That said, Pearl Harbour is probably FAR more appropriate for him to see, while still showing him war and it's realities.


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## Karl Foster (Mar 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Mark _
> *I've never seen Saving Private Ryan, but as I understand it, it's very realistic. I'd say that's not as bad as most R-rated movies. That said, Pearl Harbour is probably FAR more appropriate for him to see, while still showing him war and it's realities. *


...including premarital sex, and out-of-wedlock pregnancy


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