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The Motion Association (formerly Motion Association of America) is one of the most powerful institutions in Hollywood, as it determines which ratings are given to almost every film that is released in a calendar year. Although a slightly different version of the MPAA existed in the Golden Age of Hollywood, the modern rating system has gone through multiple revisions. 1984 saw the debut of the PG-13 rating due to Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and in 1999, the X-rating was replaced in favor of the new NC-17 label.
The MPAA frequently makes decisions regarding ratings that make little to no sense, which is more than just an obnoxious bit of framing. These ratings can either prevent or dissuade a film’s success, and are critical in whether or not they perform well at the box office. Here are the ten dumbest movie ratings in MPAA history, ranked.
10
‘Stand by Me’ (1986)
Rating: R
Stand by Me is one of the greatest coming-of-age films of all-time, as Rob Reiner was able to draw from Stephen King’s acclaimed short story to tell a powerful narrative about young boys as they reach the age when they discover the darkness that comes with maturation. Even though the film would be a great film for audiences that were the same age as the characters to see, Stand by Me earned an “R” rating due to the heavy amount of profanity.
It made little sense to restrict the audience for Stand by Me, as the film was just trying to authentically replicate what children talked like. There is certainly an audience of adults that would appreciate the nostalgic themes of the story, but Stand by Me is best intended for viewers that are in the midst of their own coming-of-age eras, and could find both inspiration and trepidation within the way the film depicted its youthful protagonists.
9
‘Eighth Grade’ (2018)
Rating: R
Eighth Grade was a very charming coming-of-age film from writer and director Bo Burnham, who had previously been a very popular singer and comedian whose work had resonated with a good deal of young people. Although Eighth Grade is centered on a teenage girl (Elsie Fisher) who, as the title suggests, is dealing with the transition from middle school to high school, the film received an MPAA grade of “R” due to the language.
Eighth Grade’s “R” rating meant that its intended audience was not able to see the film, even though Burnham was clearly trying to authentically replicate the ways in which middle school-aged teenagers actually talked. Considering that Burnham’s primary audience was younger viewers that had grown up with his music and comedy, there’s a possibility that the film would have been a much bigger success if they had been allowed to see it.

Eighth Grade
- Release Date
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July 13, 2018
- Runtime
-
93 Minutes
- Director
-
Bo Burnham
- Writers
-
Bo Burnham
8
‘Toy Story 3’ (2010)
Rating: G
Toy Story 3 is one of the few modern animated films to actually receive a “G” rating, as a majority of Pixar’s films, including the sequel Toy Story 4, received a PG label. While a “G” rating would suggest that a film is available for viewers of any age and doesn’t risk having any intense or upsetting scenes, Toy Story 3 features some of the most devastating sequences in any animated film.
Toy Story 3 is a more mature entry in the Toy Story franchise, and deals with themes such as loneliness, depression, and abuse. Given that one of the primary moments in the films involves Andy (Tom Hanks) and the other toys nearly being incinerated and having to prepare for their own deaths, it makes little sense as to why Toy Story 3 did not at least receive a PG rating.
7
‘The King’s Speech’ (2010)
Rating: R
The King’s Speech tells an incredibly powerful true story about how the British King Henry VI (Colin Firth) recovered from his stuttering issues and became the leader that the nation needed during the horrors of World War II thanks to the assistance of a speech teacher (Geoffrey Rush). The film explores a universal theme about the challenges of confidence and dealing with a complex family legacy, but received an “R” rating because of a few sequences in which heavy profanity was used.
The “R” rating feels almost disrespectful in the case of The King’s Speech, as the film goes out of its way to avoid stigmatizing those who suffer from speaking issues. This is an inspirational story that could have helped young people learn about history in an engaging way, but was sadly cut from its intended audience because of how much emphasis the MPAA puts on foul language.
6
‘Boyhood’ (2014)
Rating: R
Boyhood is one of the most extraordinary achievements in modern cinema, as Richard Linklater shot portions of the film for over a decade in order to capture what it was like for a teenager to grow up in modern America. The performance by Ellar Coltrane is stunning, as he is able to age on screen as the film encompasses the last decade of history.
Boyhood received an “R” rating because of its language, even though a majority of the story is centered around an adolescent boy. Theoretically, Boyhood was intended to connect with audiences that were able to recognize aspects of themselves in the character Mason, who ends the film at 18 years old, but the “R” rating meant that the viewers that were allowed to see it were far more restricted. Considering that the film does not include any graphic violence or intense moments, it seems odd for it to be Rated R.
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5
‘Captain Phillips’ (2013)
Rating: PG-13
Captain Phillips is one of the most harrowing historical dramas in recent memory, as it tells the true story of how an American merchant captain and his team of sailors were held captive by Somali pirates in a tense hostage situation. Although not all of the graphic moments were depicted on screen, they are certainly implied, and the final scene of the film includes a harrowing depiction of post traumatic stress disorder that features one of the best pieces of acting in Tom Hanks’ entire career.
Captain Phillips is an intense film about serious issues, and is not really intended for younger viewers. The fact that it received a rating of PG-13, a rating that is also given to films like The Avengers and the later Harry Potter films, feels like a complete miscalculation of what the intended audience is.

Captain Phillips
- Release Date
-
October 11, 2013
- Runtime
-
134 Minutes
- Writers
-
Billy Ray, Richard Phillips, Stephen Talty
4
‘Casino Royale’ (2006)
Rating: PG-13
Casino Royale is largely regarded as one of the greatest James Bond films ever made because it took a very dark tone that was representative of the original novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. Although every single installment in the franchise has included some degree of action, Casino Royale includes far more graphic violence, which felt much more realistic due to the more grounded feel of the film.
Casino Royale features a very disturbing sequence of torture that certainly feels far more intense than almost any other PG-13 action film released during the summer; it is very odd that the film was lumped in with the types of superhero films and other blockbusters that are more evidently geared towards audiences of all ages. Casino Royale is also a much more mature on an emotional level, as it deals with trauma and loss in a way that most PG-13 films do not.

Casino Royale
- Release Date
-
November 14, 2006
- Runtime
-
144 minutes
- Writers
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Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, Ian Fleming
3
‘Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!’
Rating: NC-17
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! is one of the earliest films from director Pedro Almodovar, who is often regarded as being one of the most consistently genius filmmakers of the past several decades. Although Almodovar has always had an eye for shocking and provocative material, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! received an NC-17 rating due to the graphic sexual content and language.
NC-17 ratings are not given very often, so whenever one is unveiled it is a pretty big deal; considering that a film like Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! was rated NC-17 whilst having a very silly, over-the-top tone, that was intended to be more comedic in nature, it feels odd that the MPAA only gave an R rating to films that dealt with actual historical tragedies, such as Schindler’s List or 12 Years a Slave.
2
‘Shame’ (2011)
Rating: NC-17
Shame is an extraordinarily brave film that tackled serious themes about addiction and human sexuality in a mature way that did not feel exploitative. Although Steven McQueen is a filmmaker that is known for pushing the edge with his content, Shame actually received an NC-17 rating due to the sexual content in the film.
The MPAA tends to put a greater emphasis on sexuality than it does violence. Even though there are many very violent films that were able to get R ratings, Shame received an NC-17 because of its realistic depiction of sexuality. Getting an NC-17 rating that Shame had a significantly smaller audience, which is a shame considering that the performance by Michael Fassbender warranted serious consideration for an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He may have even received one had more people been able to see the film.

Shame
- Release Date
-
December 2, 2011
- Runtime
-
101 minutes
- Director
-
Steve McQueen
- Writers
-
Abi Morgan, Steve McQueen
1
‘Rocketman’ (2019)
Rating: R
Rocketman is one of the many musician biopics released in recent memory that was aimed at a mainstream audience, as it was clearly trying to replicate the success that Bohemian Rhapsody had a year earlier. Even though Elton John’s life was filled with some wild drug addiction issues and sexual misadventures, Rocketman was able to depict these in an artful way that did not feel exploitative.
Rocketman ended up receiving an R rating, and it is not hard to see why; even though the content of the film mirrored that of Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned a PG-13 rating, Rocketman was more explicit in exploiting its protagonist’s sexuality. Hollywood has a rough history with homophobia, and it does feel that Rocketman was being unfairly stigmatized for its positive depiction of an LGBTQ icon, who may not have been subjected to the same pressure if he had been straight.
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