# 16: too young for R rated movies, but... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2000, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586 "2000-11-10T02:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586/1 "2000-11-10T02:27:58Z")
…old enough to pay adult prices. I’ve always wondered about this. "Sorry kid, yer not old enough to see this movie by yerself…but you can see “Pokemon. Ohh, that’ll be the _adult_ ticket price please…” Anyone explain this phenomenom please? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586/2 "2000-11-10T02:42:11Z")
Ratings guidelines are invented by the MPAA. Ticket prices are invented by the theaters. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586/3 "2000-11-10T02:50:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by poohpah chalupa \* > \*\*Anyone explain this phenomenom please? \*\* I’ll give it a shot. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) gives out ratings more or less arbitrarily, much to the chagrin of the studios. For example, there’s a recent British import hitting the screens (_Billy Elliot_) about a boy who aspires to be a dancer. It’s rated R. Why, you ask, is an inspiring story about a boy who follows his dreams rated R? Because they say the word “fuck” about a thousand times in that movie. Naughty language = R rating. By the way, the studio with American distribution rights to _Billy Elliot_ (Paramount?) is none too happy about their R rating, and they’ve let just about anyone who would listen know. Now, movie theaters aren’t **required** by any statute (that I know of) to turn away those 16 or under from an R-rated movie. Yes, the MPAA _expects_ their cooperation, and most theaters _do_ cooperate, but they are not required to. At the Rastaplex 24 I could, by law, allow any child of any age to see any movie he/she wanted (provided X-rated pornography wasn’t involved), and the MPAA would just have to deal with it. Of course, I’d incur the wrath of the parents in the community, and there would be boycotts and lawsuits… oh the humanity! As for ticket prices, the MPAA doesn’t know or care. At the Rastaplex 24 the cutoff age for an adult could be 9, it could be 35; it’s my theater, my rules. So in other words: ratings are handed down by an outside body. Ticket prices are up to the management of the theater, irrespective of movie ratings. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586/4 "2000-11-10T03:10:14Z")
[Hijack] You think that is screwed up? Come to Alabama. in Alabama at 16 you can consent to sex at 17 you can consent to be filmed in the act of sex. [/hijack] of course, as it was stated MPAA Makes the ratings Theaters set the prices. Osip ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/16-too-young-for-r-rated-movies-but/40586/5 "2000-11-10T03:17:20Z")
IINM, though…in Canada, aren’t the ratings a law, and you can’t allow anyone in under age?