# Whale Rider - Great movie, Strange Rating (PG-13) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019 "2003-08-18T18:47:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/1 "2003-08-18T18:47:37Z")
I’m not the only one who is baffled at the PG-13 rating of the wonderful movie “Whale Rider”. In at least two reviews I’ve read, the critics have wondered about the ‘drug reference’ cited in the MPAA rating. It’s a great, spiritual and mystical coming-of-age story that any age group will enjoy. I would think it to be particularly rewarding to young girls 8 and up. It seems a real disservice to the public to brand it with a PG-13, and possibly discourage parents from taking there kids to see it. It didn’t get the big dollar advertising push that crap like “Daddy Day Care” and “Rugrats Go to…” received, so the kids haven’t been brainwashed into believing that if they don’t see it they will die. When they say ‘Family Movie’ they usually mean ‘Children’s Movie.’ “Whale Rider” is a true ‘Family Movie’, meaning it will appeal to all ages. I just saw it yesterday, but, for the life of me, can’t recall the ‘drug reference.’ In one scene a group of women are sneaking puffs on cigarettes. This has me wondering if; a) the MPAA is now considering cigarette smoking to be drug use (it IS, after all) or; b) the MPAA thought the women were smoking pot, which they were not. If you go see it (you should, you’ll be glad you did) keep an eye and ear open for that ‘drug reference’ and let me know. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/2 "2003-08-18T18:50:33Z")
Roger Ebert belives it comes from a marijuana pipe in one scene. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/3 "2003-08-18T19:19:18Z")
The uncle (Rawiri, I believe) that teaches Paikea the pole martial art is seen smoking dope with his friends at least once. It was fairly prominent on the screen (i.e. not in the background). ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/4 "2003-08-18T19:20:09Z")
[Here’s](http://www.suntimes.com/output/answ-man/sho-sunday-ebert27.html) the Answer Man column in which Ebert adresses the minor controversy over _Whale Rider_’s rating. Long story short, the MPAA are a bunch of fucking loons. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/5 "2003-08-18T19:54:11Z")
Munch, now that you mention it, I remember the uncle sitting with his friends and DRINKING when Pai comes to him for help with the pole fighting. Perhaps they were passing the Dutchie as well. Can’t wait for the DVD to check all this out. In any case, Miller, I agree with you and Ebert (thanks for the cite) that the rating system, at least in this case, has done more harm than good. If your child starts doing drugs as a result of seeing “Whale Rider”, I’ll pay for the re-hab! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/6 "2003-08-18T20:30:20Z")
I was thinking about this this weekend while I watched the movie **Wonder Boys**. It was on basic cable (F/X) and featured Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire drinking and heavily smoking pot (and other assorted drugs) for about 2 and a half hours. They made no bones about it being pot either (at one point Douglas says “Lay off my dope!”) Other interesting scenes: A dog is shot in self-defense and you very nearly see Robert Downey Jr.'s naked ass. (Great movie, BTW.) I sat there thinking “man, I can’t believe this is showing plain as day on a TV channel I’m going to guess 90% of americans get and the MPAA gives **Whale Rider** a PG-13 because there’s a bong/pipe on the screen for like 10 seconds.” Cripes! I remember a whole episode of “Facts of Life” centering around Mrs. Garrett trying to shut down the local “head shop” and that show was lousy with bongs! Prime-time regular network TV, circa 1980. What about the whole “Roseanne” episode where they find their old pot stash and smoke it? The MPAA is starting to be like the CAP Alert website. They’re like people who are not from this planet or something. Throw the bums out! ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/7 "2003-08-18T20:34:14Z")
**I Capture the Castle** , a great movie for teenaged (and younger) girls, was given an R rating because of a brief shot of Tara Fitzgerald’s naked chest in a non-sexual situation. The rest of the movie was squeaky clean – I don’t even remember any profanity. What a bunch of asses. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/8 "2003-08-18T21:27:38Z")
The prominent marijuana reference in _Whale Rider_ occurs when Pai goes to her uncle for instruction with stick combat, as **randwill** suggests. Specifically (if I’m remembering correctly), he’s laid out on the ground when she arrives, holding a pipe, with a baggie of bud on his chest. He hides it quickly and no further reference is made; it’s a throwaway joke that illuminates his character. For the MPAA to grade the movie PG-13 based almost solely on this moment, which lasts two or three seconds at _most_, is patently ludicrous, of course. However, remember, they’re not supposed to judge the art of the movie; their “client” is the average parent trying to decide whether a movie is appropriate for a child. In a current GD thread, it’s mentioned that well over 60% of American adults agree with the criminalization of marijuana. Hence, the MPAA is not out of touch, objectively speaking. But yeah, otherwise, it’s a _fantastic_ movie with a great message of empowerment for our daughters, and a quirk of cultural idiocy makes it seem somehow inappropriate for them based on the rating. When my wife and I have a kid, this will be a prominent part of our family-film library, MPAA be damned. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/9 "2003-08-18T22:17:53Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/10 "2003-08-18T22:23:08Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/11 "2003-08-18T22:23:08Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/12 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/13 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/14 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/15 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/16 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/17 "2003-08-18T22:23:09Z")
WHALE RIDER is probably one of the most moving and NECESSARY movies I have seen in a long time. Loved this film. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/18 "2003-08-18T22:29:06Z")
**Nanook** , tell us how you really feel. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/19 "2003-08-18T23:11:49Z")
Sounds like you’re envious that I can. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019/20 "2003-08-18T23:21:23Z")
Sorry for the nonuple posting. But I not only did not receive confirmation of my posting but got an error message as well. Just learning how to compensate on this unfortunate board. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whale-rider-great-movie-strange-rating-pg-13/196019.md?page=2)