How the Movie Rating System has Failed You

A friend of mine recently suggested I blog about my opinions on the current movie rating system, and I thought that would be perfect for the purposes of this blog. I grew up very conservatively when it came to movie watching, and I'm glad I did. My parents didn't watch R-rated movies, even when I wasn't around, and they watched PG-13 very cautiously, always ready to either fast forward (this was before DVDs) or turn off the TV if there was anything objectionable. Objectionable usually meant sexual. I don't remember my parents being too concerned about violence or even language. If I heard the F-word as a child, I had no idea it was even a curse word. But I'm sure my parents were careful about that too. I remember watching parts of The Mission and Dances With Wolves, both movies with violence in them. Of course, I remember watching only parts, so even violence was monitored for my age. But sex in movies was completely out, even for my parents, with or without me.

My views, tastes, and watching have become more mature, but at heart, these rules are still important to me. I once heard a father say he'd let his children watch sex over violence. I'm glad he wasn't mine. Our culture would most definitely say sex is safer than violence. That's reflected right in our rating system. Here's why I don't agree.

Violence is more physically harmful than sex, in most cases, yes. But extramarital sex is emotionally harmful in such a way that most people don't even realize they are being harmed. Sex pervades our culture's movies, books, and thoughts so much that our homes are filled with divorce and single parents, our schools are filled with pregnant teens, our leaders are caught in immorality and scandal. We've treated it so lightly for so long that it doesn't mean anything anymore. But just look around you and you can't tell me it's harmless.

As for violence, there are relatively few instances where teens commit violence because they watch it on TV or because they play violent video games. In fact, a young friend of mine had a rude awakening in the army when a gun was placed in his hands and he was told he was going to have to shoot people. It didn't seem real to him until then. Usually, when we hear about violent teens, the causes are numerous and more complex: family neglect or abuse, social ineptitude. A healthy kid doesn't want to go kill people, but he or she might easily be convinced that sex is no big deal.

The truth is sex is a huge deal. It's good and special and not meant for people who haven't already given each other everything else in marriage. It's the dessert, the icing on the cake, and it is the most vulnerable part of ourselves we give away. Of course, that's emotionally damaging when taken so lightly and carelessly.

My argument, then, is for a rating system that tells you exactly what you're getting. The MPAA might tell you a movie is rated such and such for this and that, but it's not an accurate picture. For example, The King's Speech is a brilliant movie, rated R. Unless your kid is home-schooled (and even then sometimes), I guarantee you he or she has heard the F-word by the age of 13. This movie could easily be rated PG-13. There's nothing more than a long string of curse words spoken in frustration by a man trying to learn how to speak publicly so that he can be a good prince and king. If you don't want your child to hear curse words like that at the age of 13, you're still allowed to use your own judgment and not let them go to the movie, but an R-rating is hardly necessary.

Then there's despicably graphic movies like Black Swan, another movie of the year. It's rated R, but I'm embarrassed to say I watched it. It definitely deserves a higher rating. The self-violence was creepy, but that was rated appropriately enough. The lesbian sex scene was sheer pornography. If it had been a man and woman, it would have been just as awful and disgusting. People really need to be warned about this stuff, and a simple R rating isn't enough. The King's Speech and Black Swan cannot possibly be rated the same, you would think, but they are.

It's no wonder my parents avoided R-rated movies, and I can understand why they avoid PG-13. Just about every romantic comedy out now is rated PG-13 and features a sexual relationship between two people, even if it isn't shown in detail. Sometimes, unfortunately, more detail is given. Since when is 13 a good age to expose teens to sex? I guess, since sex became part of teenagers' lives.

I'm definitely not accusing the rating system of creating the society we live in today. That would be ridiculous. But hey, it's sure not helping, is it? Just something to think about.

My parents would say this proves their stance right, and I don't knock them for that. Sometimes the best way to go is complete removal of the things that could tempt us. Fleeing temptation is always right. On the other hand, my artistic senses find lots of value in certain movies or books, despite the errant views and representations here and there. Will I cease to watch all R-rated movies? No. I don't feel that conviction. But I will watch carefully, moderately, with an awareness that I could be getting more than I bargained for.