Should Teens Watch R-rated Movies?
Head dangling on the floor, blood spreading all over ground, swearing often, and frequent sexuality. These can be the reasons why some movies receive the rating ‘R’. In general words, violence, language, and/or sexual are the criteria why some movies are rated R. In U.S, R rated movies are allowed to the teens under 17 accompanied with a person who is older than16.
Teenagers under 17 should also be allowed to see R rated movies. Teens can handle mature scenes enough because their world is full of same thing. Every teenager has experienced mature content before. It’s very common that TV dramas, music, computer games, and internet include sexual or violent scenes. First, 2-hour movie can’t ruin the years of value teenagers have created. They all grew up and learned rules or values that they have to keep.
Most of the teenagers know fantasy is not reality. If the 2-hour movie destroyed the whole thing one has set up in their whole life, that isn’t the movie’s fault. Teenagers under 17 are preparing for being adult so they should be allowed in R rated movies. Being grown-up is also being more responsible at things. Watching R rated movies can be one step for being responsible. Because, they have to judge what information they should accept and what they shouldn’t.
It must be good practice for teenagers to adapt information and understand the reality of life. The line between PG-13 and R rated has become faded, which means PG-13 and R rated movies don’t have big differences. Movies that are really lewd are NC-17 rated. For example, in 2011, a documentary called “Bully” received R ratings for strong language used by real children in the footage. But many parents, experts, and some of Congress members agree that children should watch it.
“Bully” became PG-13 after a few edits. “The Dark Knight Rises” received PG-13 right away even if that movie includes extremely violent scenes. Some PG-13 movies include almost similar level of violence as R rated movies. However, younger people can go see movies so teenager should watch R rated movies if they can watch PG-13 movies. Some might argue that R rated movies show something very new to teenagers and it also can be hard to accept for teens. However, teens are often not that naive as adults think.
Teenagers are used to violent or sexual images. In other words, they are not surprised by R rated movies so adults need to give them chance to prove that they can handle it. Arguments about allowing teens in the R rated movie are always exist. Nowadays, values among the people are changing and teenagers are growing faster. Therefore, Teenagers under 17 should be allowed in R rated movies. Because teens should be prepared for the information, they have the right to encounter the adult’s world.
