What is the purpose of the rating system?
The movie rating system is a voluntary system sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theater Owners to provide parents with advance information on films, enabling parents to make judgments on movies they want or do not want their children to see.

Do the ratings indicate of the movie is good or bad?


Who gives movies their rating?
Parents give the movies their ratings-men and women just like you. They are part of a specially designed committee called the film rating board of the Classification and Rating Administration. As a group they view each film and, after a group discussion, vote on its rating, making an educated estimate as to which rating most American parents would consider the most appropriate.


What criteria do they use?


What are the rating reasons?
Accompanying ratings are reasons for the ratings given that can be found in many movie reviews, at theaters and on this Web site (by clicking on the "Movie Search" button above). Explanations are not available for films rated R prior to September 27, 1990.


What do the ratings symbols mean?







No One 17 and Under Admitted. This signifies that the rating board believes that most American parents would feel that the film is patently adult and that children age 17 and under should not be admitted to it. The film may contain explicit sex scenes, an acCamulation of sexually-oriented language, or scenes of excessive violence. The NC-17 designation does not, however, signify that the rated film is obscene or pornographic.

Is the rating system a law?

Do all movies have to be rated?

Who enforces the ratings?
While the decision to enforce the rating system is purely voluntary, the National Association of Theater Owners estimate that the majority of theaters observe the Classification and Rating Administration's guidelines.

What else can parents do?
Parents are urged to learn as much about a film as possible before they permit their children to attend. Reading reviews and feature articles or speaking with your theater manager and friends are good ways to gather information in addition to the ratings.

Where can I get more information?