The Controversial PG-13 Rating: Why "It Ends With Us" is a Powerful, But Complex Watch
The release of "It Ends With Us," a movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestseller, has set off a storm of conversation, and not just about the romantic scenes. This drama about love, trauma, and finding your way after a difficult past is an emotional ride and might even surprise you a bit! Everyone's buzzing because the movie, with its intense subject matter of domestic abuse and a pretty intense storyline, has a PG-13 rating. Huh? How does that work?
Now, you'd think that "domestic abuse," a topic a lot of viewers may find sensitive and serious, would require an "R" rating. You'd probably think a movie addressing the complexity of toxic relationships and the cycle of abuse would be rated for an older crowd! And there's where the drama (or is it the actual drama in the movie) kicks in. Many readers and viewers are really upset at how the movie downplays what's actually happening, and what happens in real life.
A "Romance" With A Big "R" Problem
Remember "It Ends With Us" the novel, that started it all? Well, when it hit the shelves, the book made headlines with lots of opinions – some positive, some seriously not cool! Those upset? Well, they didn’t think Hoover presented a realistic or helpful portrait of domestic violence and found the overall message kind of awkward! Sadly, that's not unusual. When films deal with serious topics the writers and filmmakers can go overboard with their story, especially when it's mixed with a “romance”.
Now, the movie version is generating the same conversation and many are wondering how the MPAA could justify a PG-13 rating for this topic. That's a BIG question. There are some key elements of how they decided to apply that rating that are worth diving into.
A Closer Look at the Rating
According to the big, fancy movie rating system, the Motion Picture Association (MPAA), "It Ends With Us" got that PG-13 rating because of domestic violence, sexual content, and a bunch of not-so-nice language. The PG-13 rating indicates it’s not as extreme or "intense" in its representation of those things, but that’s kind of the issue.
The MPAA uses a bunch of guidelines – like “sexual content that can’t have excessive nudity.” For example, “it can only have one “F-bomb" in the entire movie” (yeah, they’re basically measuring movie curses with their measuring tape). It feels a little like, well, the MPAA is taking an average and not the actual weight of those sensitive moments and the message they carry in "It Ends With Us." So when people are seeing the movie advertised as “a romance” – it feels deceiving! Many are saying “what the heck?” after seeing a rating they felt might downplay an important issue that’s hard enough to handle in real life. And that brings up a big point!
Can This "It Ends With Us" Rating Be Justified?
If you're a parent or have been impacted by domestic violence, it’s important to keep this in mind! While the MPAA rating might say “PG-13", that doesn’t mean this story is easy-going! Honestly, you could even argue that "It Ends With Us" might be even harder to digest as an adult! Especially because domestic violence can be a tough topic, regardless of whether you have experienced it or not.
And to make it even more complex, there's that “romance” aspect in "It Ends With Us”. Many critics believe that, unfortunately, Movies have this issue a lot. They try to blend an "intense" topic with “romantic drama”. But those are very separate things! That can make viewers uncomfortable with how those intense things are handled.
Should Parents Watch "It Ends With Us"?
Parents are always concerned about what their kids are watching. There is no question about this! A "PG-13" movie is not intended for younger kids and should definitely be viewed with parental guidance, or better yet, a shared viewing.
So, is it time to grab some popcorn? “It Ends With Us” is on streaming services too! And to be honest, if you want a powerful and complex story with incredible performances (and you know, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are big names!), “It Ends With Us” has it. But it is important to keep the controversy surrounding its rating in mind, and go into the story with an understanding of how complex those real-life themes are, because ultimately, this isn't just a love story – it’s a whole lot more, for sure.
