Foe parent guide: Why is the MGM movie rated R?

The 2023 MGM movie Foe is heading to Prime Video at the end of the week. This is not a movie suitable for kids, and you’ll want to understand why.

This sci-fi thriller has officially been rated R. When you look at the trailer, it doesn’t immediately make sense why it has an R rating. It looks like something that could be a PG-13.

The problem is there isn’t really a rating between PG-13 and R in the United States. It is a 15 in the United Kingdom, and the movie is more on the line of something that an older teenager could watch. It’s worth looking at the reasons behind the rating rather than the rating itself.

Why is Foe rated R?

Part of the reason for the rating is that it’s not suitable for younger teenagers. This is something that 16- and 17-year-olds could appreciate and sit through. Without something between PG-13 and R, it means that the movie needs to be given the higher rating.

There is some moderate nudity. This is the top half or the back of the body of the characters. There is no full-frontal nudity. At times, Hen’s breasts are seen on camera. There are also some sexual scenes that are inappropriate for younger audiences, although nothing is graphic in nature.

Some of the scenes are thematic and frightening. It’s a sci-fi thriller after all. There is also some violence in the movie. You see the violence in the trailer when Hen slaps the stranger over the dinner table.

The main reason for the rating is the language. There is a lot of profanity throughout the movie. After all, it’s made for adults and not children.

You’ll know your children best. Not all older teenagers will find the movie comfortable to watch, so it will be worth watching it first to see if this is something for them.

Foe is available to stream on Prime Video on Friday, Jan. 5.