The NR rating in movie ratings stands for “Not Rated,” which means that the film has not been assigned a rating by a recognized rating system such as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Typically, movies receive ratings based on their content. This is done to help families and individuals make informed decisions about what they choose to watch, taking potential offensive material into account. Ratings systems have been around since 1968 when the MPAA began its system. The major reason why films are rated lies in preventing children from being exposed to inappropriate content.
At present, most countries have some form of rating system in place to classify films according to their suitability for different age groups or audiences. In the USA, this is handled by the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA), an offshoot of MPAA that assigns ratings based on guidelines it has set out.
Typically speaking, there are five types of MPAA Ratings – G (general audience), PG (parental guidance suggested), PG-13 (parents strongly cautioned), R (restricted under 17 years old) and NC-17(only suitable for those aged above 18). Besides these plans AL/NT/NR define other categories too:
AL – Adult Language: The theme could be adult-oriented; Parents should provide strict supervision & Only recommended for mature readers due to use of explicit language.
NT – Nudity Themes: Sexual themes depict people in nude form or even partially unclothed body parts.
NR – Not Rated: Often used by indie films dealing with controversial subject matter that studios did not want to put through several rounds of editing before releasing them theatrically
When reviewers screen a movie deemed risky or unacceptable by multiple distributors at a film festival or independent theater chain outlet doesn’t prefer putting themselves under conflict often assign viewership clearing instructions as NR.
An unrated version carries more leeway because it does not imply studio compliance with official regulator guidelines regarding nudity, violence, and coarse language. From the perspective of filmmakers and marketers, it can be an advantageous way to promote their films more freely with less apprehension about disapproval from regulators.
Similarly, NC-17 isn’t widely used in Hollywood because it suggests a movie is rooted in pornography or X-rated content. However, NR classification doesn’t not mandatory imply the inclusion of mature content that is unsuitable for younger audiences since some movies fetched it just as an unchallenged category of indie filmography.
Even though NR classified films don’t have assigned age restrictions they should still provide guidance regarding who would find such movies watchful/insightful. Lastly yet importantly if you hear someone say: “I saw this great movie but its rating was NR,” know that the brief acronym implies they watched a movie outside the industry norm rather than providing any clarity regarding inappropriate content levels.
The NR rating in movie ratings stands for “Not Rated,” which means that the film has not been assigned a rating by a recognized rating system such as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). While movies receive ratings based on their content to help families and individuals make informed decisions about what they choose to watch, NR classification is often used by indie films dealing with controversial subject matter that studios didn’t want to put through several rounds of editing before releasing them theatrically.
Since most countries have some form of rating system in place to classify films according to their suitability for different age groups or audiences, the MPAA Ratings are widely known. Typically speaking, there are five types of MPAA Ratings – G (general audience), PG (parental guidance suggested), PG-13 (parents strongly cautioned), R (restricted under 17 years old) and NC-17(only suitable for those aged above 18). Besides these plans AL/NT/NR define other categories too:
AL – Adult Language: The theme could be adult-oriented; Parents should provide strict supervision & Only recommended for mature readers due to use of explicit language.
NT – Nudity Themes: Sexual themes depict people in nude form or even partially unclothed body parts.
NR – Not Rated: Often used by indie films dealing with controversial subject matter that studios did not want to put through several rounds of editing before releasing them theatrically.
Films screened at festivals or independent theater chain outlets where multiple distributors refuse distribution owing conflict assign viewership clearing instructions as NR since an unrated version carries more leeway because it does not imply studio compliance with official regulator guidelines regarding nudity, violence and coarse language.
From the perspective of filmmakers and marketers alike, NR classification can be beneficial towards promoting their movies freely without apprehension over possible disapproval from regulators. However, this doesn’t necessarily imply inclusion of mature content unsuitable for younger audiences since some movies fetch the NR classification precisely as an unchallenged category of indie filmography.
Lastly, even though films classified under NR do not have assigned age restrictions, they should still provide guidance regarding who would find watching such movies insightful or inappropriate. Therefore, it’s essential to understand that if you hear someone say: “I saw this great movie but its rating was NR”, the brief acronym implies that they watched a movie outside the industry norm rather than providing any clarity regarding inappropriate content levels.