Sixteen Candles (PG, 1984)
common sense media says
Racy, drunken, hilarious '80s high school comedy.
parents & educators say
- 57% say language is an issue
- 52% say sexual content is an issue
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that John Hughes' hilarious '80s high school comedy has both sharply observed moments and now-dated stereotypes. Although it's rated PG (it was released before the PG-13 option existed), this is an adult comedy with teen characters. The teens drink, have sex, and talk about birth control; in one scene, it's implied that a guy had sex with a girl while she was passed-out drunk. Parents may want to exercise caution with more impressionable kids, and especially preteens or younger. But this smart exploration of adolescent life will be fun for teens and adults.
Positive role models:
At the film's center is a plucky teenage heroine with whom girls can identify. That said, the Chinese exchange student is reduced to a grossly offensive stereotype, and Sam's elderly grandparents don't fare much better. Jake is earnestly sweet about his interest in Sam, but he doesn't demonstrate much respect for his longtime girlfriend, Carolyn.
Violence:
Mild slapstick violence. In one scene, it's implied that a teen boy had sex with a girl while she was passed-out drunk.
Sex:
Teens and sex are central, with lots of talk about body parts, much of it vulgar. Kissing. A shower scene shows a girl's naked torso. A high school kid coaxes a girl into giving him her panties and shows them to bathroom full of freshmen for a dollar. Drunken sex is implied.
Language:
Some use of the words "f--k" and "s--t."
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Teens drink to the point of passing out. Hung-over characters question whether they were intimate while drunk. A woman overdoes muscle-relaxant pills and gets completely loopy.
More on Sixteen Candles
Review It
Based on 21 parent & educator reviews:
- 57% say language is an issue
- 52% say sexual content is an issue
- 38% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
Most useful reviews by all members
Plague
parent
parent
Sixteen Candles
Super funny. You just gotta love that cast.
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spersonbeaglek
kid, 13 years old
kid, 13 years old
perfect for 14 and up
it was intersting
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dramaqueen@hot ...
parent of 11 year old
parent of 11 year old
Hey kids can watch it too people!
Well i love it you people are totally wrong PG is a perfect rating okay so there's a nudity part the pretty blonde in the shower and Sam swearing say the F word but so what? its an awesome movie i know if i had kids i would defintyly let them watch this movie i wouldn't be like all those other so harsh parents who are totally strcit about movies like 16 Candles the best age for a kid to watch it is 11 or 12 great movie! love ya Jake Ryan! your so cute!
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ddnj
parent of and 8 , 11 , 13 year old
parent of and 8 , 11 , 13 year old
I totally disagree with 15 and up, I'd say iffy for 12 and yes for 13. I was 14 when this movie came out and it remains a favorite 80s flick. Kids over 12 can handle it and there are some classic lines in this worth-seeing classic.
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Seminolefreak
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
Nudity; lots of sex, in hilarious 80s comedy that is heartfelt(:
My MPAA Rating, R: Strong sexual content, language, nudity, and teen drinking
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rawrducky
kid, 11 years old
kid, 11 years old
Its a great movie, but very racy. If your a guy, dont see this until your like 15 but for girls I would say 10
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meaghanisme9
kid, 11 years old
kid, 11 years old
perfect for everyone
Okay, I watched this with my 4 year old sister and my little cousin who is 7 both girls. It's fine. It shows what girls have or gonna get. and swearing thats part of growing up. LET IT GO!
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manay_4511
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
This should be rated R for ages 18 and older, but I commened that its for 16 years and older.
This movie is fine, except that it shows a naked girl in a shower in a beginning (breasts are really shown). It should be rated R (restricted). Its a crude, silly movie to see but not for kids. And there are no violence, but slapstick of course.
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livvy314
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
funny movie...crude humour!
funny movie but crude humour, sex talk, akward scenes..but really funny!!! the only concern would be if you had boys watching, cause its totally fine for girls, the only nude scene is where a girls in the locker room taking a shower with her breasts shown, and the girls are talking about how big they are. other then that there's really nothing to horrible.
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crashtx1
adult
adult
Watch it before letting kids watch
This is a classic coming of age movie, and it is very well done. But, before letting your kids watch it you need to go back and watch it with a critical eye. There is partial frontal nudity, there is massive amounts of drinking, massive amounts of implied sex, and possibly even a "humorous" date rape(yes, those are SO funny aren't they).
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mommieof6
parent of 5 , 10 , 12 , 15 , and 18 year old
parent of 5 , 10 , 12 , 15 , and 18 year old
Much more graphic than I had remembered!!!! not for youngsters
I was a teen in the 80's. I remembered this movie with all it's teenage angst. I knew it probably wasn't appropriate for my now young teen children. I just watched it and was shocked at how MUCH drinking, sex/real or implied, the amount of foul language and I did NOT remember and was shocked at the nudity!!! This is definitely not appropriate for a young audience. I am sure that it would have had a higher rating if it had been available at the time, and can't honestly understand why it wasn't R in the first place!!!
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lucas201
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
greatyyyy
I liked it,ive seen it two times.
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asecoolish
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
good teen comedy not john Hughes best but worth watching maybe a little over the top for a pg rating but acceptable for ages 13 and up.
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MovieWatcher0606
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
Great movie for Middle School Kids
Honestly, this is a great movie. It doesn't have anything kids 12+ haven't heard about before. I just watched it with my 11 year old sister and she loved it.
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4kidshater
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
A very racy movie, but hilarious. Not for kids
I like this movie, but it's racy. I has nudity, sexual themes, and bad language. Long Duk Dong is hilarious. It should be rated R. I highly reccomeded it
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kqhayes
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
it should be r
smart stuff it is rated pg
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