Rating systems can be helpful when trying to choose appropriate movies for your family, but with many different systems in use in Canada, they can also be very confusing. To help make sense of the differences, here's an overview of all the systems currently in use.
Movies for theatrical release
Before feature films are released for viewing in Canadian theatres, they're rated by provincial and territorial classification boards. These ratings can vary from one jurisdiction to another.
Movies on video
Videos designed for home rentals in Canada can have up to three different ratings on the box - and they may not all agree. The three systems in use are:
- Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Ratings
All movies of U.S. origin are rated by the MPAA. Some videos have this American rating printed on the video jacket or the cassette label.
- Film Classification Board Ratings
Manitoba, Quebec and the Maritime provinces require the theatrical rating of their own film classification boards on the video jacket.
- Canadian Rating System for Home Videos
The voluntary rating that appears on many videos sold or rented in Canada. The ratings are an average of all the classifications assigned by the provincial film boards.
Problems with movie ratings
Ratings do not always accurately reflect the content of a movie, or its appropriateness for certain ages. Even movies rated Family or General are not always suitable for young kids. In a survey conducted by the US-based National Institute for Media and the Family, parents reported that half the G-rated movies they were shown weren't appropriate for children between three and seven.
Because there's a dearth of F- or G-rated movies, many parents opt for movies rated PG (Parental Guidance) to show young children. The problem is, many PG movies contain explicit language, sexual content and violence.
For Canadians, one of the biggest problems is that the classification systems often contradict each other. For example, some films for theatrical release are rated R by the MPAA and several Canadian film classification boards. But when those movies are released on video, often the Canadian Rating System for Home Videos, which averages all the provincial ratings, will give them a 18A and even 14A rating (suitable for people 14 and older). Parents should be aware that a 14A rating doesn't necessarily mean that a film is appropriate for 14 -year-olds, or even older teens.
In the provinces where the film classification board rating must appear on the video, the rating may be more lenient than the classifications given by both the MPPA and the Canadian Rating System for Home Videos.
The bottom line is that the rating doesn't really tell you much about what's in a movie. Getting information from others about the content of a film is a lot more helpful. Read reviews, talk to other parents, ask for advice at your local video store, or watch the movie yourself first - so you'll know what you're getting. (See Promoting the Best for ideas for good films.)
