Boys Don't Cry (1999) - Parents Guide Movie Rating

MPA: R BBFC: 18 Maturity Rating 18+

MPAA Reason: Rated R for violence including an intense brutal rape scene, sexuality, language and drug use.

Sex & Nudity

severe

There is one scene of a young transgender man having sex with a young woman: they kiss passionately, one undresses (briefly revealing breasts) and the other performs oral sex offscreen (we only hear the girl's quiet moans and see her facial expressions). We then briefly see him thrusting on top of the girl -- presumably using a sexual device. The woman does not know that the other person is trans. This scene lasts for about a minute and is mostly offscreen. In two other scenes, we see the two kissing and one removing the other's shirt; it's implied that they are about to have sex or have just finished. Nudity is limited to a brief view of the side of one's breast and another's bare back. A trans man's breasts are very briefly glimpsed as he removes bandages from them. We very briefly see a woman's bare backside as she's showering. Several instances of sexual innuendo. A transgender man (Brandon) is thrown into a bathroom by a group of men, and has his pants and underwear pulled down to reveal his sex assigned at birth. His vulva and pubic hair are shown. Female nudity is shown in a scene where a transgender man gets gang raped. Very brief full frontal nudity (only breasts shown) when the sex Brandon was assigned at birth is revealed. We see a shirtless man, a trans male in his panties wrapping a cloth bandage around his breasts to flatten them (no nudity) and another girl in her bra and panties.

Violence & Gore

severe

The violence in this movie is not graphic nor brutal but it is presented in a distressing and often upsetting way. We see a corpse lying in a pool of blood and another with a blackened, swollen eye. Two scenes of two men abusing a trans man: in one scene, they punch, kick and hold the person against a wall before pulling off the person's pants and underwear; in a later scene, they tackle and punch him repeatedly, rip off his pants and shirt, then rape him. Afterwards, the person has many bloody cuts and bruises on his face and back; in a later scene, we see the person crying and punching himself. A transgender man is raped by two other men. This scene lasts for roughly 20 seconds and it is very graphic. Pubic area of a female is shown. Several pushes, punches and scuffles. A group of boys chase someone inside a house, then bang their fists on the walls and throw something through a window. A man purposely puts his hand in a campfire, shows scars on his chest and leg from self-mutilation wounds and runs a knife blade along his bare chest (he doesn't cut himself). We see someone fall off the back of a moving truck several times while playing a game. Graphic scene of a gang rape where a transgender man is forcibly stripped naked and raped; female nudity is shown as we see the transgender man but not the other man's genitals. Brandon gets killed. Blood splatters on the wall, and is also stabbed after being shot.

Profanity

severe

90 uses of "f--k," 12 of "sh-t," 7 of "p-ssy," 6 of "ass," 2 of "asshole," 2 of "d--k," and more than one use of "f-ggot".

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

moderate

Some drug use, smoking and drinking.

Frightening & Intense Scenes

severe

The movie is based on a true story. The rape scene may be disturbing.