Would you let a 6y/o see Barbie?

[44PumpLane]

I'm in two minds about this- kids have been invited to see Barbie the movie but it's rated 12A because of moderate sexual innuendo, brief harassment, catcalling and implied strong language (including bleeped out motherf*er).

Supposedly it has the words bitch, crap, God, hell and damn in.

What would you do? We wouldn't typically let the kids see anything with this sort of language but then it would mean missing out on someone's birthday party.

There is no chance of us seeing it before the girls as we would have to accept or decline the invite today.

I think the swearing would go over the heads of mine, but I definitely know it wouldn't others so they then might chat about it or discuss it afterwards.

Am I being too precious about it all?

YABU- let them go see it

YANBU- yeah I probably wouldn't let a 6 year old see it or I'd want to see it myself first to judge.

@KittyMcKitty actually it’s listed in Spanish. I assume it translates as “The Spouse of Gloria”. I don’t know Spanish 🙁

Aaaah I love that!

Nope.

I saw it yesterday. The motherfucker isn't significantly bleeped, there's a lot that would go over the hear of a 6 year old but more there's probably not enough in it to entertain a 6 year old either through the movie as there are wordy things going on etc. I took my teens and enjoyed it more than I expected to.

Handy for a simple quick toe dip into some feminist points though. Nothing particularly novel but with a light funny tone.

Or maybe they were too young since barbie was born in 1959. I don't think barbie has an age but it makes sense that she's an adult since she has her own dreamhouse, you need to be over 35 to be a president, is educated to many professions etc. I don't think barbie is a teenager.

@Janiie

His 60s. Barbie and Ken were born in 1958. Tbe whole point is that hes not young and hot anymore and hes nothing without her

Having watched this with my 9 and 11 year old daughters, I can say that while they definitely didn’t understand every single reference, they certainly grasped at least some of the key themes. It’s opened up lots of discussion and questions, which can only be a good thing in my opinion. I’m baffled by the idea that you have to understand every single aspect on every level to be able to go and watch a film. And yes, they enjoyed it too!

I'm so confused. I've seen the trailer twice at PG and U rated movies. Why if it's a 12?

The u rated one the trailer was very short (now I realise why) it looked absolutely shite. I thought now there's something I would never go to see!

At the PG rated one it was a much longer trailer. My 6yr old was really in to it and wants to see it. I thought it looked better than the small trailer I'd seen and was laughing at some parts. Still didn't think it was a movie more for adults though. I had no idea it was a 12 because I've twice seen it as a trailer at kids movies 🤷🏻‍♀️

Because they’re 9 and 11. Not 6. This is WHY it’s a 12a rating - if you think your kids will get something from it then younger kids can go but it’s to differentiate between a suitable for all U film, PG ones which pretty much all kids are ok with, but the parents will know if it is likely to scare them, and an older rating to signal that it isn’t for them, but they’re not banned.

I've seen loads of mums from baby groups that I'm still friends with on mumsnet taking their 6 year old girls today
I wonder how they'll get on

Just to assure you, I’m well aware of both the age differences and the film classification / age rating system - I didn’t think I needed to state the obvious, so thanks for doing that for me. My point was aimed at the wider discussion and just to add context for Under 12s.

The cinema can not refuse entry if the child is accompanied by an adult. By law they have no descretion what so ever. It is a decision for the adult with a 12A rating, not the cinema.

So you really shouldn't encourage complaints when you don't know the actual facts. 12 A is not a statutory age requirement. And also don't blame the cinema for what is a parent responsibility.

The PP was talking about Deadpool (a 15) at that point.

OK, that really is a statutory rating. And 15 rating are very laxly enforced around her, so point taken.

But the question is about a six year old. Your older kids, one just under 12 anyway, isn’t the same thing. And as you say you understood the ratings, you knew your kids well enough to recognise it would go over their heads a bit. It would get enough out of it.

Six year olds, aside from the pink and the pick n mix, not so much.

Sorry that should have said BUT they would get enough out of it.

Thank you @Piggywaspushed for clarifying that I was talking about 15 certificates.

It is a shame but not much of a surprise to see a classic, MN shrug of ‘not my circus, not my monkeys’ from the pp who seemed to think I was mad to suggest complaining. Cinemas are in difficult financial circumstances and I’m absolutely convinced that in many cases they turn a blind eye to blatant breaches of age classifications to maximise bums on seats. They won’t enforce age ratings unless they are made to.

Just to clarify again: I, of course, know all of this!
It is obviously not the same thing - as I’ve already said, it was just in relation to the wider discussion that has followed the original post, not a direct reply to the OP. In the same way other posts are referencing other films, other age groups, etc., it’s just extra context in the discussion.
How embarrassingly patronising to be explaining to a stranger her own rationale for taking her children to a film and that 11 is close in age to 12.

I’m just back from seeing it. It’s absolutely 100% not aimed at 6 years olds. Maybe depending on how mature your kids are, I’d say 9 and above.

I found it really good and entertaining till about the last 20 minutes and then it waffled on a bit.
Still some good messages in there and thought Margot and Ryan were very very well casted.

I don't think it's geared towards her demographic.

@LudicrouslyCapaciousBag I saw your tag which returned me to the thread, I'm now fully caught up again!

To close it out, I did decide to let the girls go to the party in the end.

I had to RSVP before the release of the film, I RSVP'd week ago.

I've spent the week explaining to my girls on and off that there will be lots they don't understand in the film, and that's okay. Also that they can ask questions at the end of the film but not to talk during the film.

I told them that most of the film is in the real world, there are going to be some rude people in it and to ignore those bits.

Having seen all the reviews now, and read lots of breakdowns of the film, including the Common Sense Media perspective, I think the main issue will be that the kids will all be bored.

I'm not thrilled about the bad language, but we have talked about it in advance.

The party will consist of the birthday girl and 5 others (including my two), so at the time I felt a bit of pressure that if we declined then a third of the party would be missing (not pressure from the parents, just pressure that my decision would impact someones birthday party).

They are going to a Vie cinema so £5 cinema tickets.

I also trust the party girls parents, so if the kids do start to fuss or get disruptive I think they will take them out of the cinema.

So yes, the girls are going, I don't think they will have any idea what's going on and that's okay, but I think they will enjoy seeing real life Barbie and maybe that's all it has to be- I guess we will see! I will report back tonight.

Off to see it now. I will report back

It's a 12a. Adults will not be expecting the cinema to be full of 3-6 yr olds fidgeting, eating, talking, running around and generally being bored and a nuisance. Have some consideration. A cinema trip is hardly a party.