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AIBU?

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Original poster

Not to expect a film with a "PG" rating have all the children leaving the cinema bawling their eyes out

132 replies

nametaken · 15/03/2009 11:06

WARNING - SPOILER ALERT - IF YOU ARE GOING TO SEE MARLEY AND ME DON'T READ ANY FURTHER

Am I the only person who thought this would be a good film to take the kids too. FFS, the bloody dog dies in the end - some of the kids were howling - it pissed me off actually.

OP posts:
Original poster
nametaken · 15/03/2009 19:53

The posters here will be reporting me to social services next

OP posts:
roisin · 15/03/2009 19:59

Crying at the cinema is good for the soul!

Personally I'm a Hardy gal myself and I love a sad ending. I can't stand it when it all works out in an unbelievably perfect and neatly tied up way. I much prefer it with untol misery and suffering and/or a high body count

ds2 used to be traumatised by U certificate films! He sobbed all the way through Finding Nemo when he was about 5

ByThePowerOfGreyskull · 15/03/2009 20:03

having read the book there is no way I would have suggested it was suitable for younger children. I would not have considered taking under 10#s to it.

lockets · 15/03/2009 20:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SugarBird · 15/03/2009 20:19

Oops - sorry nametaken! A case of mistaken identity (or not checking before typing ).

christywhisty · 15/03/2009 20:20

I saw Marley this afternoon and it says at the beginning of the film in the certificate that it is should be suitable for 8 yrs and above.

I went with DD 11 and her 2 bf. There was a lot of sobbing going on but it was just as many adults as children.

DD said she criedat Hotel for Dogs the other week.

I always cry at the end of the Railway Children as well.

I remember taking my niece to Beauty and The Beast when she was only 3. She sobbed her heart out when the Beast showed Beauty the library.

MrsGokWan · 15/03/2009 20:24

Bambi anyone!!

SenorToucan · 15/03/2009 20:24

rofl at dog dying

glastocat · 15/03/2009 20:39

I took my almost 8 year old to see this today and he loved it, I was the one blubbing like a fool at the end. He's a pragmatic little boy though, he asked why I was sad as the dog had had a nice life. . I buried my dad two weeks ago though so it was way too emotional at the end for me. . I agree that the advertising was quite misleading, I had read the book ages ago but as they showed all the funny bits in the trailers I didn't realise it was going to be such a tear jerker. Anyway, nowt wrong with a bit of death in kids movies, as others have pointed out Bambi etc. Its part of lfe after all.

SoupDragon · 15/03/2009 20:45

Were they just crying or have they been traumatised for life leading to screaming nightmares?
The dog dies.
It's sad.
However, it wasn't hacked to death in a fountain of blood by a chainsaw wielding maniac.

KingCanuteIAm · 15/03/2009 21:03

Nametaken, thank goodness for tht (you agreeing with my point), my only reall worry on this thread was that you had gone off because you thought my point was disgustingly unreasonable

I appologise to everyone I have managed to be rude to on this thread (which may well be most of you). I hate percived smug posting, it annoys the norks off me and always makes me see red.

My point is not that my children should be protected from these things it is that a film advertised as being suitable for over 8s should not be unsuitable for over 8s. I would like to choose when they see a film like this - for one I would make sure I was there with them rather than GM so as I can answer questions they come up with.

I did check a review, I did watch endless trailers, none of these suggested a moments sadness in the movie.

SD, it wasn't just the dog, the misscarriage really upset dd too.

As I said before PG means Parental Guidance, IMO this means it is expected that children will be there to see it.

Advertising it on childrens channels means that they are specifically trying to attract children.

Trailers are to give you a taste of the movie, if they felt that the sad bits were not suitable for showing on childrens tv then why would it be suitable for a pg film (assuming most older children programmes shown on these channels would also rate a pg - they are certainly not U!).

SoupDragon · 15/03/2009 21:12

Yes, KingC PG means Parental Guidance. You are meant to decide if it is suitable for your over 8. I am confident that my DSs (8 & 10) would be fine with it. Why stop all children from seeing it when the majority of them would be fine, if a little sad at the time?

KingCanuteIAm · 15/03/2009 21:19

As I have said, repeatedly, I did make the effort to check a review of the film to see why it was pg not u. The review did not indicate anything at all about hte ending, neither did the trailers. It didn't say "Watch out for the tears" or "take the tissues" or anything else that would have given me a clue, neither did any of the endless trailers I suffered through watched.

I didn't actually say it should be rated higher (although it appears it is in other countries). My feeling is that it should have been responsibly advertised, IMO it wasn't done well enough.

CrackerNut · 15/03/2009 21:21

OMG thankgod I read this thread.

My dog mad and hugely sensitive about death dd2 wants to see it and she would be definatly be upset by that.

KingCanuteIAm · 15/03/2009 21:25

See not one person who intended to go see it has had any idea what happened!

At least I can feel confident I am not the only person wh owas too "stupid" to go to Wiki for my film reviews

slayerette · 15/03/2009 21:46

When DS and I went to see Bolt the other day, there was a trailer for Marley & Me. They chose the bit where JA phones husband to tell him there's a naked woman in his bed waiting for him. He says, 'Well, why don't you two get started then and I'll be home as soon as I can' or something like that...

Went straight over DS's head, thank goodness, but was certain I didn't want to take him to see it!

nooka · 15/03/2009 22:16

I think the trouble is that U films really are very "safe", so you know where you stand. As a parent you may be very bored, or find the saccharine unbearable, but you know that nothing traumatic will happen, and no nightmares/difficult conversations are likely. Us generally are specifically films for children. But PGs are not. They are simply films where the censor has decided that there is not enough swearing or violence or sex or taking drugs for it to be unsuitable for a child. The judgement is not on the content - ie would a child enjoy the movie or about whether it might be upsetting or not, unless it is felt that there is a "problematic theme" (for example drug abuse, sexual violence, paedophilia, incitement to racial hatred or violence). In general death is not I guess felt to be enough of a problematic theme for a film of this nature to be classified as a 12.

So I think once your children have graduated from Us to PGs then if you feel that they are sensitive or that you wish to keep a very careful eye on what they are going to see then the onus is on you as a parent to check. My dd went through a phase of getting nightmares from "scary" films so we did check very carefully, read lots of reviews and even look at plot synopsis. For example at the moment dd wants to see Race to Witch Mountain. I have read three or four reviews, and she won't be seeing it (it looks appalling, but also quite violent, which is why she won't be going). I also thought about Coraline, but I think that looks too scary for her. Marley and Me I thought was for grownups, so didn't really cross my mind, although she might have really enjoyed it (and bawled at the end no doubt).

I don't think it is smug, just part of cinema going until my children are old enough to make their own arrangements.

lilolilmanchester · 15/03/2009 22:18

I let DD and her friend (both 11)watch it on their own. If I (or said friend's parents) had had any idea of the content, I would have stayed with them. They both cried their eyes out apparently and I wished I'd been there for them. That said, after they'd told me all about what had happened they were both absolutely fine and moved swiftly on to planning their next birthday party (October, would you believe!)

lilolilmanchester · 15/03/2009 22:18

I let DD and her friend (both 11)watch it on their own. If I (or said friend's parents) had had any idea of the content, I would have stayed with them. They both cried their eyes out apparently and I wished I'd been there for them. That said, after they'd told me all about what had happened they were both absolutely fine and moved swiftly on to planning their next birthday party (October, would you believe!)

pointydog · 16/03/2009 19:21

I've spoken to dd1 about this, who went to see it with friends. She said it was sad and everyone seemed to be ccrying.

However, she was shocked that teh word 'bastard' was in a PG film and I agree with her there. I can't stand swearing in ffront of small childrne.

Cut out the swearing, that's what I say

Doodle2U · 16/03/2009 19:24

Dogs die? Who KNEW???

Death is part of life. The sooner they learn it, the better.

KingCanuteIAm · 18/03/2009 10:37

Doodle, perhaps we should all buy a hamster when we get PG so that it will die when the new child reaches the age of 18mo and can understand a little about the pain of loss, that way they will get the idea nice and early on?

Your post is exactly the sort of Smug I was talking about!

Twims · 18/03/2009 10:42

I knew the dog died as the man of the RL story did the book and film after Marley died.

ipanemagirl · 18/03/2009 10:50

I think a PG certificate puts the onus on the parents to look up the rating for that film this is what I found on the BBFC website:

www.bbfc.co.uk/recent/index.php?media=film

MARLEY & ME
Feature Film
Classified 12 December, 2008 .
Run Time 115m 23s

Consumer Advice: Contains one scene of mild violence, mild sex references and language

Extended Classification Information (SPOILER ALERT Information may include plot details)

MARLEY & ME is based on a novel about a couple who live with the naughtiest dog in the world as they build a family and careers.

MARLEY & ME was awarded a ?PG? for one scene of mild violence, mild sex references and language. There is a visual and verbal reference to a neighbour being stabbed by an assailant because she screamed for help after he threatened her. She is seen clutching her side over a dark stain on her T shirt, as she is comforted while waiting for the police arrive. It is clear that she will be well and her injury was preferable to complying with the assailant. Sex references are also infrequent and refer euphemistically to baby making mechanics. The language used is infrequent and includes ?crap?; ?jerk? and ?sonofabitch?.
Additionally, the film has emotional scenes as the family contemplate the death of their remarkable pet.

I always try to look up the info before I take ds to a film, they make it clear with PG that it's our responsibility.
This guidance above would have prepared you.

I think people just don't realise it's their responibility to check

salsmum · 18/03/2009 11:26

I thought Turner & hooch was sad at the end but still a very watchable film.