As a parent, I get that movie ratings have morphed over the years. Back in 1981, a PG rating was a whole different ball game compared to what it means today. It didn’t faze me much; most of those films felt innocent enough. Sure, The Great Outdoors had a couple of mild swear words, but nothing too alarming. The PG-13 rating didn’t even make its debut until 1984, thanks to films like Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Can you believe the original Jaws is considered PG?
Last weekend, we chose to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles, a beloved classic featuring Steve Martin and the ever-hilarious John Candy. My son, Timmy, spotted a promo for it on TV and recognized John Candy from The Great Outdoors, insisting we watch this “funny big guy” again. We grabbed some popcorn, dimmed the lights, and settled in for what I thought would be a fun evening.
The film started off great, with Timmy giggling right along with me. I figured it was just another of those harmless ’80s PG flicks. But then came the infamous car rental counter scene. If you’re familiar with the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For some reason, my memory failed me here. Perhaps it’s because I’d only seen the edited-for-TV version in recent years. But in that moment, I was hit with a wave of dread.
In under a minute, there were 19 different F-bombs dropped like confetti. Yikes! No chance of winning the “Dad of the Year” award this time around. A quick Google search the next day confirmed that yes, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is indeed rated R. Oops! As Steve Martin unleashed his verbal tirade, Timmy was still perched on my lap. I couldn’t find the remote, and I thought that plugging his ears might only draw unwanted attention to the chaos unfolding on screen (or maybe I was just too busy laughing to think straight). So, I decided to ride it out.
Then, in a moment of silence, Timmy turned to me and asked, “Daddy, what does f*cking mean?”
Oh boy.
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In summary, be careful what you watch with your little ones; you never know when a comedic classic might unleash a parenting challenge you weren’t ready for!