"The rules." I think you're taking that phrase a little bit too seriously. There are many rules in life, not all of which are bad to break.
Anyone who doesn't follow all the rules of a company they work for is either a jackass or a hypocrite? I don't know about that.

I knew a theater manager who followed the rules for the most part but would let teenagers into R-rated films if their parents were there saying it was okay (even if the parent didn't go along). It follows the spirit of the parental guidance rule, but not the letter of the "law." And I'll say again, these are not even laws, just guidelines.

So if I think a road near me that is perfectly safe to drive 55 on but the speed limit is 40....I should just go 55? Then if I get pulled over i'll complain that it was a stupid rule. Plus i'll be mad at the officer that pulled me over for enforcing said rule.

Yeah well there's HUGE difference between the rules for driving and th eones in theaters, if you don't obey the rules of driving then you can easily hurt or kill yourself or others so those rules make sense and are there for a reason. With theater rules, if they're not obeyed, no one is hurt and there is no victim, and some theater rules often make little sense and have little reason for existing in the first place.

I'm not saying I agree with the rules involved in the rating system...or the even the rating system itself. My point is that regardless of whether the rule is a valid one or not. It's there. So getting mad at someone for enforcing it, or feeling that you are "above the rules" because you disagree with the rule is absurd. People eat fruits at the grocery store all the time, that's stealing but they disagree with the rule and do it anyways...no one gets hurt. People jay walk all the time and USUALLY no one gets hurt. Kids sneak into R rated movies on a regular basis but if the theater lets them in, they see/hear crap that they shouldn't...no one PROBABLY gets hurt.

I do think it's silly that a parent can't just give permission to their kids to go into R rated movies...but then again when I go to an R rated movie I don't want to end up next to a group of kids that their parents bought them tickets for and they clearly don't belong there with a parent no where to be found. There are always going to be idiots that ruin it for everybody by taking advantage of the loopholes in every rule.

A long winded, boring, and probably incoherent rant but oh well lol.

Well if a group of people is being disruptive (children or adults) they should be kicked out. But it makes no sense that a parent is allowed to buy a DVD with their child and not necessarily have to see it with them but is not allowed to buy the ticket to the movie theater.

Honestly, I don't even see the point of ratings given that kids can now watch media more filthy and/or violent than Public Enemies on the Internet for free. This is just another example of how ridiculously prudish the MPAA and governments in general in the U.S. are. It's also another example of how their values seem to be lagging at least 1 to 2 generations behind the current times. Do they actually think that they're making any sort of difference?

During the years before I was 17 the local theater game my friends and myself virtually no problems. I saw 12 Monkeys, Vampire In Brooklyn, Private Parts, a few JVD flicks alone. The only problem I had was when I went to see The People vs Larry Flynt. Perhaps the subject matter caused the roadblock, I don't know.

However, I went with a group of friends to see The Relic. One guy had a vicious beast of a mother. She wanted to know what movie we were seeing and what it was rated. We told her. She then wanted to know how we would get in. We told her we get into R rated movies all the time. She relents and we make our way to the theater.

When we arrive we get denied access to the film because a mother called and complained that kids were getting into R rated movies. Guess who's mother it was? That put an end to all of our R rated viewings. This theater, however, would let the kids in if the parent or adult purchased the tickets for them and gave consent to see the film.

In general I think theaters really put the lockdown on R rated films in '99 after South Park was released. For many theaters it likely came down to all or nothing. You go in with the kid or the kid doesn't go. I can understand the rationale of the theaters. But the real problem, as stated in a previous post, is that the theaters bow down to the MPAA. That needs to stop.

Again, the MPAA puts out guidelines, not laws. There is virtually no enforcement mechanism.

Can I suggest a different point of view?

I am increasingly going to theaters less these days as I'm fed up with parents taking infants into adult screenings and having to listen to the kids scream for food or whatever.

If you intervene personally about the noise levels you are at personal risk of assault

I'm not suggesting that this is the situation for the OP

As for the original post - it's ridiculous of course. But what are the chains to do?

I'm not sure if the MPAA guidelines are contractually mandatory for theaters?

Rob

.