Summary
Warning: This article discusses topics of rape culture, sexual assault of minors, and extreme violence.
I enjoy watching films with my parents, but there are certain titles that I could never see with them.While I’d happily sit down and watch several ofthe best movies of all timewith members of my family, certain topics are simply too uncomfortable for me. Nobody wants to see anything with graphic sex, extreme violence, or even terrible jokes with their parents, especially me.
Of course, everyone’s parents are different. However, it’s easy to identify which movies are too weird to watch with the people who have raised you.These films may be great to watch with friends, but with parents, they create an uneasy and awkward feeling. Unfortunately, even though I love these movies, they are typically too controversial or painfully cringey to watch with my parents.
The 10 Most Controversial Films Of All Time, Ranked
It may not be their only quality, but these films have left their mark by way of controversy. We’re ranking the most controversial movies of all time.
Saltburn
Cast
Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is a 2023 comedy-thriller film. When Oxford student Oliver Quick is invited to his friend Felix’s family’s wealthy estate, Saltburn, for a summer vacation, he is drawn into the world of eccentric characters and increasingly chaotic events as his obsession with Felix comes to a head.
When I rewatchSaltburn, the first thing that pops into my head is that I could never watch it with my parents. I think Emerald Fennell is a fabulous writer and director, and she’s come a long way since starring inCall the Midwife, but some of her work is so obscure and gritty thatI have to be careful who I sit down and watch it with. Oliver’s behavior throughout the film is completely wild, and even when he’s doing something relatively normal, it’s not long before he does something that would make the whole room uncomfortable.
Of course, nobody would ever want to sit with their family and watch Barry Keoghan have sex with the ground or reemerge from under Alison Oliver’s skirt with a bloody face.I can imagine my parents questioning whether attending higher education means that I’ve become a murderous classist with an obsession for a guythat can’t quite be defined as love, lust, or pure jealousy. Even thoughSaltburn’s endingis a masterpiece, in my opinion, it’s still a title I am in no rush to watch with anyone I’m related to.
Saltburn’s Internet Sensation Prompts Response From Director
Saltburn director Emerald Fennell reacts to the film becoming an online sensation, as many have taken to TikTok in droves to react and make edits.
The Bubble
The Bubble is a comedy film about a group of actors and actresses forced to work inside a “pandemic bubble” during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. The film sees the various teams involved attempting to complete a sequel to an action franchise film about flying dinosaurs as everyone slowly slips into comedic madness.
I am still impressed with how quickly Hollywood managed to write, shoot, and air a film based on COVID-19.The Bubbleisn’t exactly one ofthe most meta movies. However, I do appreciate the idea of a film cast battling against the delays of the pandemic in order to wrap up,ironically during the event itself, can be considered a little meta. Several lines of dialogue inThe Bubbletry to be funnier than they actually are, but the main reason I’d never watch this with my parents is Karen Gillan as Carol Cobb.
One brief moment, which arrives on the screen very abruptly, shows her busy in bed with a sex toy
I love Gillan’s work, but the problem with her inThe Bubbleis her sex scenes. One brief moment, which arrives on the screen very abruptly, shows her busy in bed with a sex toy. I find this moment so unexpected every single time I watchThe Bubble, and because it’s so sudden and oddly timed, I’m never prepared for it. She also breaks quarantine to sleep with a random stranger, but the scene doesn’t even feel worth it for the story, andit’s just awkward when Carol’s one-night stand is lying in bed bragging about his many kids.
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Netflix’s The Bubble came out April 1st and it’s film within a film, Cliff Beasts 6, is one in a long line of hilarious fictional movies.
That’s My Boy
That’s My Boy is a comedy film directed by Sean Anders. The story centers on Donny Berger (Adam Sandler), who reconnects with his estranged son Todd (Andy Samberg) on the eve of Todd’s wedding. As Donny tries to rekindle their relationship, his reckless behavior threatens Todd’s new life. The film features a mix of humor and outrageous situations, exploring themes of fatherhood and redemption.
Underrated Adam Sandler’s filmsare typically enjoyable to watch with parents, but one stands out for being a little too much.That’s My Boyis a story about a relatively absent father repairing his relationship with his son in the lead-up to his wedding. However, two core issues with this film make it painfully awkward to watch. Sandler’s character, Donny, is only a father because of his past sexual assault at the hands of his teacher.The idea of Donny being a legend for having sex with Mrs. McGarricle is disturbingenough, let alone the fact that she becomes pregnant.
I’m relieved when this part of the story goes quiet, but then I cringe when I remember what equally inappropriate plot point replaces it. Before the wedding, Donny discovers his future daughter-in-law having sex with her own brother. If pedophilia isn’t shocking enough for audiences, incest definitely is.These subjects are terrible, granted, but they’d be easier to watch if told in a dramatic or somber tone. But because it’s a Sandler film, it’s comedy and played for laughs, and I’d want the ground to swallow me up if I watched it with my parents.
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A Serbian Film
A Serbian Film is a 2010 Serbian horror thriller directed by Srđan Spasojević. The film follows a retired porn actor who is lured back into the industry for a lucrative final job, only to find himself involved in a disturbing and violent nightmare. The narrative explores themes of exploitation and the darker aspects of human nature.
Honestly, I am thankful thatA Serbian Filmis mostly banned worldwide, as it’s one of the most horrifying movies ever created.There is not a single redeeming quality aboutA Serbian Filmthat makes it worth watching with anyone, let alone my parents. Even the basic premise about a struggling porn star trying to get back into work is a reason to avoid watching this with them, even before the more intricate details of it are revealed. There is no way I could ever sit down with them and watch a story full of corrupt and heartbreaking scenes.
certain scenes are considered child pornography, and nobody would ever think it’s a good idea to watch that with their parents
A Serbian Filmis ahorror movie that would never be made today, not that there is a single thing about the piece that could justify it anyway.There are moments that focus on women and children being brutally assaulted, and it’s so sickening to hear about, let alone see,that I can’t even bring myself to watch it fully either. Technically, certain scenes are considered child pornography, and nobody would ever think it’s a good idea to watch that with their parents, especially me.
Sausage Party
Written by and starring Seth Rogen, Sausage Party follows a group of anthropomorphized food from a supermarket who inadvertently learn the truth about what happens to food after it’s bought from the store, and set out on a quest to attempt to keep themselves from being bought and eaten. Rogen stars as Frank, that titular sausage, with an ensemble cast that includes Michael Cera, Kristin Wiig, James Franco, Bill Hader, Salma Hayek, and Jonah Hill.
Sausage Partyis an all-around hilarious and enjoyable film, but I wouldn’t watch it with my parents. The absurdity of the movie’s premise is one that I find very clever. Combining intelligent and stupid humor is a difficult thing to achieve in cinema, butSausage Party’s castand production crewdo it brilliantly.The sex and drug-crazed grocery store products are completely wild,and the film generally isn’t afraid to sugarcoat anything inappropriate. For example, in the kitchen massacre scene, when the foods completely freak out when they realize they’re getting cooked.
There are also deeply detailed mentions of how a Douche is used. The female shopper’s denial when asked if she plans on purchasing him is weird and pushes a narrative that people with vaginas should be ashamed of using hygiene products.However, one of the main reasons I wouldn’t watchSausage Partywith my parents, other than the crazed sex scene at the end, is that I don’t think they would understand it.Sausage Partydelves into the idea of inanimate objects and consumables having a conscience, but I think my parents would expect it to be more likeToy Story.
What Happened In The Alternate Sausage Party End Scene (& Why It Was Cut)
The Sausage Party end scene is unforgettable, but it wasn’t the ending that was originally planned, and the climax almost looked a lot different.
Brüno
Bruno is a film centered around a young boy genius whose distinct individuality prompts an emotional journey for his family and community. Released in 2000, it explores themes of uniqueness and the impact of personal expression on familial and communal relationships.
I remember briefly seeing the first few minutes ofBrünoas a child before my parents swiftly turned the TV off, and years later, I now finally understand why. One of my favorite things about Sacha Baron Cohen is that his style of comedy relies on shock factor, and the titular character is a perfect example of that.Brüno’s obsession with everything and anything sexual is rather over the top,especially for those who aren’t fond of films that are dependent on filthy humor.
However, one criticism is also that the humor borders on homophobia at times, which is disappointing considering its protagonist is a gay man,but I do understand thatBrünois also a product of its time. The constant gay jokes are so full on, and there are some incredibly graphic scenes of penetration that no amount of blurring can distract from. I don’t know if my parents would ever revisitBrüno, but I do know I would certainly not watch it with them.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street, released in 2013, is a biographical crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese. The film follows New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as he becomes embroiled in a high-stakes securities fraud case involving Wall Street corruption and organized crime connections.
The Wolf of Wall Streetis high up on my list of films I would never watch with any of my family members. While it is a powerfulMartin Scorsese movie,The Wolf of Wall Streetisn’t exactly a family-friendly watch because of all the violence, drug-taking, and provocative scenes.Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance as stockbroker Jordan Belfort is a standout, but his crimes and overall corruption are far from wholesome. His lifestyle of surrounding himself with prostitutes and being constantly intoxicated is not one that many parents approve of.
While the overall attitude of Belfort isn’t great, there are also specific scenes in the film that are notably uncomfortable to watch with your parents.For example, when Margot Robbie’s Naomi gives Belfort oral sex while he is driving. Many parents would be horrified by this, not just because of the intimacy, but also because of how dangerous it is to do that when behind the wheel of a car. There are also plenty of moments that show characters with their genitalia out for the world to see, and I don’t want to see that sitting next to my parents.
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The Wolf of Wall Street is based on an elaborate memoir written by Jordan Belfort himself, raising questions about both the book and film’s accuracy.
X
Director Ti West presents X, a horror slasher film set in 1979 in rural Texas that follows a group of amateur filmmakers attempting to shoot a pornographic film.
X,the first film inTi West’s X horror movie trilogy, is a baffling story about the crew of a budget adult film on a rural Texas farm.The concept, which focuses on creating a pornographic movie, is awkward to watch with parents anyway, but then the horror elements sink in. The elderly couple who own the farm, Howard and Pearl, start violently killing off the crew one by one, which is rather jarring in an already shocking film. Brilliantly, they only do this as revenge because the production didn’t inform them of their intentions.
Naturally,Xis full of sex scenes. However, the discussion of how they are best framed and executed makes it even more painful to watch. But the gory and disturbing murder scenes are also hard to focus on, especially when sex is then interweaved. For example, in the lead-up tothe ending of 2022’sX, Pearl kills dancer Bobby-Lynne. Moments later, she reunites with her husband for a hot and steamy romp.The sudden shifts between pornography and extreme violence aren’t something I’d want to watch with my parents,even ifXis a horror film.
Miller’s Girl
Miller’s Girl is a comedy drama from writer and director Jade Halley Bartlett. The film follows a teacher named Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman) and his young, talented student, played by Jenna Ortega, who become entangled in a complex relationship after a creative writing assignment yields unexpected results.
Miller’s Girlis a controversial movie, and while I enjoy it greatly, it’s not a title that I’d consider watching with my parents. Martin Freeman as creative writing teacher Jonathan Miller and Jenna Ortega as his student Cairo Sweet are both astonishing, and the enthralling story about their supposed affair is truly brilliant.However, it’s deeply inappropriate and not something that I think my parents would truly understand the meaning of. Cairo’s decision to manipulate her teacher for the sake of a college admissions essay is powerful, but the lengths she goes to are shocking.
There are multiple scenes inMiller’s Girlthat are far too awkward to watch with my parents. For example, whenMiller pleasures himself over Cairo’s fictional tale about an affair between a student and teacher.Although he doesn’t do anything directly to her, it’s still plain weird that he does this. Cairo isn’t innocent either, and the scene when she convinces her friend to take sexual photos together to seduce a different teacher is ridiculously uncomfortable. However,Freeman and Ortega’s sex scene inMiller’s Girlis so problematic that I wouldn’t let my parents watch it alone, especially not with me.
Miller’s Girl Ending Explained
Jenna Ortega’s controversial thriller Miller’s Girl has a messy ending that conveys concerning messages about student-teacher relationships.
Promising Young Woman
Starring Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman follows Cassie, a college dropout intent on getting revenge for the unprosecuted rape of her deceased best friend, Nina. As she becomes deeper involved in tormenting those she sees as complicit in Nina’s rape and subsequent suicide, Cassie begins to travel down a more dangerous path than she realizes. Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Jennifer Coolidge, Laverne Cox, and Connie Britton also star.
Saltburnisn’t the only Emerald Fennell movie I’d avoid watching with my family. Her directorial debut,Promising Young Woman,is a profound film about Cassie Thomas’ traumatic past and how she tackles it on a daily basis.While it would make sense for the film to be about Cassie healing and moving on, it’s instead about vengeance and anger. Cassie wants revenge against men in general after her best friend commits suicide following a rape, which is a very complicated topic to then discuss after the credits roll.
Promising Young Woman’s ending twist is a huge shock as well
I thinkPromising Young Womanis a fascinating insight into rape culture and the psyche of those impacted by it.Cassie’s manipulation of men who try to take advantage of her when she’s intoxicated isn’t a healthy way of dealing with her feelings,but considering the context, it’s understandable to some degree.Promising Young Woman’s ending twistis a huge shock as well, and while I love the film overall and believe that it speaks about an important societal problem, I still wouldn’t watch it with my parents.
