The film **Joker (2019)**, directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, was rated **R** (Restricted) by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). This rating signifies that individuals under 17 require an accompanying parent or adult guardian.
According to the MPAA, the film received this rating for **"strong bloody violence, disturbing behavior, language and brief sexual images."**
### Specific Elements Contributing to the R Rating
The film's R rating was driven by its gritty, grounded tone and several graphic sequences. Below are the specific details for each contributing category:
#### 1. Strong Bloody Violence
Unlike many PG-13 superhero films that feature "sanitized" or stylized action, *Joker* portrays violence as sudden, brutal, and graphic.
* **The Scissors Scene:** One of the most frequently cited scenes involves Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) brutally stabbing a former coworker in the neck and eye with a pair of scissors, followed by repeatedly smashing the man's head against a wall. The scene is depicted with significant blood spray and gore.
* **Subway Shootings:** Arthur shoots three young businessmen on a subway. While the first few shots are standard, he pursues the final survivor and shoots him at point-blank range, which is shown in a cold, realistic manner.
* **The Talk Show Climax:** During a live broadcast, Arthur shoots a late-night host (played by Robert De Niro) in the head. The impact and immediate aftermath are shown on-screen with graphic detail.
* **General Brutality:** Other instances include Arthur smothering his mother with a pillow and various scenes of him being severely beaten by gangs of youths or businessmen.
#### 2. Disturbing Behavior
The MPAA specifically singled out "disturbing behavior," a less common descriptor that reflects the film's heavy psychological themes.
* **Mental Health Struggle:** The film provides an intimate look at Arthur’s deteriorating mental state, including his pathological laughter (Pseudobulbar Affect) and his intense feelings of isolation and nihilism.
* **Delusional Sequences:** A significant portion of the film involves Arthur imagining a romantic relationship with his neighbor (Zazie Beetz), which is later revealed to be entirely in his head, contributing to the "disturbing" nature of his detachment from reality.
* **Themes of Abuse:** The film includes disturbing backstories involving child abuse and severe trauma, which serve as catalysts for Arthur's transformation.
#### 3. Language
The film contains a consistent use of "hard" profanity that exceeds the limit for a PG-13 rating (which typically allows for only one or two uses of the word "f**k").
* **Frequency:** *Joker* reportedly contains approximately **30 to 40 uses of the word "f**k."**
* **Variety:** Other strong language used throughout includes "s**t," "pr**k," and "a**hole," often delivered during intense emotional or violent moments.
#### 4. Brief Sexual Images
There is no explicit sex or traditional nudity in the film, but "brief sexual images" are present in the background or as props.
* **Pornographic Imagery:** In certain scenes set in the gritty 1980s Gotham, there are billboards or posters for pornographic theaters in the background.
* **Arthur’s Journal:** Arthur keeps a notebook/journal that contains several cut-out images of nude or semi-nude women taped among his writings and "jokes," representing his distorted social and sexual frustrations.