15 Movies No One Should Ever Watch With Their Parents
Did you have an awkward holiday watching "Saltburn" with your parents? Let's keep that from ever happening again.
The film Saltburn didn't exactly set the world on fire when it was released in theaters around Thanksgiving last year, but it garnered some strong awards buzz for actor Barry Keoghan's fearless performance.
When it premiered on Prime Video just in time for winter break, however, it blew up on social media for entirely different reasons. News feeds were filled with reactions from adult children watching it with their parents, completely unaware of the film's provocative content. To say more about the film would spoil the fun, but you'll never feel the same about your bathtub when it's all over.
If you are one of those recently traumatized by watching Saltburn with your family, we're here to make sure you don't make the same mistake twice. Here is a list of films that seem relatively nice on the outside, only to stir up all kinds of awkward feelings when you least expect it.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Why not? Quentin Tarantino's breakout hit won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and what parent doesn't enjoy seeing Bruce Willis and John Travolta? However, there's plenty of drug use, sodomy, extreme violence, f-bombs, and talk of sexy foot massages that may cause you to squirm while sitting on the couch of your childhood home.
Where to stream (without your parents): Max, Digital rental
Monster's Ball (2001)
Why not? Not only did Halle Berry become the first woman of color to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her performance in this powerful film, but it was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, giving one the reasonable assumption that it would be perfectly appropriate to watch with their family. However, if the shocking suicide in the first half of the film doesn't make you and your parents wince, then the prolonged sex scene between Berry and Billy Bob Thornton certainly will.
Where to stream (without your parents): Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Digital Rental
Deliverance (1972)
Why not? This classic action film about a canoeing trip might seem like a good film to watch with your outdoorsy dad, but heed this warning: When the hillbillies start telling Ned Beatty's Bobby to squeal like a pig, things get dark fast.
Where to stream (without your parents): Digital Rental
Wild Things (1998)
Why not? Funny story: I was part of a group that chose to study this thriller for a film class. (For the record, I didn't select the film, and I was the only guy on our team.) We watched it at my house, kindly asking my parents (practicing Mormons) to skedaddle for the film's duration. My dad walked out as the main characters were engaged in a threesome. Then my mother, wondering where my dad was, saw Kevin Bacon's sausage in another scene. I don't know what made me more uncomfortable: listening to my dad fawn over Denise Richards or the fact that their own DVD copy of the movie is still in their collection.
Where to stream (without your parents): Digital Rental
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Why not? Before Saltburn, there was The Wolf of Wall Street, a dark film from Martin Scorsese released around the holidays filled with orgies, exposed genitalia from both sexes, masturbation, drug use, domestic violence, locker room talk, and, according to IMDb, nearly 600 uses of the f-word.
Where to stream (without your parents): Paramount+ with Showtime, Peacock, Digital Rental
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Why not? Based on the bestselling novel that introduced the term "Nordic thriller," this tale of a disgraced journalist (Daniel Craig) uncovering a conspiracy with the assistance of hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) includes two unsettling rape scenes and several sex scenes.
Where to stream (without your parents): Paramount+ with Showtime, Digital Rental
American Beauty (1999)
Why not? Nowadays, you might not want to see this Oscar-winning film for other reasons (the off-screen actions of its leading man, for instance), but we're not your parents. However, seeing people as old as your parents lust after underage cheerleaders or have loud sex in a seedy hotel room are excellent reasons to avoid seeing it with them.
Where to stream (without your parents): Paramount+ with Showtime, Prime Video, Digital Rental
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Why not? It's a cult midnight movie that's probably been around since your parents were born, but watching it with them may depend on where they stand with the current political landscape. There's plenty of innuendo and revealing costumes but very little nudity, but the introduction of Tim Curry's Dr. Frank-n-Furter, a sweet transvestite from Transexual Transylvania, might make your parents uneasy.
Where to stream (without your parents): Digital rental, but do yourself a favor and catch a midnight show in a theater.
There's Something About Mary (1998)
Why not? The marketing of this crude, outrageous comedy made it seem its most offensive aspect was the harming of a cute little dog. Little did audiences know what hilarious vulgarities awaited them and their parents, particularly the "hair gel" scene.
Where to stream (without your parents): Digital Rental
The Apartment (1960)
Why not? Whenever I try to explain this award-winning dramedy to anyone's parents, I always get concerned looks. It involves an insurance man (Jack Lemmon) who loans his apartment to executives for their extramarital affairs. The sex is talked about in the tamest of terms but never shown. There's also an unseen suicide attempt, making it edgy for the time. Depending on how conservative your parents are, you might want to avoid this one.
Where to stream (without your parents): Roku Channel, Digital Rental
Titanic (1997)
Why not? It's hard to decide what made a generation of '90s kids uncomfortable seeing this PG-13 movie with their parents: If it wasn't the scene with Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) sketching a nude Rose (Kate Winslet), then it was definitely the couple consummating their relationship in the backseat of a car.
Where to stream (without your parents): Paramount+ with Showtime, Digital rental
Bad Santa (2003)
Why not? While there's nothing better than seeing a Christmas-themed comedy about Saint Nick almost entirely devoid of holiday cheer during winter break with your parents, there is something a little unsettling about hearing Lauren Graham, the actress best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore, scream, "Fuck me, Santa!" while having sex in a car in a mall parking lot.
Where to stream (without your parents): Paramount+ with Showtime, Digital Rental
Mother! (2017)
Why not? You'd be hard-pressed to find a parent who doesn't like Jennifer Lawrence. Still, this unsettling film by Darren Aronofsky will test mom and dad's limits with its violence, nudity, language, and (spoiler alert) child sacrifice.
Where to stream (without your parents): Digital Rental
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Why not? Your mom and dad might finally be finished with their rewatch of The Office, but as cringeworthy as Michael Scott's actions are, it will pale compared to how you'll feel watching this Steve Carrell comedy with them. While there aren't any actual sex scenes in the movie, there's plenty of nudity, crude sexual references and language, drug use, and a clip from a porn video.
Where to Stream (Without Your Parents): Digital Rental
Crash (1996)
Why Not? The NC-17 rating and James Spader's face should be a dead giveaway, but let us advise you that this film has the same title as the 2004 Oscar-winning film starring Don Cheadle and Sandra Bullock. If you inadvertently pick this movie, which is about a group of people probing the link between sex and car crashes, neither you nor your parents will be able to unsee it.
Where to stream (without your parents): Physical media only