Movie Ratings That Actually Work    Become a Member

"One of the 50 Coolest Websites...they simply tell it like it is" - TIME

Parallel Mothers | 2021 | R | – 6.4.2

content-ratingsWhy is “Parallel Mothers” rated R? The MPAA rating has been assigned for “some sexuality.” The Kids-In-Mind.com evaluation includes a few sex scenes and an implied sex scene between a man and a woman and a same-sex couple with partial nudity, discussion of a rape, discussions of babies being switched in hospitals, discussion of the murder of many people in Spain under a fascist regime, the death of an infant, the exhumation of a mass grave, several arguments, and some moderate language. Read our parents’ guide below for details on sexual content, violence & strong language.


A young woman (Milena Smit) who’s pregnant and not sure what her future holds, and an older woman (Penélope Cruz), who’s also pregnant but thrilled with the prospect of becoming a mother, meet in a hospital labor room. Their unexpected friendship helps them traverse what comes next. Also with Israel Elejalde, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Rossy de Palma, Julieta Serrano and José Javier Domínguez. Directed by Pedro Almodóvar. In Spanish with English subtitles. [Running Time: 2:03]

Parallel Mothers SEX/NUDITY 6

 – Two women kiss romantically, one removes her top and we see her bare back as they lie in bed, while the other is shown wearing a bra (her cleavage and bare abdomen are seen); the first woman kisses down the other woman’s’ chest and abdomen and then below the frame (oral sex is implied). A man and a woman have sex and we see his bare back as he thrusts, as well as her shoulders and the side of her bare breast; they moan and the scene ends. A man and a woman lie in bed together (he wears a T-shirt and boxer briefs that reveal his bare legs to the upper thighs and she wears a tank T-shirt and underwear that reveal cleavage and bare legs), they kiss, caress each other and the scene ends (sex is implied).
 A woman licks another woman’s’ lips and says that she tastes of wine.
 Two women talk about their pregnancies being accidents; one says that she has no regrets and the other seems unsure. A scene from a play is acted out by a woman that is playing an older woman and a reference is made to “no one would want to touch her now.”
 A fully nude woman is seen in a photograph and her bare breasts and legs are visible. A woman photographs a woman wearing a cropped top and short shorts that reveal cleavage, bare abdomen and legs to the upper thighs. Two women lean over a bath while bathing an infant and we see cleavage and part of the bra of one woman. A woman wears low-cut tops and sweaters that reveal cleavage in many scenes throughout the movie. A fully nude infant is shown and her bare chest, abdomen, buttocks and genital area are seen before a diaper is adjusted (her crotch is covered with cream).

Parallel Mothers VIOLENCE/GORE 4

 – During an excavation of a gravesite, we see human skeletal remains including a glass eye and a child’s rattle; a man says that the victims’ hands were tied with barbed wire. Several decorated human skulls are lined up on a table in a photo shoot; we hear that they are intended to be used as props. A woman swabs the inside of her cheek and her infant’s cheek for a DNA test. A woman vomits in a toilet and we hear gagging and see goo on her nose and mouth.
 Two women are shown in a hospital labor room where they moan and breathe during contractions; then they yell and cry while pushing during delivery.
 A woman says that her baby died from crib death and states that the child’s brain was immature and that she forgot to breathe. A woman talks about wanting to excavate a grave in her family’s village that apparently contains 10 bodies, one of whom is her great-grandfather that she says was taken at the start of the war by fascists, and another was not dead when he was buried and climbed out of the grave during the night. A woman describes going through the Roman Rota system in order to annul her marriage and that it was humiliating. A woman says that her mother died at 27 from an overdose. A woman talks about when she was younger and really drunk and high one night, she had sex with a young man not knowing that two other young men had recorded them; when the men threatened to release the video unless she had sex with them also, she did so. A woman becomes jealous of another woman spending time with a man. A woman yells at her baby’s caregiver for wearing headphones while taking care of the child and the way the child is sleeping. A man and a woman argue about having a child and the man says that his wife has cancer and he cannot tell her about their affair; the woman ends their relationship. A man and a woman argue over the telephone. Two women talk about their newborns being under observation for seemingly minor issues. A woman says, “I can’t stand her,” about an au pair that she is employing. A woman hyperventilates when she reads a DNA report that states she is not the biological mother of her infant. An older woman says, “I am very ill,” and “I have cancer.” A line at the end of the film reads, “Human history refuses to shut its mouth.” A man sees an infant and says to a woman, “She’s going to be very dark like you.” A woman says of an infant, “She’s getting more ethnic.” A man tells a woman that her baby is not his and she becomes upset and orders a DNA test.

Parallel Mothers LANGUAGE 2

 – 3 sexual references, 1 scatological term, 1 mild obscenity, name-calling (outrageous, pig-nose, horrific, humiliating, posh, hopeless, cruel, crazy, worst mother in the world, old maid, hippie, ridiculous, stubborn, pretty as a piglet, silly, cranky), exclamations (I swear). | profanity glossary |

Parallel Mothers SUBSTANCE USE

 – A woman talks about having an epidural during labor, a woman takes a pill (presumably a sleeping pill), and a woman says that her mother died at 27 from an overdose. A man drinks a glass of beer, a woman pours a cognac for another woman, a man and a woman drink at a bar, and two women drink wine with a meal. Two women smoke cigarettes outside a home.

Parallel Mothers DISCUSSION TOPICS

 – Regret, single parenting, unplanned pregnancy, death of a child, crib death, fear, rape, depression, infidelity.

Parallel Mothers MESSAGE

 – Single parenting is a challenge.

CAVEATS

Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.

We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.


how to
support us

PLEASE DONATE

We are a totally independent website with no connections to political, religious or other groups & we neither solicit nor choose advertisers. You can help us keep our independence with a donation.

NO MORE ADS!

Become a member of our premium site for just $1/month & access advance reviews, without any ads, not a single one, ever. And you will be helping support our website & our efforts.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we accept compliments too. While we read all emails & try to reply we don't always manage to do so; be assured that we will not share your e-mail address.

how to
support us

PLEASE DONATE

We are a totally independent website with no connections to political, religious or other groups & we neither solicit nor choose advertisers. You can help us keep our independence with a donation.

NO MORE ADS!

Become a member of our premium site for just $2/month & access advance reviews, without any ads, not a single one, ever. And you will be helping support our website & our efforts.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We welcome suggestions & criticisms -- and we will accept compliments too. While we read all emails & try to reply we do not always manage to do so; be assured that we will not share your e-mail address.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter

Know when new reviews are published
We will never sell or share your email address with anybody and you can unsubscribe at any time

You're all set! Please check your email for confirmation.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This