Why is Miller's Girl rated 'R'? Rating explained

Miller's Girl landed on Netflix on April 26, 2024, three months after its theatrical debut in January. The psychological erotic thriller caught fans' attention due to the age gap between its two leads, Jenna Ortega and Martin Freeman.

In the film, Ortega plays an 18-year-old high school student who forms a close bond with her much older English teacher (portrayed by Freeman). This premise gained negative attention from netizens and the controversy was fueled further by its 'R' rating. According to the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Miller's Girl was rated 'R' due to the presence of:

"Se*ual content, language throughout, some teen smoking and drinking."

For the unversed, the 'R' rating requires people under 17 years of age to be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.

Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for the film, Miller's Girl. It also contains mentions of s*xual acts.

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Which scenes in Miller's Girl gave it an 'R' rating? Explored

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega (Image via Netflix)

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega leads the 2024 erotic thriller as a cunning high school student, Cairo, who sets out to seduce her English teacher, Miller. With its mature subject matter and taboo themes, the film contains many scenes that are not appropriate for minors.

There are graphic verbal references and descriptions of s*x in multiple scenes throughout the film, which are part of an essay that Cairo writes as an assignment for her teacher. While reading her short story, Miller is depicted to be engaging in self-pleasure.

One scene also features Cairo and Miller in an act of physical intimacy, albeit with no nudity. Moreover, another scene depicts Cairo and her best friend Winnie making out passionately.

Along with the presence of profanity, smoking, and drinking, these scenes have led this movie to be given an 'R' rating.

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What is Miller's Girl about? Plot explained

Martin Freeman as Jonathan Miller (Image via Netflix)

As per Lionsgate, the synopsis for Miller's Girl reads:

"A talented young writer (Jenna Ortega) embarks on a creative odyssey when her teacher (Martin Freeman) assigns a project that entangles them both in an increasingly complex web. As lines blur and their lives intertwine, professor and protégé must confront their darkest selves while straining to preserve their individual sense of purpose and the things they hold most dear."

The film received considerable outrage over the age gap between its two lead characters and opened to mixed reviews.

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Cast of Miller's Girl explored

Miller's Girl cast at Palm Springs Film Festival (Image via Getty/Jon Kopaloff)

Besides Ortega and Freeman, several actors appear in the erotic thriller. The complete list of the cast includes:

• Martin Freeman as Jonathan Albert Miller
• Jenna Ortega as Cairo Sweet
• Bashir Salahuddin as Boris Fillmore
• Gideon Adlon as Winnie Black
• Dagmara Domińczyk as Beatrice June Harper
• Christine Adams as Joyce Manor

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Written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett, Miller's Girl is currently available to stream on Netflix in North America.