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Movie · Sports, Drama · 1976 · PG

Rocky: parents' guide

11+our pick

Best for ages 11 and up. Rated PG.

A classic underdog sports drama for tweens and up, with more grit than its PG suggests. A small-time Philadelphia boxer who collects debts for a loan shark gets a long-shot title fight and a shy girlfriend at the same time. The boxing is bloody, Adrian's drunken brother smashes up their house with a baseball bat, and there is some adult language, including 'bullsh--t' and 'whore.' Romance stays at kissing. It was rated PG in 1976, years before the PG-13 rating existed, so expect a bit more than a modern PG. Best for about 11 and up.

What's in it

Violence

Moderate

Bloody boxing: the title fight leaves both men battered, and Rocky's swollen eyelid is cut open so he can see. Rocky leans on a debtor for the loan shark, and a drunk Paulie wrecks his home with a baseball bat.

Language

Moderate

Infrequent but adult: Common Sense lists 'bullsh--t' heard on a TV broadcast, 'a--hole,' 'whore,' and 'screw you' from a young girl. No f-words are noted.

Sex and nudity

Mild

Kissing only. Rocky coaxes a nervous Adrian into his apartment and kisses her, and Paulie later demands to know whether Rocky is 'screwing' his sister. No nudity.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Moderate

Rocky drinks and smokes until he starts training. Paulie drinks heavily, and his drinking fuels angry, threatening outbursts at his sister.

Scary or intense scenes

Mild

Not scary, though Paulie's drunken rage at Adrian is tense and the final fight is punishing to watch.

Sensitive topics

  • Domestic abuse

Worth talking about

Rocky's first date with Adrian ends with him pressing her to stay when she is uneasy. Ask your teen how that scene looks today, and how the relationship changes as both of them gain confidence.

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Wikipedia, the MPA. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.