The Outsiders: parents' guide
Best for ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13 for violence, teen drinking and smoking, and some sexual references.
A classic, emotional gang drama from S.E. Hinton's novel that suits many middle schoolers, especially those who have read the book, about orphaned brothers and their working-class greaser friends in Tulsa at war with rich kids called Socs. Knife fights, a fatal stabbing, a church fire that badly burns a boy, and a police shooting leave several teens dead. Teens smoke constantly and drink, and boys harass girls with crude remarks. Language is mostly mild. The 1983 theatrical cut was rated PG; the longer 2005 Complete Novel cut, rated PG-13, adds scenes. Best from about 13.
What's in it
Violence
ModerateGang brawls with fists, bottles and switchblades, a near-drowning in a fountain, and a boy fatally stabbed with blood shown. A knife draws blood at a boy's throat, a church fire gravely burns a teen, and police shoot a teen who waves an unloaded gun.
Language
ModerateMostly mild: "damn," "hell," "son of a bitch," "bastards" and "wiseass," with an occasional s-word, misuse of God's and Jesus' names, and middle-finger gestures.
Sex and nudity
MildNo sex or nudity. Greasers make crude, suggestive remarks to girls, a girl fends off a drunk boyfriend at a drive-in, another boy lifts a girl's skirt, and a boy grabs a protesting girl until his friends make him stop.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModerateTeens smoke cigarettes nearly nonstop and drink beer, and some are visibly drunk, including the rich kids who start the deadly fight. A careless cigarette may have started the church fire.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateTense rumbles and a near-drowning, the burning church, a hospital deathbed scene, and a teen gunned down by police under a streetlight. Several young characters die, and the grief is raw.
Sensitive topics
- Death of a child
- Death of a parent
- Suicide
- Child abuse
Worth talking about
Ponyboy discovers the Socs have troubles of their own. What labels divide people at your school, and what happens when someone looks past them?
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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, bbfc.co.uk, Wikipedia. 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.