You’re sitting there, scrolling through options for movie night, and the poster for Fly Me to the Moon pops up. Scarlett Johansson looks stunning in 1960s mod fashion. Channing Tatum is looking predictably sharp. It’s got that glossy, high-budget Apple Original Films sheen. But then you see it. You check the Fly Me to the Moon rated info and see that PG-13 tag staring back at you.
Wait. Why?
Is it because of some intense space disaster stuff? Is it just a bunch of people swearing in a NASA control room? Honestly, figuring out why a romantic dramedy set against the Apollo 11 moon landing needs a PG-13 rating is kind of a puzzle until you actually sit through the two-hour runtime.
What the Fly Me to the Moon Rated PG-13 Label Actually Means
The MPA (Motion Picture Association) handed down a PG-13 rating for Fly Me to the Moon primarily because of strong language and some smoking. That’s it. No aliens. No graphic violence. No "R-rated" intimacy. It’s basically the kind of movie your parents would have called a "grown-up movie" that isn't actually inappropriate for teenagers.
Language is the big one here. The film uses a handful of "strong" profanities that immediately bump it out of the PG territory. In the world of the MPA, you get a very limited quota for certain words before you're kicked upstairs to PG-13. Director Greg Berlanti chose to keep the dialogue feeling "real" for a high-stress 1960s environment, which means the characters talk like actual adults under pressure.
Then there’s the smoking. Because it's a period piece set in 1969, people are puffing on cigarettes constantly. While the MPA has become much stricter about glamorizing tobacco in movies marketed to kids, they usually give a pass to historical dramas if it fits the era. Still, it’s a factor in that Fly Me to the Moon rated calculation.
Does the Rating Match the Vibe?
If you’re expecting a gritty, First Man style look at the dangers of space travel, you’re in the wrong theater. This is a rom-com dressed up in a NASA jumpsuit. The stakes are high—literally the moon—but the tone is breezy.
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Most of the "adult" content is intellectual or ethical. The plot centers on Johansson’s character, Kelly Jones, a marketing genius hired to "sell" the moon to the American public. Things get messy when she’s told to film a fake moon landing as a "Plan B" back-up. The tension comes from the lie. It’s about the ethics of truth versus public relations.
Is that too much for a ten-year-old? Probably not. They might just be bored.
Breaking Down the Content: What Parents Should Know
Let’s get into the weeds. If you’re a parent, the Fly Me to the Moon rated status is usually less about the letter and more about the specific "oh no" moments.
Romance and Sexual Content
There is a lot of flirting. It’s Johansson and Tatum; the chemistry is the whole point of the movie. However, it stays very much in the realm of "old Hollywood" romance. You’ll see some kissing and heavy longing, but there’s no nudity. It’s the kind of romance that relies on banter rather than bedroom scenes. It’s safe for a date night where you don't want to be embarrassed by who you're sitting next to.
Violence and Peril
Since the movie deals with the Apollo program, there is some inherent danger. We see rocket launches and the fear of failure. If your kid is sensitive to the idea of astronauts being in danger, there are a few tense moments. But compared to a movie like Apollo 13 or Gravity, the peril is minimal. The movie is much more interested in the marketing office than the lunar module.
Profanity and Dialogue
This is the "13" in the PG-13. You will hear the S-word and several other mid-tier swears. There is at least one use of the F-word, which is the standard "one-time allowance" for many PG-13 films. It’s used for emphasis during a moment of frustration, not in a sexual context.
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Why the "Fake Moon Landing" Plot Matters for Younger Viewers
One thing that doesn't show up in a Fly Me to the Moon rated summary is the "conspiracy theory" angle. The movie plays with the idea that NASA faked the moon landing. For a younger audience who might not have a firm grasp on history, this could be confusing.
The film isn't saying the moon landing was fake. It’s saying that NASA prepared a fake version just in case the real one failed or the feed cut out. It’s a cynical look at the Nixon era.
If you take a middle-schooler to see this, you might have to explain afterwards that, yes, we really did go to the moon. The movie treats the "Project Artemis" (the fake shoot) as a secret moral crisis for the characters. It’s actually a great jumping-off point for a conversation about misinformation and the Cold War.
Comparing the Rating to Other 2024 Releases
To give you some context on where Fly Me to the Moon sits, let's look at other movies from the same year.
- Twisters: Also PG-13, but for intense action and destruction. Much "scarier" for kids than Fly Me to the Moon.
- Anyone But You: This was R-rated. It had much more explicit humor and nudity. Fly Me to the Moon is practically a Disney movie by comparison.
- The Fall Guy: PG-13 for action and some language. Very similar in terms of "appropriateness."
Basically, Fly Me to the Moon is on the "soft" side of PG-13. It’s a movie made for adults that happens to be clean enough for most families.
The Expert Verdict on the Fly Me to the Moon Rated Question
Look, ratings are subjective. The MPA is a group of parents in Los Angeles who watch movies and vote. They aren't scientists.
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But from a content perspective, Fly Me to the Moon is a "hard PG" or a "light PG-13." The rating is a safety net for the studio. They don't want parents complaining about a stray F-bomb in a movie they thought was for toddlers.
If your kid can handle a Marvel movie, they can handle this. In fact, they’ll probably find the Marvel movie way more violent. The biggest hurdle here isn't the "inappropriate" content—it’s the 132-minute runtime. It’s a long movie. It’s talky. It’s about 1960s politics and marketing budgets.
Is it Worth Seeing?
If you love the aesthetic of the 60s, you'll dig it. The production design is top-tier. Scarlett Johansson’s performance is charismatic and carries the movie through some of its slower mid-section beats.
The film also serves as a weirdly sincere tribute to the people who worked behind the scenes at NASA. Even with the "fake moon landing" subplot, the heart of the movie is pro-science and pro-truth.
Actionable Steps for Viewers
If you're still on the fence about the Fly Me to the Moon rated PG-13 situation, here is how to handle it:
- For Parents of Kids Under 10: Skip it. Not because it’s "bad," but because the plot involves government funding and PR strategies. They will be bored to tears within twenty minutes.
- For Parents of Teens: It’s a green light. It’s a sophisticated movie that treats the audience like they have a brain. It’s a good "bridge" movie to watch with your 14-year-old.
- For Date Night: It’s perfect. It’s one of the few high-budget romantic comedies we’ve had in theaters lately that isn't totally raunchy or totally juvenile.
- Check the "Parents Guide" on IMDb: If you are extremely sensitive to specific words, the IMDb user-contributed guides break down every single instance of profanity. It’s the best way to know exactly what you’re getting into.
The Fly Me to the Moon rated PG-13 tag is really just a badge of "adult-oriented storytelling." It’s not a warning of graphic content. It’s an invitation to a story that’s a little more complex than your average summer blockbuster. Go for the costumes, stay for the chemistry, and don't sweat the rating too much.
To get the most out of the experience, watch a quick documentary on the Apollo 11 mission before you go. It makes the "fake" vs. "real" stakes in the film feel much more grounded. Knowing just how close that mission came to disaster in real life adds a layer of tension to the movie that the script doesn't always spell out.
If you're watching on Apple TV+, you can also toggle the subtitles to catch the fast-paced 60s-style banter, which sometimes gets lost in the mix. It's a dense script, and missing the jokes makes the "marketing" talk feel a lot heavier than it's supposed to be.