So, you’re sitting on the couch, scrolling through Netflix or Hulu, and you see Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson staring back at you. It looks like a fun, high-octane comedy. You know the vibe: sarcastic quips, big explosions, and two of Hollywood’s most charismatic leads. But then you look at your twelve-year-old sitting next to you and wonder if this is a "family movie night" pick or a "wait until they're in bed" pick. Honestly, The Hitman’s Bodyguard is a bit of a minefield if you aren't prepared for the sheer volume of profanity.
It’s rated R. That’s the first thing you need to know.
When people look for The Hitman's Bodyguard parents guide, they usually want to know if it's "Marvel movie" R-rated or "Goodfellas" R-rated. There is a massive difference. This film sits somewhere in the middle, leaning heavily into what I call "conversational violence" and an absolute monsoon of f-bombs. It’s a 2017 action-comedy directed by Patrick Hughes, and while the plot is a fairly standard trope—disgraced triple-A rated bodyguard Michael Bryce (Reynolds) has to protect his sworn enemy, hitman Darius Kincaid (Jackson)—the execution is loud, messy, and very, very adult.
The Language Factor: A Samuel L. Jackson Special
Let’s be real. You don't hire Samuel L. Jackson to play a hitman and ask him to keep it PG-13. If you’ve seen Pulp Fiction or Snakes on a Plane, you know his signature word. In this movie, that word is practically a member of the supporting cast.
Reports from various media watchdog groups, including Common Sense Media, track the profanity count in the hundreds. We are talking about over 100 uses of the f-word. There are also plenty of uses of the s-word, along with various other colorful insults. It isn’t just that the characters swear; it’s that swearing is their primary mode of communication. It’s rhythmic. It’s constant. If your household has a strict "no swearing" rule, this movie is going to feel like a personal assault on your ears.
Some parents find that stylized swearing is okay if it’s for comedic effect. Here, it definitely is. The chemistry between Reynolds’ uptight, "seatbelt-wearing" persona and Jackson’s "shoot first, ask questions never" attitude relies on their verbal sparring. It’s funny, but it’s undeniably vulgar.
📖 Related: Why American Beauty by the Grateful Dead is Still the Gold Standard of Americana
Violence and Action: How Gritty Does It Get?
The action is frequent. It’s a road trip movie, but instead of stopping for snacks, they stop for gunfights. You’ll see a lot of blood, but it’s rarely "torture porn" levels of gore. It’s more along the lines of stylized action.
Think about:
- High-speed car chases through the streets of Amsterdam and Coventry.
- Close-quarters combat using kitchen utensils, tools, and bare fists.
- People getting shot at point-blank range with visible blood spray.
- A scene involving a public execution by a dictator (played by Gary Oldman) that feels much darker than the rest of the film.
That last point is important. While most of the movie is a "buddy cop" romp, the villain’s backstory involves ethnic cleansing and war crimes. There’s a scene early on where a civilian is executed in front of their family. It’s a jarring shift in tone. For a younger teen, the comedy might mask the gravity, but for a sensitive viewer, those moments stick out like a sore thumb against the jokes about seatbelts and lattes.
Sexual Content and Nuance
Compared to the violence and the language, the sexual content is actually pretty mild. There’s a lot of romantic tension between Reynolds and his ex-girlfriend (played by Elodie Yung) and a very "passionate" relationship between Jackson and his wife, Sonia (Salma Hayek).
- You’ll see some heavy making out.
- There are plenty of sexual references and crude jokes.
- One flashback shows a bar fight that turns into a romantic moment, which is more played for laughs than anything else.
- No actual nudity occurs, though the dialogue gets pretty descriptive about what characters want to do to each other.
Salma Hayek is a force of nature in this movie. Her character is in prison for most of the film, and her scenes are mostly her screaming at guards or reminiscing about her husband. It’s loud, it’s aggressive, and it’s very funny, but again, her vocabulary is just as "salty" as Jackson's.
👉 See also: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
Is there a "Message" Behind the Chaos?
Believe it or not, there’s a weirdly sweet core to this movie. Underneath the bullets and the yelling, it’s a story about two guys learning that their worldviews are flawed.
Bryce thinks he can control everything through planning. Kincaid thinks life is a series of accidents you just have to survive. They both end up meeting in the middle. There’s also a recurring theme about the difference between being a "good guy" who protects bad people and a "bad guy" who kills even worse people. It’s basic philosophy wrapped in a Kevlar vest.
If you’re watching this with an older teenager (15+), it’s actually a decent jumping-off point for talking about "gray morality." Is the hitman actually the hero because he’s testifying against a genocidal dictator? Is the bodyguard a "villain" because he’s enabling corruption? Probably too deep for a Friday night, but the subtext is there.
Comparing the Sequel: Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
If you finish the first one and the kids ask for the sequel, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, be warned: it doubles down on everything. The second movie is even more frantic, the logic is thinner, and the swearing is even more creative. If the first one was pushing your limits, the second one will likely blow right past them.
Practical Advice for Parents
So, what's the verdict?
✨ Don't miss: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
Most parents find that 14 or 15 is the "sweet spot" for this movie, provided the kid is already used to modern action films. If they’ve seen Deadpool, this is actually a bit tamer in terms of gore, though the vibe is similar. If they are used to the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), this is a significant step up in terms of "real-world" grit and language.
A Quick Checklist for Your Decision:
- How do you feel about the F-word? If you hate it, turn this movie off now.
- Is your kid sensitive to "bad guy" realism? The villain is a literal war criminal. It’s not a cartoonish "I want to take over the world" plot; it’s based on real-world types of atrocities.
- Do they like slapstick violence? A lot of the movie involves Ryan Reynolds getting hit by cars or thrown through glass. It’s meant to be funny.
Honestly, the best way to handle The Hitman's Bodyguard is to treat it like a loud, R-rated cartoon. It’s not meant to be taken seriously. The stakes feel high, but the plot armor is thick.
If you decide to let your teen watch it, maybe just have a quick chat afterward about how Samuel L. Jackson’s vocabulary isn't exactly "interview-ready" for their first summer job.
To make the most of the viewing experience, consider checking the IMDB "Parents Guide" section for a specific breakdown of every single "jump scare" or violent act if you have a child with specific triggers. Otherwise, if you're okay with a lot of noise and a lot of cursing, it's a solid popcorn flick that actually rewards the viewer with some genuine laughs.
Next Steps for Parents:
Check your streaming settings. If you’re letting a younger teen watch this on a shared account, ensure your "M" or "R" rated filters are adjusted so they don't accidentally spiral into much darker content like The Boys or John Wick immediately after. If you want a similar vibe that is strictly PG-13, look into movies like Red or Knight and Day—they offer the action-comedy fix without the 100+ f-bombs.