What is Ma rated, and is it OK for kids?

Real scares, moderate sex and nudity, and strong violence. The R is earned, so not for kids.

Ma (2019)

Film · 1h 39m · Rated R

Horror, Thriller

A lonely woman's desire for connection curdles into a chilling obsession with new teenage friends.

Suspenseful and pulpy. A full-attention watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is heavy.

Streaming on Hulu and Peacock.

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Ma parents guide

Nothing past what an R promises: real scares and a jolt or two.

Scare: Properly scary; Frightening, not just tense.
Jump scares: A couple; One or two sudden jolts.
Gore: Graphic gore; Blood and wounds shown clearly.
Violence: Strong violence; Violence is frequent or intense.
Sex and nudity: Moderate; Moderate means a sex scene or nudity on screen, even brief, or sexual violence that is described or implied but never shown.
Language: Strong; Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Ma scary?: Yes, properly. Ma is the real thing without being an endurance test.
How gory is Ma?: Graphic gore and strong violence. If graphic gore is a dealbreaker, skip it.
What is Ma rated, and is it OK for kids?: Real scares, moderate sex and nudity, and strong violence. The R is earned, so not for kids.

What is Ma about?

Sue Ann is a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

No. Brace yourself.