Cinemas: how strict are they on age?

[Steeps]

Our local is strict on ID when it comes to groups of kids, often trying to see an 18 horror where half the group have ID, some on their phones as a photo and the rest "forgot" to bring it.

An older looking child with a parent I don't think they'd check.

 

[Hotwired]

Wowsers, I didn't expect an ackchyually response. I look forward to you turning OPs son away.

Of course you didn't, you're a shining beacon of someone without any licence responsibilities

 

[Ayahuasca]

Of course you didn't, you're a shining beacon of someone without any licence responsibilities

It has nothing to do with that, it's just the way things work in reality. I was aware of what the rules are on paper, but the majority of people who work in cinemas don't think about being personally fined for turning away a 14-year-old accompanied by his father for a film rated 15.

 

[cheesyboy]

I suppose another question is:

Has anyone taken their only-just-eligible child to an age rated movie, and did the cinema check their age? A 15 year old to a 15 cert, for example.

I don't want to waste £20 on tickets to find out really

 

[Taziir]

I know it's not what the OP was asking, but as a parent I find it more interesting see when our local will twig that my daughter is way over their age limit to buy at child ticket rates (I can be incredibly cheap sometimes)

 

[Martynt74]

I got rejected for Terminator 2 aged 13, even though I saw the original Terminator when I was 10 lol

I remember being around 10 and being in WH Smiths buying Bottom Season 2 on VHS which was maybe an 18? Certainly a 15.

Got to the till, was about to finish the transaction before stupidly saying "Didn't think i'd have been able to buy this because i'm not 18", only for the cashier to say "Oh yeah", and then took it off me and gave my money back.


Stupid kid

 

[Hotwired]

It has nothing to do with that, it's just the way things work in reality. I was aware of what the rules are on paper, but the majority of people who work in cinemas don't think about being personally fined for turning away a 14-year-old accompanied by his father for a film rated 15.

Maybe. I recall when a paper was recentlyish doing unofficial test purchases for a story with vapes using an underage volunteer they were able to flag many shops. Mostly independents I think.

But if it happens there's no real excuse to give to the council/police/trading standards so whoever is stuck trying to guess ages ought to be motivated by the personal risk.

 

[Freakbro]

I suppose another question is:

Has anyone taken their only-just-eligible child to an age rated movie, and did the cinema check their age? A 15 year old to a 15 cert, for example.

I don't want to waste £20 on tickets to find out really

99.9% you'll be fine

 

[cheesefest]

Our local is strict on ID when it comes to groups of kids, often trying to see an 18 horror where half the group have ID, some on their phones as a photo and the rest "forgot" to bring it.

An older looking child with a parent I don't think they'd check.

At my work, we do not accept ID on phones as I remember seeing someone's ID about this time of the year. Clearly doctored the photo of his passport as could see his birthday is in August and made out he was born in the April. The area around the month was fuzzy.

 

[Diddums]

@cheesyboy's son:

 

[Tuppy_Glossop]

Shoot on sight, I imagine.

 

[arknor]

Last time I went the Cinema, 2018 in Nottingham at one of the big chains.

Only staff were selling snacks behind the counter.
tickets were all self service on machines.
literally 0 staff between walking in, getting a ticket, and walking into one of the rooms.

We went to see a horror movie, idk what age rating it was but must have been for adults.

we saw about 5 different movies the same 2 weeks and it was never busy, even in a Friday night watching a movie and then going to bars after.
Cinema dead, bars packed.

 

[old gamer]

When I was 15 I got turned away by cinema staff trying to buy a ticket for westworld, but they did let me in to see enter the dragon

 

[Nick1881]

Did op find out? I can't imagine them checking, especially when he's only a year off.

 

[McGray]

A crazy thing to worry about.

 

[cheesefest]

Last time I went the Cinema, 2018 in Nottingham at one of the big chains.

Only staff were selling snacks behind the counter.
tickets were all self service on machines.
literally 0 staff between walking in, getting a ticket, and walking into one of the rooms.

We went to see a horror movie, idk what age rating it was but must have been for adults.

we saw about 5 different movies the same 2 weeks and it was never busy, even in a Friday night watching a movie and then going to bars after.
Cinema dead, bars packed.

I remember going to the cinema twice doing this. As tickets at the cinema were only checked by the entrance to 5-7 screens, I viewed another film in that section. Wasn’t stopped.

 

[arknor]

I remember going to the cinema twice doing this. As tickets at the cinema were only checked by the entrance to 5-7 screens, I viewed another film in that section. Wasn’t stopped.

We were pretty sure even if we didn;'t buy a ticket we probably could have just walked in.
The first time we got their for th e time the movie started and did see a guy directing people towards the different screens.
He never checked tickets, just asked which movie and confirmed which room.

the others time we wised up and got their about 20 minutes late to miss all the trailers and never encountered any usher at the entrance to the rooms.

so they weren't even checking tickets just making sure people waiting knew when the room was ready.

I was hiding snacks and stuff in my hoodie too, thought it would be like the 90s and early 00s when people actually cared about their job.
you know when you'd probably struggle to smuggle in a bottle of pop and some snickers.

 

[cheesefest]

I was hiding snacks and stuff in my hoodie too, thought it would be like the 90s and early 00s when people actually cared about their job.
you know when you'd probably struggle to smuggle in a bottle of pop and some snickers.

I brought my own food and drink. I had a plan just in case anyone tried to confiscate them “have food allergies”. No food allergies but allergic to cinema prices.

I don’t go to the cinema anymore as smell of popcorn makes me gag and idiots who can’t switch their bloody phones off.

 

[Gepetto]

Our local Cineworld is fairly hot on checking ages, even when my son is with me. I don't have a problem with it.

After all, Natasha Kaplinsky can't be wrong, can she?

 

[adam cool dude]

I got I'ded once in America when I was 19 to buy fags even though I had been smoking for over 3 years due to the age being 16 in the UK back then. I had to go looking through all my bags for my passport. Funny enough my Uncle took us for beers and I never got asked even though I was illegal.

Never got rejected for Cinema though. Rejected for beer plenty of times though. Mainly at gigs back in the day. Local pubs just wanted the business.