Summary

• R-rated movies encompass a wide range of genres, including rom-coms, comedies, and legal dramas.
• Netflix offers a wide selection of R-rated films, allowing viewers to explore a variety of adult-themed content.
• "The Killer" and "Reptile" are recent R-rated films worth watching, showcasing strong performances and surprising twists.

The R, or Restricted rating requires those under 17 to have an accompanying parent or adult guardian to view. The film in question contains adult material. While most people immediately think of horror films when talking about R-rated movies, not every R-rated movie is a blood-and-gore or supernatural horror film – although many certainly are.

Even romcoms, satirical comedies, and historical legal dramas can fall under the Restricted rating. Netflix features a massive library of movies and television series available for streaming. Among them are dozens of R-rated films, ranging from seemingly innocuous comedies with questionable themes to all-out horror.

16 Triple Frontier (2019)

One of Netflix's best original action films, Triple Frontier is the type of film that can throw legitimate surprises at the audience. The narrative follows a group of five old pal mercenaries who see an opportunity to rob a kingpin's home...a home which just so happens to have cash lining the walls.

An Actioner Full of Stars

If there's a Netflix film that has an amazing cast, it's Triple Frontier, which is led by Ben Affleck, Pedro Pascal, Oscar Isaac (dominating in the lead role), Charlie Hunnam, and Garrett Hedlund. Furthermore, it's a film with nail-biting, realistic combat sequences, the type that makes it worthy of a rewatch.

15 Leave the World Behind (2023)

A slow-burn film that's proved both popular and alienating, Leave the World Behind is one of the bigger mixed bags of Netflix's original films. The narrative follows a group of well-to-do suburbanites as they rent a vacation home only to have everything fall apart. But it isn't just their vacation home that's inhibiting their ability to communicate with the outside world.

Made a Huge Cultural Impact

Leave the World Behind is more thriller than horror, but what it says about society is nothing short of horrifying. People will turn against one another in times of strife, even if they're turning against someone for whom just last week they drunkenly hung their arm over and exclaimed their love.

14 The Irishman (2019)

It may not be quite at the level of Goodfellas, but The Irishman is infused with as much love and attention from Martin Scorsese as that gangster classic. It's an expansive film that covers the long, violent life of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro). Spanning from Frank's WWII service in Italy to a substantial career in the mob and the mysterious disappearance of his friend Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), the movie is nothing short of epic.

An Underrated Scorsese Flick

De Niro is unsurprisingly great as Frank, he's more tender than usual, though, allowing his work here to stand far apart from what he did in both Goodfellas and Casino. Toss in even better performances from Joe Pesci and Al Pacino, and The Irishman is easily one of the best Netflix original movies to date.

13 A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Based on one of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder mysteries, A Walk Among the Tombstones is better than much of the remainder of Liam Neeson's action-centric period of movie-making. For one, the mystery is as well laid out as it was in the novel and, two, having Dan Stevens and Boyd Holbrook play brothers was a stroke of genius.

Everyone Knows Neeson Can Do Action Well

The performances are well-modulated across the board in A Walk Among the Tombstones. It's also a movie that carries a gray, foggy ambiance that does a phenomenal job of selling the tone of the novel that preceded it. This tone is what makes the movie so successful, adding a sense of gravity to every step its characters take.

12 The Killer (2023)

David Fincher's The Killer stars Michael Fassbender as an assassin of few words. He's on a mission to take out a high-value target, but that mission goes awry, and the wrong person gets shot. As The Killer (as he's solely called) soon learns, this failure has led to complications in his life, complications that can hurt the few people he actually cares about.

A Fincher Delight

One of 2023's best films, The Killer is an impressive addition to Netflix's stable of original content. As the nameless main character, Fassbender is his usual dynamo self, and the sparse script makes every one of his words feel like a steel-coated gift. It's no secret that Fincher does well with thrillers, and The Killer is no exception. It's darkly funny, satirical, and action-packed.

11 Reptile (2023)

Reptile tells the tale of a determined detective as he tries to unravel the mystery around a deceased female real estate agent. All fingers point to her ex, from whom she is not fully divorced, but something tells the detective that her current husband is hiding something.

The Cast Elevates the Material

The ending of Reptile shouldn't be spoiled, but it's definitely a surprise and makes good use of creative casting. But Reptile is Benicio del Toro's show, and while the script isn't always up to his level, it meets him more often than not.

10 The Lovebirds (2020)

The Lovebirds is a 2020 romantic comedy movie starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, with Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, and Kyle Bornheimer in supporting roles. Although you might not think an R-rated rom-com makes sense, the plot follows a couple on the run after witnessing a murder. Jibran (Nanjiani) and Leilani (Rae) have been together for four years, and their relationship is filled with constant arguments over various topics. They agree to end the relationship, but while driving to a dinner party, a man uses their car to hit someone repeatedly. Now, they must work together to clear their names.

Raunchy Comedy Will Never Truly Die

The Lovebirds lives and dies on the hilarious chemistry of the leads. Nanjiani and Rae keep the movie moving with quick-witted jokes that set this film apart from the rest and make it a must-watch on Netflix. For a genre that has had so many entries over the years, it's not always easy to keep rom-coms feeling fresh. But with this attention-grabbing premise and engaging performances from the leads, The Lovebirds goes down nice and easily.

9 Don’t Look Up (2021)

Don’t Look Up is a 2021 apocalyptic political satire black comedy film featuring an ensemble cast with more heavy hitters than you can name. Some of the cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, and Tyler Perry, but best believe there are A-listers around every corner. The film’s plot follows two astronomers who must warn (and convince) humanity that an approaching comet will destroy human civilization.

All-Too Real

Don't Look Up is an allegory for climate change, while the film satirizes the governmental, political, celebrity, and media indifference to the ongoing climate crisis. It's a darkly comical look at what our world's actual reaction might be to such catastrophic news, which is actually the saddest part about the movie. The movie earned a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, placing it among an elite group of Netflix originals to achieve the feat.

8 It Follows (2014)