Sydney Sweeney is the defining "It Girl" of the mid-2020s, which means your teen has almost certainly seen her face on a TikTok edit or a magazine cover. But here is the thing: her filmography is a chaotic split between "absolutely not for kids" prestige TV and mainstream popcorn flicks that vary wildly in intensity. If you’re trying to figure out which of her projects are safe for a Friday night and which ones will make family movie night incredibly awkward, you need to look past the hype and at the actual ratings.

Sydney Sweeney’s range goes from the graphic, R-rated grit of Euphoria to the teen-friendly nostalgia of Everything Sucks!. For a standard teen movie night, her rom-com Anyone But You is a hard-R throwback with plenty of "college humor," while Madame Web is her safest, most accessible PG-13 entry point.

Most of the Sweeney hype started with HBO, and HBO doesn’t do "family-friendly." If your teen is asking to start one of these, they are asking for adult content.

This is the big one. It is a masterclass in cinematography and acting, but it is also a relentless barrage of graphic drug use, full-frontal nudity, and sexual trauma. It isn't just "mature"—it’s provocative by design. If your teen is already watching it, the conversation shouldn't be about banning it; it should be about the "aestheticization" of struggle. Ask them if they think the show makes drug use look like a music video or a nightmare.

Sweeney plays a cynical, hyper-intelligent Gen Z daughter in the first season. It’s a brilliant satire, but it’s definitely for the older crowd. Expect drug use, sexual situations, and a lot of very uncomfortable social dynamics. It’s "safer" than Euphoria in terms of pure shock value, but it’s still firmly adult.

As Sweeney moved into leading lady territory, she started hitting the multiplex with movies that feel a bit more like traditional "teen" fare, even when they carry an R rating.

This is a classic R-rated rom-com. It’s charming, the chemistry is real, and it’s a lot of fun, but it earns that R rating with nudity and wall-to-wall profanity. It’s the kind of movie that 16-year-olds will love because it feels "grown-up" without being depressing. If you’re okay with the vibe of American Pie or Forgetting Sarah Marshall, you’ll be fine with this.

A hard pivot into religious horror. Sweeney plays a nun in a remote Italian convent, and things get very bloody, very fast. It’s a "screamer"—lots of jump scares and some genuinely gnarly body horror. If your teen is a horror fan, this is a solid pick, but it’s not for the squeamish.

Released as a psychological thriller, this one leans into the "domestic noir" trend. It’s tense and atmospheric, focusing more on psychological mind games than outright gore. It’s a great "intro to thrillers" for a teen who wants something more sophisticated than a standard slasher but isn't ready for the extreme grit of Sweeney's earlier TV work.

If you want to see what the fuss is about without needing to shield your eyes every five minutes, these are the titles that land in the PG-13 or "light R" territory.

This short-lived Netflix gem is actually the best place to start. It’s a 90s-set high school dramedy that is sweet, nostalgic, and genuinely funny. Sweeney plays the "popular girl" with a lot more depth than you’d expect. It’s rated TV-14 and is much closer to the vibe of Stranger Things than Euphoria.

Let's be real: this movie isn't great. It’s a bit of a mess. But if your 13-year-old wants to see Sydney Sweeney in a superhero suit, this is the only way to do it. It’s PG-13, standard Marvel-adjacent action, and entirely safe for the middle-school crowd.

This is a fascinating one for older teens interested in politics or journalism. It’s a dramatization of an actual FBI interrogation transcript. There’s no action, just intense dialogue. It’s a "smart" movie that shows off her acting chops without relying on any of the typical HBO tropes.

Sweeney isn't slowing down, and her upcoming slate looks like it will continue this "one for them, one for me" pattern.

She is set to star in the Barbarella remake, which, based on the source material, will likely lean heavily into the campy, stylized sci-fi aesthetic. Expect that one to be a major cultural moment, but likely on the more provocative side of the spectrum. She’s also expected to lead Echo Valley, an Apple Original thriller alongside Julianne Moore. From the early buzz, it looks like a high-tension domestic thriller that will probably land a PG-13 or light R rating—perfect for the "thriller-obsessed teen" demographic.