The Best R-Rated Disney Movies of All Time

Published: April 16, 2024 by Tracy Farnsworth

When people think of Disney movies, kid-friendly animated films come to mind. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” came out in 1937, marking the start of a long history of movies for families to enjoy together. However, the company offers many other films, including 50 outstanding R-rated Disney movies.

Many overlook Disney’s first R-rated movie, which came out in 1986. Singer-actress Bette Midler signed on for a six-movie deal with Disney. “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” was the first of those releases and the first R-rated Disney movie. It also starred Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte and is about an affluent family in Beverly Hills who decided to house a homeless man.

Touchstone Films was a production label founded by The Walt Disney Company in 1984. Through Touchstone, dozens of R-rated movies appeared. With the first R-rated Disney film, “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” getting solid reviews, Disney’s venture proved successful.

Additionally, the movie received two Golden Globe nominations (“Best Motion Picture” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture”). It won a BMI Film Music Award for the music composed by former The Police guitarist Andy Summers.

That set the gears in motion for Disney to keep releasing movies for an older audience through its Touchstone production company. A quick name change to Touchstone Pictures occurred before releasing the next R-rated movie, “Ruthless People.” The themes in these movies range from war to crime and living life to the fullest to supernatural events.

Our list of the 50 best R-rated Disney movies has numerous movies I keep coming back to. (Speaking of movies to watch again and again, find inspiration in “Movies We Love to Watch Over and Over Again.”)

To determine the best R-rated Disney, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of April 2024, weighting all ratings equally. Only R-rated movies produced or distributed by Disney or one of its subsidiaries (like Touchstone Pictures) were considered. Cast information is from IMDb.

Scroll down for the best R-rated Disney movies of all time:

50. Outrageous Fortune (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution Company

IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (7,825 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (7,512 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (22 reviews)
Starring: Shelley Long, Bette Midler, Peter Coyote

49. Summer of Sam (1999)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (39,397 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 60% (32,445 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 51% (102 reviews)
Starring: John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino

48. Blaze (1989)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (3,984 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 48% (2,118 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (11 reviews)
Starring: Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovich, Jerry Hardin

47. Shopgirl (2005)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (23,680 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (68,091 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (154 reviews)
Starring: Steve Martin, Claire Danes, Jason Schwartzman

46. The Program (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (10,066 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (12,026 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 43% (21 reviews)
Starring: James Caan, Halle Berry, Omar Epps

45. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (41,126 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (47,228 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (48 reviews)
Starring: Annabella Sciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy

44. Veronica Guerin (2003)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (20,816 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (8,918 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 53% (142 reviews)
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell, Brenda Fricker

43. Mumford (1999)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (9,125 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 66% (5,845 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 57% (81 reviews)
Starring: Loren Dean, Hope Davis, Jason Lee

42. Dead Presidents (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (22,928 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (30,238 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (33 reviews)
Starring: Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker

41. Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (17,904 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 53% (15,961 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (28 reviews)
Starring: Nick Nolte, Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss

40. Fright Night (2011)

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (102,611 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (50,541 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (180 reviews)
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, David Tennant

39. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (44,656 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (195,148 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (60 reviews)
Starring: Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo

38. Alive (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (57,432 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 68% (46,663 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 59% (27 reviews)
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton

37. Con Air (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (285,500 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (417,395 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 56% (66 reviews)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich

36. Pretty Woman (1990)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (304,022 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 68% (32,709,375 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (69 reviews)
Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Jason Alexander

35. Cradle Will Rock (1999)

Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (9,328 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (6,940 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (73 reviews)
Starring: Hank Azaria, Rubén Blades, Joan Cusack

34. Ransom (1996)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (122,663 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (119,959 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (72 reviews)
Starring: Mel Gibson, Gary Sinise, Rene Russo

33. The War at Home (1996)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (2,409 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (1,588 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (15 reviews)
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Kathy Bates, Martin Sheen

32. Firelight (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Miramax

IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,312 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (2,888 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 50% (14 reviews)
Starring: Sophie Marceau, Stephen Dillane, Dominique Belcourt

31. Tin Men (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution Company

IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (8,304 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (4,995 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (22 reviews)
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Danny DeVito, Barbara Hershey

30. Beloved (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 6.0/10 (8,797 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (9,991 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (67 reviews)
Starring: Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Yada Beener

29. Stakeout (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (24,760 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 56% (19,159 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (27 reviews)
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio Estevez, Madeleine Stowe

28. The Hoax (2006)

Source: Courtesy of Yari Film Group Releasing

IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (16,739 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (30,712 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (155 reviews)
Starring: Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, David Aaron Baker

27. Funny Bones (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (3,673 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (4,366 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (18 reviews)
Starring: Jerry Lewis, Oliver Platt, Lee Evans

26. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (186,833 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (210,311 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 56% (225 reviews)
Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston

25. When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (21,260 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (41,277 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (23 reviews)
Starring: Meg Ryan, Andy Garcia, Ellen Burstyn

24. The Ref (1994)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (23,990 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (27,017 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (54 reviews)
Starring: Denis Leary, Judy Davis, Kevin Spacey

23. Nixon (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (31,516 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (12,652 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (63 reviews)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Powers Boothe

22. Enemy of the State (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (234,497 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (373,095 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (86 reviews)
Starring: Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Jon Voight

21. Apocalypto (2006)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (299,740 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (442,729 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (200 reviews)
Starring: Gerardo Taracena, Raoul Max Trujillo, Dalia Hernández

20. The Rock (1996)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (323,201 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (305,314 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (68 reviews)
Starring: Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris

19. The Lookout (2007)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (57,789 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (80,746 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (169 reviews)
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Matthew Goode

18. Shoot to Kill (1988)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (12,459 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (6,108 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (14 reviews)
Starring: Sidney Poitier, Tom Berenger, Kirstie Alley

17. The Color of Money (1986)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (78,707 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (46,136 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (47 reviews)
Starring: Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

16. He Got Game (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,247 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (44,506 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (63 reviews)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Milla Jovovich, Ray Allen

15. Ruthless People (1986)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Distribution Company

IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (27,061 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (21,109 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (42 reviews)
Starring: Bette Midler, Danny DeVito, Judge Reinhold

14. Open Range (2003)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (69,729 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (51,728 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (184 reviews)
Starring: Kevin Costner, Robert Duvall, Diego Luna

13. Red Rock West (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Roxie Releasing

IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (21,333 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (8,229 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (37 reviews)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Lara Flynn Boyle

12. 25th Hour (2002)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (174,718 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (80,325 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (177 reviews)
Starring: Edward Norton, Barry Pepper, Philip Seymour Hoffman

11. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (91,308 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (73,067 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (72 reviews)
Starring: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd

10. Crimson Tide (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (106,975 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (61,385 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (51 reviews)
Starring: Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Matt Craven

9. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (132,985 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (131,515 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (42 reviews)
Starring: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, Tom. T. Tran

8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (276,644 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (256,148 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (211 reviews)
Starring: Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston

7. Tombstone (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (151,870 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (195,590 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (46 reviews)
Starring: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott

6. The Joy Luck Club (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (15,952 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (27,720 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (84 reviews)
Starring: Tamlyn Tomita, Rosalind Chao, Kieu Chinh

5. High Fidelity (2000)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (173,740 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (211,818 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (165 reviews)
Starring: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso

4. What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (21,798 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (52,290 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (58 reviews)
Starring: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, RaéVen Kelly

3. Rushmore (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (176,013 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (186,244 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (105 reviews)
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams

2. Ed Wood (1994)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (177,962 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (107,299 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (65 reviews)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker

1. The Insider (1999)

Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures

IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (172,879 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (59,252 votes)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (137 reviews)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer