The word “riskiest” is a judgment, not a film-rating category. The available CBR excerpt frames risk around taboo subject matter, graphic sexual content, and controversy, and names The Shape of Water and Basic Instinct as examples. It does not reveal the full 30-film list, so those two titles cannot stand in for the article’s complete selections.
What “riskiest” means in this title
There is no standard scale for ranking romance movies by risk. In the surfaced CBR excerpt, the term points to material that may challenge or unsettle viewers: taboo themes, graphic sexual content, and controversy. That is an editorial frame, not an official classification or a claim that every viewer will find the same films risky.
The excerpt names The Shape of Water and Basic Instinct, but does not provide the other entries. A separate Ranker list is user-voted and dynamic; it includes Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, but uses its own method and does not confirm CBR’s selections. Those titles should not be presented as members of CBR’s list on that basis.
Why an R rating does not settle the question
An R rating is not a romance label and does not measure a film’s “riskiness.” It also does not indicate a uniform level or type of sexual content. A movie may be perceived as challenging because of its themes, explicitness, or controversy, while another viewer may weigh those factors differently.
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- El Cid ( 1961 )
- El Cid ( 1961 )
For a specific U.S. release, consult the MPA’s record for its rating and rating reason before stating either. No MPA records were available for the named films here, so their U.S. ratings and rating reasons are not verified in this article.
How to compare a romance that may be challenging
Rather than treating “risky” as a single score, consider what kind of material is involved and how it functions in the film:
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- Theme: Is the concern a taboo subject or a controversial premise?
- Explicitness: Is the film’s reputation about graphic sexual content, or something else? Check a film-specific content description rather than inferring from its rating.
- Role of the romance: Is the relationship the story’s central focus, or one element of a broader plot?
- Release-specific rating: If the U.S. rating matters to your decision, verify it and its stated reason for the relevant release.
What can be confirmed about the named examples
The available CBR excerpt identifies The Shape of Water and Basic Instinct as examples in its discussion of risky romance films. The excerpt does not provide enough information to establish their position in the list, explain their individual content in detail, or verify their U.S. MPA ratings and rating reasons. Those details should not be inferred from the word “risky” or from the title of the list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why other rankings may differ
Lists of “riskiest” romances can produce different results because the criteria and selection methods vary. Ranker describes its list as dynamic and user-voted, while the CBR excerpt offers an editorial framing. Neither approach establishes an objective, universal ranking. A viewer looking for a particular kind of content should use film-level descriptions and rating records, not assume that two lists mean the same thing by “risky.”
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