If you’re under 13 and reading this… well, there’s nothing we can do.

The 14 best PG-13 movies on Netflix

If you're under 13 and reading this... well, there's nothing we can do.

By Kevin Jacobsen,

James Mercadante,

and Madeline Cisneros

April 29, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

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'Glass Onion'; 'Always Be My Maybe'; 'Tick, Tick... Boom!'. Credit:

Courtesy of Netflix; Doane Gregory / Netflix; Courtesy of Netflix

Netflix has a wealth of movie options available to subscribers, with relatively easy separation of kid-friendly titles and more mature fare. But what happens when you want something in between — a movie with a little edge but not fully indulging in sex, violence, or adult language?

This is where the PG-13 rating comes into play, designated for films geared toward those 13 and up. Netflix doesn't have a set tab for movies with this rating, but, hey, that's where we come in.

Among Netflix's PG-13 titles are charming rom-coms like *Always Be My Maybe* (2019), coming-of-age gems like *The Half of It* (2020), and crowd-pleasing monster thrillers like *Godzilla Minus One* (2023).

Ahead, we're singling out 15 of the best PG-13 movies streaming on Netflix.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Ali Wong as Sasha Tran and Randall Park as Marcus Kim in 'Always Be My Maybe'. Ed Araquel/Netflix

Most people would rather avoid running into their high-school sweetheart, but Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) and Marcus Kim (Randall Park) — childhood friends–turned–one-time fling–turned–strangers — don't get that choice.

Now a thirtysomething celebrity chef, Sasha returns to San Francisco to open a new restaurant and crosses paths with Marcus, who shows up to install her air conditioning in her interim home. With sparks still flying 15 years later, they decide to give their friendship a second go (and, well, you can guess where it goes from there).

Directed by *Fresh Off the Boat* creator Nahnatchka Khan, *Always Be My Maybe* is a sharp, self-aware rom-com with multidimensional Asian-American representation, fabulous fashion, and sizzling chemistry between Park and Wong. (Plus, you get to see Keanu Reeves in a rom-com for the first time since 2009's *The Private Lives of Pippa Lee*.) —*James Mercadante*

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Nahnatchka Khan

**Cast: **Ali Wong, Randall Park, Daniel Dae Kim, Michelle Buteau, Keanu Reeves

Daughters (2024)

Incarcerated fathers in 'Daughters'.

Courtesy of Netflix

This poignant documentary is a testament to the special bond between fathers and daughters. The film follows four young girls and their incarcerated fathers as they get ready for a special Date With Dad weekend held at the prison.

The main highlight is the Daddy Daughter Dance, and the doc centers on the daughters' point of view as they grapple with their hopes, fears, and understandable sadness over being separated from their fathers.

Winner of the Audience Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, *Daughters* is the kind of movie you'll want to watch with a box of tissues nearby. —*Kevin Jacobsen*

**Directors:** Angela Patton, Natalie Rae**

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Kathryn Hahn as Claire Debella, Madelyn Cline as Whiskey, Edward Norton as Miles Bron, Leslie Odom Jr. as Lionel Toussaint, and Kate Hudson as Birdie Jay in 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'. Netflix

Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back at it again in this sequel to the 2019 sensation *Knives Out*. In *Glass Onion*, Detective Blanc finds himself on tech billionaire Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) private Greek island to solve a fictional murder mystery with Miles' oddball friends, coined “the Disruptors.” But when the game becomes real, it's up to the detective to crack the case.

Per EW's critic, Craig trades “MI6 and martinis for neatly knotted neckerchiefs and Foghorn Leghorn bon mots — and he seems to revel in it, leaning happily into the pure camp of being Benoit.” The star-studded cast, including Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, and more should be enough motivation to give this movie a go. *—Madeline Cisneros*

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Rian Johnson

**Cast: **Daniel Craig, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Kuranosuke Sasaki as Seiji Akitsu and Godzilla in 'Godzilla Minus One'.

Toho International/Courtesy Everett Collection

*Godzilla Minus One* offers a little something for everyone, delivering monster movie thrills and an emotionally resonant story all at once. Set in Japan after World War II, the film centers on a former pilot who struggles with PTSD after failing to stop Godzilla from wreaking havoc on his Odo Island base. Years later, the guilt-ridden pilot is spurred to join the effort to stop the monster once and for all.

EW's critic ranks *Minus One* as the fourth-best *Godzilla* movie ever made, praising its blend of "sweeping blend of character-driven drama, maritime adventure, and kaiju mayhem" while calling it "popcorn entertainment at its best."

There's a reason it became the first Godzilla movie to not only be nominated at the Oscars, but also to win — taking home the 2024 prize for Best Visual Effects. —*K.J.*

**Director:** Takashi Yamazaki

**Cast:** Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka

The Half of It (2020)

Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu and Daniel Diemer as Paul Munsky in 'The Half of It'.

KC Bailey/Netflix

Shy Chinese American Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) may not have any friends, but she *does* run a successful essay-writing business. When she gets an odd request from jock Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) to write a love letter for his crush, Ellie begrudgingly gives in — despite having feelings for the girl, too.

As Ellie helps Paul, the two form an unlikely bond that includes late-night movie binges and taco sausages.

*The Half of It* is described by EW's critic as an “examination of first love, and how our messy, well-intentioned attempts to do right by our own hearts can both wound and help us fumble toward the people we’re meant to be.” —*M.C.*

**EW grade: **B

**Director: **Alice Wu

**Cast: **Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Wolfgang Novogratz, Collin Chou

I’m Still Here (2024)

Selton Mello as Rubens Paiva and Fernanda Torres as Eunice Paiva with their onscreen children in 'I'm Still Here'.

Alile Onawale/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

This moving, Oscar-winning drama follows the struggles of real-life activist Eunice Paiva under the Brazilian dictatorship of the 1970s. Fernanda Torres plays Paiva as a steadfast, resilient wife and mother seeking answers about her politician husband's disappearance. Her mission spans decades, but her resolve remains.

*I'm Still Here* made history as the first Brazilian film to win the Oscar for Best International Feature and to be nominated for Best Picture. Torres also won a Golden Globe and scored an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. —*K.J.*

**Director:** Walter Salles

**Cast:** Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro

Lion (2016)

Nicole Kidman as Sue Brierley, David Wenham as John Brierley, and Sunny Pawar as Saroo in 'Lion'. Mark Rogers/Weinstein Co.

It took Saroo Brierley 25 years to find his birth family again, an extraordinary true story that the Indian businessman recounted in his autobiography, *A Long Way Home*, which was adapted to this powerful drama.

As the film depicts, Saroo (Sunny Pawar) accidentally got lost at age 5 and was unable to locate his village in India. Australian couple John (David Wenham) and Sue Brierley (Nicole Kidman) eventually adopted and raised him to adulthood, when he finally resumed his search.

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, *Lion* is a sensitively told story that wears its heart on its sleeve. —*K.J.*

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Garth Davis

**Cast:** Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman

Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

Matthew Lawrence as Chris Hillard, Lisa Jakub as Lydia Hillard, Robin Williams as Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire, Mara Wilson as Natalie Hillard, and Sally Field as Miranda Hillard in 'Mrs. Doubtfire'.

Courtesy Everett Collection

There will never be another Robin Williams. Just watch this family comedy favorite and you'll see the kind of raw commitment missing among today's stars.

Williams plays a divorced father who disguises himself as a elderly female housekeeper to spend time with his children. It's a wacky concept that could've gone very wrong (as most films from decades ago involving cross-dressing do), but Williams brings surprising nuance to his portrayal of a man desperate to reconnect with his family.

Props also go to Sally Field as his ex-wife, whose "The whole time?" line reading is truly one for the ages. —*K.J.*

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Chris Columbus

**Cast:** Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, Robert Prosky

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People We Meet on Vacation (2026)

Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex in 'People We Meet on Vacation'.

Daniel Escale/Netflix

As any fan of the genre knows, a good rom-com doesn't have to reinvent the wheel — it just has to be well-executed, with charming leads and clever writing.

Such is the case with *People We Meet on Vacation*, an adaptation of the best-selling Emily Henry novel of the same name, about an outgoing travel writer named Poppy (Emily Bader) and her relationship with her platonic best friend, Alex (Tom Blyth). Inspired by the friends-to-lovers dynamic of *When Harry Met Sally* (1989), the film largely succeeds in its aims due to Bader and Blyth's sizzling chemistry. —*K.J.*

**Director:** Brett Haley

**Cast:** Emily Bader, Tom Blyth

Rustin (2023)

(Left to right): Gus Halper as Tom, CCH Pounder as Dr. Anna Hedgeman, Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin, Melissa Rakiro as Yvette, Ayana Workman as Eleanor, Lilli Kay as Rochelle, and Jordan-Amanda Hall as Charlene in 'Rustin'.

While Martin Luther King Jr. is a household name, his advisor — Bayard Rustin, who taught him the principles of nonviolent protest — has historically slipped through the cracks. *Rustin* chronicles this unsung hero's efforts to mobilize the 1973 March on Washington while also holding his own amid public scrutiny of his sexuality.

Though this biopic follows a middle-of-the-road formula, Colman Domingo's Oscar-nominated portrayal of the gay civil rights activist is what truly sets the film apart. As EW's critic wrote, "Domingo infuses Rustin with a warmth and vibrancy that creates a performance of immense empathy." *—J.M.*

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** George C. Wolfe

**Cast:** Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Jeffrey Wright, Glynn Turman, CCH Pounder

Sing Street (2016)

Kyle Bradley Donaldson as 5th Former, Ben Carolan as Darren, Percy Chamburuka as Ngig, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Conor, Lucy Boynton as Raphina, Mark McKenna as Eamon, Conor Hamilton as Larry, and Karl Rice as Garry in 'Sing Street'.

The Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett Collection

Like many lovestruck teens, awkward 15-year-old Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) goes to great lengths to earn the affection of his aspiring model crush. That includes inviting her to star in a music video for his nonexistent band. To corroborate his trumped-up tale, Conor assembles a ragtag group of surprisingly talented misfits to create a Duran Duran-esque glam-rock ensemble.

Set in 1985 Dublin, *Sing Street* spins an earnest, multilayered story about taking control over your destiny. It was overshadowed by the same year's much-hyped *La La Land*, but, hey, it's never too late to give this sleeper movie musical's soundtrack a spin. —*J.M.*

**Director:** John Carney

**Cast:** Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Jack Reynor

Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)

Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson in 'Tick, Tick... Boom!'.

Macall Polay/Netflix

Yes, Andrew Garfield can sing. He even won a Golden Globe for it. From director Lin-Manuel Miranda, *Tick, Tick... Boom!* follows *Rent *creator Jonathan Larson (Garfield) as he struggles to make it as a composer in New York City.

The musical is described by EW's critic as “an exuberant ode to Larson and a tribute to anyone, especially those in the arts, who might be chasing big dreams.” *—M.C.*

**EW grade:** A–

**Director: **Lin-Manuel Miranda

**Cast: **Andrew Garfield, Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Bradley Whitford

Train Dreams (2025)

Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier in 'Train Dreams'.

Courtesy of Netflix

The passage of time weighs heavily on *Train Dreams* and its protagonist, Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a humble man living in the early 20th century. This adaptation of Denis Johnson's 2011 novella tracks Robert across various trials and tribulations as he works as a logger, experiences love and loss, and searches for his life’s purpose.

A profound meditation on the American experience, *Train Dreams* was universally hailed by critics as one of the best films of 2025, earning four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. —*K.J.*

**Director:** Clint Bentley

**Cast:** Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Clifton Collins Jr.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

Sunny Sandler as Stacy Friedman and Samantha Lorraine as Lydia Rodriguez Katz in 'You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah'.

Courtesy of Netflix

This comedy shows off Adam Sandler's daughters’ acting chops. Based on Fiona Rosenbloom's eponymous book, *You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah* follows best friends Stacy (Sunny Sandler) and Lydia (Samantha Lorraine), who dream of celebrating their bat mitzvahs together — though middle school drama and a boy threaten their friendship.

Now one of Sandler's highest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie oozes a sense of comfort and belonging. Much of this can be attributed to the Sandler family, as director Sammi Cohen explained to EW that they "have this way of really making everyone feel like family and feel at home." *—M.C*.

**Director: **Sammi Cohen

**Cast: **Adam Sandler, Jackie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Idina Menzel

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