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In America at least, movie ratings have nothing to do with the law. Legally anybody and anyone can see movies not containing explicitly illegal content (child porn, etc) rated G to NC-17. Movie ratings were started as a self-check by the motion picture industry to protect the rights of filmmakers in making art while at the same time appeasing family groups and parents who want forewarning to the content of a movie. Movies have the option of not being rated by the MPAA to avoid stigma associated with certain ratings, such as Requiem for a Dream, which would have recieved an NC-17 rating, but theaters have the option to not screen these films, and usually do not.
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