The use of profanity in films has often been controversial, but has increased significantly in recent years.[1][2] The use of the word fuck in film drew particular criticism in 2005. The documentary Fuck dealt entirely with this phenomenon.[3] The word fuck is thought to be the vulgar term used most in American film.[4]
The 1927 Motion Picture Production Code, better known as the "Hays Code", banned the use of profanity outright.[5] It was not until 1968 that the Motion Picture Association of America established a system of ratings to use as a guide to determine the appropriateness of the film's content.[6] In 1970, M*A*S*H became the first American film to use the word fuck.[7]
The MPAA rating system typically assigns a PG-13 rating if a film contains the word used once not in the context of sex.[8] The R rating is normally required if the film contains more than one utterance or if the word is used in a sexual context. However, there are exceptions to this rule. In some cases, filmmakers appealed the rating because their target audience might avoid an R-rated film. Censors have been more lenient about the word in films that portray historical events.[8] The ratings system is voluntary; there is no legal requirement that filmmakers submit their movies to be rated.[6]
This is a list of non-pornographic, English-language feature films containing at least 150 spoken uses of the word fuck (or one of its derivatives), ordered by the number of such uses.
Film | Year | Count | Running time (minutes) |
Rate (per minute) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swearnet: The Movie | 2014 | 935[a] | 112 | 8.35 | [9] |
Fuck (documentary) | 2005 | 857[b] | 93 | 9.21 | [10][11] |
The Wolf of Wall Street | 2013 | 569[c] | 180 | 3.16 | [12][13] |
Uncut Gems | 2019 | 560 | 135 | 4.15 | [14][15] |
Christmas Bloody Christmas | 2022 | 487 | 87 | 5.60 | [16] |
The Outpost | 2019 | 445 | 123 | 3.53 | [17] |
Summer of Sam | 1999 | 435 | 142 | 3.06 | [18] |
Nil by Mouth | 1997 | 428 | 128 | 3.34 | [19] |
Casino | 1995 | 422 | 178 | 2.37 | [20] |
Straight Outta Compton | 2015 | 392 | 167 | 2.35 | [21] |
Alpha Dog | 2006 | 367 | 117 | 3.14 | [22] |
Starred Up | 2013 | 337 | 106 | 3.18 | [23] |
End of Watch | 2012 | 326 | 109 | 2.99 | [24] |
This Is the End | 2013 | 323 | 107 | 3.01 | [25] |
State Property | 2002 | 321 | 88 | 3.65 | [26] |
One Day Removals | 2008 | 320 | 85 | 3.76 | [27] |
Twin Town | 1997 | 318 | 99 | 3.21 | [28] |
Running Scared | 2006 | 315 | 122 | 2.58 | [29] |
Sweet Sixteen | 2002 | 313 | 106 | 2.95 | [27] |
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat | 2002 | 311 | 113 | 2.75 | [30] |
Goon: Last of the Enforcers | 2017 | 308 | 101 | 3.04 | [31] |
Menace II Society | 1993 | 305 | 97 | 3.14 | [32] |
Goodfellas | 1990 | 300 | 146 | 2.05 | [33] |
Narc | 2002 | 297 | 105 | 2.83 | [34] |
Harsh Times | 2006 | 296 | 116 | 2.55 | [35] |
Another Day in Paradise | 1998 | 291 | 101 | 2.88 | [36] |
Made | 2001 | 291 | 94 | 3.10 | [37] |
Pride and Glory | 2008 | 291 | 130 | 2.24 | [38] |
Wheelman | 2017 | 286 | 82 | 3.49 | [39] |
Small Engine Repair | 2021 | 281 | 103 | 2.73 | [40] |
The Big Lebowski | 1998 | 281 | 117 | 2.40 | [41][42] |
Dirty | 2005 | 280 | 97 | 2.89 | [43] |
Jarhead | 2005 | 278 | 123 | 2.26 | [44] |
Cherry | 2021 | 276 | 140 | 1.97 | [45] |
Bully | 2001 | 274 | 114 | 2.40 | [46] |
Goat | 2016 | 271 | 96 | 2.82 | [47] |
State Property 2 | 2005 | 271 | 94 | 2.88 | [48] |
Brooklyn's Finest | 2010 | 270 | 132 | 2.04 | [49] |
Reservoir Dogs | 1992 | 269 | 99 | 2.72 | [50] |
Pulp Fiction | 1994 | 265 | 154 | 1.72 | [51] |
I'm Still Here | 2010 | 250 | 106 | 2.36 | [52] |
The Departed | 2006 | 249 | 151 | 1.65 | [53] |
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | 2001 | 248 | 104 | 2.38 | [54] |
Malcolm & Marie | 2021 | 247 | 106 | 2.33 | [55] |
Do the Right Thing | 1989 | 240 | 120 | 2.00 | [56] |
Free Fire | 2016 | 240 | 90 | 2.67 | [57] |
The Boondock Saints | 1999 | 239 | 108 | 2.21 | [58] |
Empire | 2002 | 236 | 90 | 2.62 | [59] |
Black Mass | 2015 | 234 | 123 | 1.90 | [60] |
True Romance | 1993 | 234 | 118 | 1.98 | [61] |
State of Grace | 1990 | 234 | 134 | 1.75 | [62] |
Resolution | 2012 | 231 | 93 | 2.48 | [63] |
Goon | 2011 | 231 | 92 | 2.51 | [64] |
Infamous | 2020 | 230 | 100 | 2.30 | [65] |
My Name Is Joe | 1998 | 230 | 105 | 2.19 | [66] |
Gridlock'd | 1997 | 227 | 91 | 2.49 | [67] |
Kid Cannabis | 2014 | 226 | 109 | 2.07 | [68] |
The Devil's Rejects | 2005 | 224 | 109 | 2.06 | [69] |
Eddie Murphy Raw | 1987 | 223 | 90 | 2.48 | [70] |
Suicide Kings | 1997 | 222 | 106 | 2.09 | [71] |
Snack Shack | 2024 | 220 | 112 | 1.96 | [72] |
Zack and Miri Make a Porno | 2008 | 219 | 102 | 2.15 | [73] |
30 Minutes or Less | 2011 | 218 | 83 | 2.63 | [74] |
Black and White | 1999 | 215 | 98 | 2.19 | [75] |
Abigail | 2024 | 214 | 109 | 1.96 | [76] |
American History X | 1998 | 214 | 119 | 1.80 | [77] |
The Original Kings of Comedy | 2000 | 213 | 115 | 1.85 | [78] |
Hot Tub Time Machine | 2010 | 212 | 99 | 2.14 | [79] |
Red Rocket | 2021 | 212 | 128 | 1.65 | [80] |
All Eyez on Me | 2017 | 210 | 140 | 1.50 | [81] |
Layer Cake | 2004 | 210 | 105 | 2.00 | [82] |
Monument Ave. | 1998 | 210 | 93 | 2.26 | [83] |
Scarface | 1983 | 207 | 170 | 1.22 | [84] |
Everybody Wants Some!! | 2016 | 204 | 116 | 1.75 | [85] |
Spun | 2002 | 203 | 101 | 2.01 | [86] |
Fair Play | 2023 | 201 | 113 | 1.78 | [87] |
8 Mile | 2002 | 200 | 110 | 1.82 | [88] |
22 Jump Street | 2014 | 200 | 112 | 1.79 | [89] |
A Bronx Tale | 1993 | 200 | 120 | 1.67 | [90] |
Dysfunktional Family | 2003 | 200 | 89 | 2.25 | [91] |
The Underdoggs | 2024 | 200 | 96 | 2.08 | [92] |
Foolish | 1999 | 200 | 97 | 2.06 | [93] |
Skin | 2019 | 200 | 110 | 1.82 | [94] |
I Got the Hook-Up | 1998 | 197 | 93 | 2.12 | [95] |
Born on the Fourth of July | 1989 | 196 | 145 | 1.35 | [96] |
Sabotage | 2014 | 196 | 109 | 1.80 | [97] |
Bodies Bodies Bodies | 2022 | 194 | 95 | 2.04 | [98] |
Killing Them Softly | 2012 | 193 | 97 | 1.99 | [99] |
Next Day Air | 2009 | 193 | 84 | 2.30 | [100] |
Overnight | 2003 | 191 | 82 | 2.33 | [101] |
Good Time | 2017 | 190 | 101 | 1.88 | [102] |
Magnolia | 1999 | 190 | 188 | 1.01 | [103] |
Ten Benny[d] | 1996 | 190 | 108 | 1.76 | [104] |
Monster | 2003 | 187 | 109 | 1.72 | [105] |
Belly | 1998 | 186 | 92 | 2.02 | [106] |
Hustle & Flow | 2005 | 186 | 116 | 1.60 | [107] |
Clockers | 1995 | 185 | 128 | 1.45 | [108] |
Get Rich or Die Tryin' | 2005 | 185 | 117 | 1.58 | [109] |
The Wall | 2017 | 185 | 88 | 2.10 | [110] |
Bad Santa 2 | 2016 | 180 | 92 | 1.96 | [111] |
Strays | 2023 | 180 | 93 | 1.95 | [112] |
Chopper | 2000 | 179 | 94 | 1.90 | [113] |
Bodied | 2017 | 179 | 121 | 1.48 | [114] |
Flawless | 1999 | 178 | 112 | 1.59 | [115] |
Silk Road | 2021 | 177 | 112 | 1.58 | [116] |
Slam | 1998 | 176 | 100 | 1.76 | [117] |
Superbad | 2007 | 176 | 113 | 1.56 | [118] |
Pineapple Express | 2008 | 175 | 112 | 1.56 | [119] |
Trainspotting | 1996 | 175 | 95 | 1.84 | [120] |
Poetic Justice | 1993 | 175 | 109 | 1.60 | [121] |
Project X | 2012 | 175 | 88 | 1.99 | [122] |
Human Traffic | 1999 | 174 | 99 | 1.76 | [123] |
Bad Santa | 2003 | 173 | 91 | 1.90 | [124] |
Tigerland | 2000 | 173 | 101 | 1.71 | [125] |
Old Dads | 2023 | 173 | 104 | 1.66 | [126] |
Donnie Brasco | 1997 | 172 | 127 | 1.35 | [127] |
Coffee & Kareem | 2020 | 171 | 88 | 1.94 | [128] |
Mid90s | 2018 | 171 | 85 | 2.01 | [129] |
Backstage | 2000 | 170 | 86 | 1.98 | [130] |
Dolemite Is My Name | 2019 | 169 | 118 | 1.43 | [131] |
Grindhouse | 2007 | 169 | 191 | 0.88 | [132] |
Killerman | 2019 | 169 | 112 | 1.51 | [133] |
Neighbors | 2014 | 169 | 97 | 1.74 | [134] |
The Commitments | 1991 | 169 | 118 | 1.43 | [135] |
Four Rooms | 1995 | 168 | 98 | 1.71 | [136] |
Contraband | 2012 | 167 | 111 | 1.50 | [137] |
Death of a Dynasty | 2003 | 167 | 92 | 1.82 | [138] |
War Dogs | 2016 | 166 | 114 | 1.47 | [139] |
Studio 666 | 2022 | 166 | 106 | 1.57 | [140] |
Babylon | 2022 | 165 | 188 | 0.88 | [141] |
District 9 | 2009 | 165 | 112 | 1.47 | [142] |
Gang Related | 1997 | 165 | 110 | 1.50 | [143] |
Wrath of Man | 2021 | 165 | 119 | 1.39 | [144] |
Boogie Nights | 1997 | 164 | 155 | 1.06 | [145] |
Crank: High Voltage | 2009 | 164 | 96 | 1.71 | [146] |
Blood In Blood Out[e] | 1993 | 163 | 190 | 0.86 | [147] |
The 51st State[f] | 2001 | 163 | 92 | 1.77 | [148] |
21 & Over | 2013 | 162 | 93 | 1.74 | [149] |
Sausage Party | 2016 | 162 | 89 | 1.82 | [150] |
The Grey | 2012 | 161 | 117 | 1.38 | [151] |
Lone Survivor | 2013 | 161 | 121 | 1.33 | [152] |
Dirty Grandpa | 2016 | 160 | 102 | 1.57 | [153] |
Assassination Nation | 2018 | 160 | 108 | 1.48 | [154] |
Sorry to Bother You | 2018 | 160 | 112 | 1.43 | [155] |
Platoon | 1986 | 159 | 120 | 1.33 | [156] |
Snatch | 2000 | 159 | 102 | 1.56 | [157] |
The Heat | 2013 | 158 | 117 | 1.35 | [158] |
Blue Collar | 1978 | 158 | 114 | 1.39 | [159] |
Colors | 1988 | 157 | 120 | 1.31 | [160] |
Dead Presidents | 1995 | 157 | 119 | 1.32 | [161] |
Copshop | 2021 | 157 | 107 | 1.47 | [162] |
Magic Mike | 2012 | 156 | 110 | 1.42 | [163] |
The Place Beyond the Pines | 2012 | 156 | 140 | 1.13 | [164] |
That's My Boy | 2012 | 156 | 114 | 1.37 | [165] |
Fist Fight | 2017 | 155 | 91 | 1.70 | [166] |
Intermission | 2003 | 155 | 102 | 1.52 | [167] |
Legend | 2015 | 155 | 131 | 1.18 | [168] |
The Town | 2010 | 155 | 124 | 1.25 | [169] |
The Blair Witch Project | 1999 | 154 | 81 | 1.90 | [170] |
Funny People | 2009 | 154 | 146 | 1.05 | [171] |
Good Will Hunting | 1997 | 154 | 126 | 1.22 | [172] |
Notorious | 2009 | 154 | 123 | 1.25 | [173] |
Bad Boys II | 2003 | 153 | 147 | 1.04 | [174] |
Boiler Room | 2000 | 153 | 120 | 1.28 | [175] |
The Fighter | 2010 | 152 | 116 | 1.31 | [176] |
All About the Benjamins | 2002 | 151 | 98 | 1.54 | [177] |
Ash Wednesday | 2002 | 151 | 99 | 1.53 | [178] |
In the Name of the Father | 1993 | 151 | 133 | 1.13 | [179] |
Smokin' Stogies | 2001 | 151 | 98 | 1.54 | [180] |
Soul Men | 2008 | 151 | 100 | 1.51 | [181] |
All Day and a Night | 2020 | 150 | 121 | 1.24 | [182] |
American Honey | 2016 | 150 | 163 | 0.92 | [183] |
Clerks II | 2006 | 150 | 97 | 1.55 | [184] |
Hoffa | 1992 | 150 | 140 | 1.07 | [185] |
Patriots Day | 2016 | 150 | 133 | 1.15 | [186] |
The Night Before | 2015 | 150 | 101 | 1.49 | [187] |
The f-bomb is unleashed a reported 935 times
it is heard no fewer than 857 times
Anybody expecting protective bleeps will suffer lethally seared eardrums within minutes of tuning in; the program shatters all existing records of F-word usage with 857 gloriously stereophonic examples.
we came up with different numbers: Slate's 544 to my 569
In fact, it might be more profane: I counted a whopping 544 F-bombs
487 f-words
The fictional characters go on with their lives, which mainly seem to involve having sex, disco dancing and saying the word fuck. According to a Christian parenting website, which devotes itself to itemising such things, this word is said 435 times in Summer of Sam.
At least 428 "f" words
At least 367 "f" words
About 326 F-words and its derivatives
323 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 13 instances that are preceded by "mother."
State Property, the 2002 urban gangster flick produced by rapper Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Films, which tops the per-minute use at a glorious 3.65 f-bombs per minute.
One Day Removals uses the F word more than 320 times, the most ever in a Scottish-made film. Mark Stirton's black comedy beats the current Scottish record holder, Sweet Sixteen by Ken Loach, which uses the F word and variations 313 times. EDIT - This is incorrect, I was a Producer (Kerwin Robertson) on the film and starred in it as the guy that gets a hook through his eye. We have 440 F words in the film, we had to count them all to see if we could get a BBFC rating, which turned out to be mega expensive, so we self rated the film an 18.
At least 318 "f" words
At least 311 "f" words
At least 308 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 3 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (300)
F-word (297)
At least 296 "f" words
At least 291 "f" words
F-word (291)
At least 291 "f" words
F-word (280)
At least 278 "f" words
F-Word (274)
271 uses of the "f" word, including 18 instances that are preceded by "mother".
At least 271 "f" words
At least 270 "f" words
F-word (269)
F-word-(265)
More than 250 obscenities
249 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 8 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (248)
247 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including at least 6 instances that are preceded by "mother."
(240 f-bombs)
About 240 F-words and its derivatives
F-word (239)
F-word (236)
At least 234 "f" words
F-word (234)
F-word (234)
231 F-words
About 231 F-words and its derivatives
At least 230 f-words
At least 230 "f" words
At least 227 "f" words
At least 226 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 5 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (224)
F-word (223)
F-word (222)
220 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 1 instance preceded by "mother."
At least 219 "f" words
About 218 F-words and its derivatives
At least 215 "f" words
About 214 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 10 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (214)
F-word (213)
At least 212 "f" words
212 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 16 instances that are preceded by "mother."
About 210 f-words
F-word (210)
At least 210 f-words
F-word (207)
At least 204 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 2 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (203)
About 201 F-words and its derivatives
At least 200 "f" words
Nearly 200 f-words
F-word (200)
At least 200 "f" words
The f-word is used more than 200 times, including nearly 70 instances which are preceded by "mother."
At least 200 "f" words
Nearly 200 f-words
At least 197 "f" words
F-word (196)
At least 196 "f" words
194 sexual expletives
At least 193 "f" words
At least 193 "f" words
F-word (191)
About 190 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 5 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (190)
About 190 F-words
F-word (187)
At least 186 "f" words
F-word (186)
F-word 185
F-word (185)
About 185 f-words
About 180 F-words and its derivatives
The f-word is used at least 180 times, including about 15 instances that are preceded by "mother."
Number of F-words used: 179
F-word (178)
About 177 F-words and its derivatives.
At least 176 "f" words
At least 176 "f" words
At least 175 "f" words
Number of F-words used: 175
f-word 175+
About 175 F-words and its derivatives
F-word 174
F-word (173)
profanities F-173
173 F-words and its derivatives
F-word (172)
About 171 F-words and its derivatives
About 171 F-words and its derivatives
At least 170 "f" words
About 169 F-words and its derivatives
At least 169 "f" words
About 169 F-words and its derivatives
169 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 4 instances that are preceded by "mother."
F-word (169)
F-word (168)
167 F-words and its derivatives
There are 166 uses of extreme profanity
We hear roughly 165 uses of the f-word
Number of F-words used: 165
there are at least 165 "f" words
165 uses of the f-word
At least 164 "f" words
f-word 163
At least 163 "f" words
About 162 F-words and its derivatives
At least 162 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 11 instances that are preceded by "mother."
About 161 F-words
At least 161 "f" words
At least 160 F-words and its derivatives
At least 160 F-words
At least 160 F-words and its derivatives
F-word (159)
F-word (159)
About 158 F-words
F-word 157
F-word 157
There are 157 extreme profanities
About 156 F-words and its derivatives
At least 156 uses of the "f" word and its derivatives, including 3 instances that are preceded by "mother."
At least 156 "f" words
155 F-bombs and its derivatives
F-word (155)
At least 155 "f" words
At least 155 "f" words
F-word (154)
At least 154 "f" words
F-word (154)
At least 154 "f" words
F-word (153)
At least 153 "f" words
152 uses of the F-word, including 1 instance preceded by 'mother'.
At least 151 "f" words
F-word (151)
F-word (151)
F-word (151)
At least 151 "f" words
About 150 hundred F-words and derivatives
About 150 F-words and its derivatives
About 150 f-words
F-word (150)
At least 150 "f" words
At least 150 F-words and its derivatives
The record was verified in London, UK, on 12 September 2014.
When all is said and done, the word Fuck is used 629 times in the film.