The film stars Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, a shy 16-year-old who is constantly mocked and bullied at school.

Language, implied off-screen sexual activity and the cruelty of the early bullying scenes kept the film out of the AA category (over 14s) and placed it in the higher X certificate (over 18s), although the examiner report observes 'it would be a perfect film for a 16-year-old-category'.