The teen movie genre is one of the most popular with thousands of movies telling stories about the joys and pains of being a teenager. While the subject matter of these movies varies, most of them fall under the rom-com subgenre. That includes the gender-swapped remake of She’s All That and timeless classics like Pretty in Pink.
Most teen movies are both loved and hated for having clichés such as enemies turning to lovers, best friends becoming something more, or the good girl falling for the bad boy. While rom-coms dominate the genre, there are several gems with stories that go beyond teenage love and the hilarious mishaps that often come with it.
Do Revenge (2022)
Available On Netflix
Netflix’s newest teen black comedy might contain some background romance but this instant teen classic is far from a traditional romantic comedy. Drea (Camila Mendes) has had a nude video leaked by her boyfriend to the entire student body, while Eleanor (Maya Hawke) is still dealing with the fall out of being outted by a friend and made to seem like a predator. Together, the girls team up to get revenge on their bullies.
At it’s core, Do Revenge is all about the power of friendship and teen girl rage. Eleanor and Drea are two determined girls who will not sit by and let their reputations continue to be tarnished by untouchable people. While Drea and Eleanor aren’t traditional role models, the two are some of the best teen girl characters in movies.
Stick It (2006)
Available To Rent On Apple TV
Stick It is one of the most underrated teen movies that is written by a woman. It centers on Haley (Missy Peregrym) an extremely talented gymnast who left the sport on bad terms and indulged in her teenage angst and reckless side. After getting in trouble with the law, Haley finds herself back in the world of eleite gymnastics thought this time, she’s playing be her own rules.
The movie examines the problematic world of elite gymnastics, specifically in its outrageous and unfair scoring system. With the help of her friends and the rest of the gymnastics community, Haley sets out to prove that they’re all winners in their own way.
Unpregnant (2020)
Available On HBO Max
Unpregnant is one of the best female-led buddy comedy in recent years. The movie follows estranged best friends Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) and Bailey (Barbie Ferreira) as they go on a road trip from Missouri to New Mexico in order to obtain an abortion.
Veronica and Bailey are allowed to be messy and loud and authentically themselves which is a nice change from teen movies where teen girls are expected to be quiet and proper. In addition, the movie also comments on the changing world of abortion rights which is important.
The Cheetah Girls (2003)
Available On Disney+
Arguably one of the best Disney Channel Original Movies of all time, The Cheetah Girls focused on the power of female friendship over romantic love. Setting out to be the first freshman to win their high school talent show, the four friends get more than they wished for when they’re approached by a high profile music producer that wants to record with them.
At it’s core, The Cheetah Girls is about friendship, following your dreams, and examining when things might seem to good to be true. In addition, The Cheetah Girls is one of the most inclusive and diverse DCOMs to this day, making it easy for everyone to see themselves in it.
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)
Based on the novel of the same name, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time. Fresh out of a mental health care institution, Charlie (Logan Lerman) is anxious to start his freshman year by himself. Luckily, he befriends two outcast seniors who take him under his wing.
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower takes a very grounded approach to exploring teenage adolescence. It’s been hailed for not shying away from the deep issues and really exploring Charlie’s depression and past trauma. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it is a moving movie that will leave no dry eye in the room.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Available On Hulu
Fans of teen movies are familiar with The Breakfast Club, one of the top movies of the genre. The movie follows five teenagers with different personalities stuck together in detention. Over the course of their punishment, they get to know each other better and bond as they reveal things about themselves that no one else knows.
The confessional formula of the movie, lightened at times by elements of humor, works quite well here. The Breakfast Club has great characters, each with unique traits that anyone can relate to; from Claire (Molly Ringwald) who gives in to peer pressure because of her popularity to John (Judd Nelson) and his abusive parents.
The Harry Potter Series (2001-2011)
Available On Peacock
The Harry Potter franchise needs no introduction. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and other great characters who weren’t Harry Potter gained global popularity for their exploits and adventures through the world of magic crafted by J.K. Rowling before it hit the big screens.
The franchise explores many themes, from friendship and family to love and sacrifice. While people may not relate to the magical elements dominant in the movies, most are familiar with the core message and elements that hold the franchise together.
Freaky Friday (2003)
Freaky Friday might be a comedy film, but romance is a subtle theme in this feel-good teen movie. After Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and her mother, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) visit a restaurant where they get cryptic fortune cookies, the next morning they wake up in each other’s bodies. What follows is their hilarious attempts to navigate each other’s lives while looking for a way to switch back.
At its heart, Freaky Friday is a story about a mother and daughter who learn to love, appreciate, and support each other after they land in an odd situation. Between the laughs and giggles in the light-hearted film, there are heartwarming moments about family.
Whip It (2009)
Intrigued by the world of roller derby, Bliss Cavendar (Elliot Page) secretly joins a team and it changes her life in more ways than she could ever imagine. From her love life to her relationship with her parents and friends, Whip It whips up an exciting tale of a teen trying to have it all.
The movie received a fairly positive critical response and manages to escape the cliché of teen rom-coms by exploring other themes. While it’s still predictable in some parts, the Drew Barrymore directorial debut is refreshing enough to make an enjoyable watch.
The Hunger Games Trilogy (2012)
Available On Roku Channel
Based on the novels by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games trilogy is one of the most popular teen movies. The story starts with Katniss volunteering to compete in a brutal, nationally televised game to save her sister. Throughout the trilogy, the games change but the consequences remain deadly and the stakes get higher.
The trilogy ushered in the generation of dystopian teen movies that led to the success of similar YA novel adaptations. Even now, years after the release of the first in the franchise, The Hunger Games remains a popular favorite and inspiration for other stories.
Divergent (2014)
In the post-apocalyptic dystopian world of Divergent, society is divided into five factions according to their strengths and traits. Tris’ (Shailene Woodley) choice to switch to Dauntless from Abnegation leads to the discovery of a dangerous secret and sets off a deadly war.
Like the novels it’s based on by Veronica Roth, Divergent is a trilogy, although the franchise had a planned fourth movie that was later canceled. Though it has some light moments and a sweet love story between Four (Theo James) and Tris, the movie is as far from being a rom-com as any teen movie can get.
Before I Fall (2017)
Things change in the blink of an eye for Samantha (Zoey Deutch) in Before I Fall when she dies in a car crash. By some form of magic, she wakes up but her second chance at life has her reliving the same day. No matter what she does to avoid her death, there’s no escape from the time loop she’s stuck in until she digs deeper into the secrets of the people around her.
Like the show, Panic, the movie Before I Fall is based on a novel by Lauren Oliver and has a grim note from the beginning to the tragic end. Through Samantha’s story, the audience gets to see her navigate teenage life and go through some life-changing experiences.
The Hate U Give (2018)
Torn between two worlds, Starr (Amandla Stenberg) has to navigate teenage life in two different societies until her childhood best friend becomes the victim of racial profiling and is shot dead. His death pushes her to speak out against the injustice she witnessed and stand up for what’s right.
The Hate U Give handles the heavy subject of racism that many are, sadly, a victim of in a way that’s touching and inspiring. Steinberg’s performance here as she stands up for the truth while caught in between the two aspects of her life that are at war with each other is truly unmatched.
The Darkest Minds (2018)
Available On Tubi
Stenberg plays another revolutionary teen in The Darkest Minds, a dystopian film adaptation of a novel of the same name by Alexandra Bracken. This time, she’s one of many powerful young people who developed special abilities and are viewed as a threat by the government. After using her abilities to survive, she works with other special children like her to fight the people hunting them and take back their future.
As the name suggests, this is a dark one. Even though it’s a teen movie and leans heavily on sci-fi and fantasy aspects like some of the best fantasy TV shows, it captures the struggle of growing up, friendships, strained relationships, first love, and many other things that teen movies address. The ending of the movie left the story open for a sequel but no definite announcement has been made about whether that will happen.
A Week Away (2021)
A Week Away is a Christian musical teen movie that puts familiar storylines in a setting that’s mostly unique for the genre. The movie starts off with Will (Kevin Quinn) going to a summer camp to avoid juvie. When Will finds out it’s a Christian summer camp, he struggles with feeling out of place because of his past.
A lot of issues that teenagers face are addressed through the lives of the characters. The key message throughout the movie revolves around second chances. Overall, it’s a heartwarming story about a boy learning that he is not alone anymore in a world that’s taken everything from him.
