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Teen movies, teen romance movies, and anything involving a retro American high school will always be our favourite genre of film. Chuck a jock and an outcast who have a blossoming romance (oh hey She’s All That) in our direction or some teenage girls with an attitude problem (forever in our hearts, Mean Girls), and we’ll be happy.
And that’s before you even get to the whole genre of Netflix originals, that have basically taken centre stage on our Sunday mornings. They always seem to feature Noah Centineo (The Perfect Date, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, P.S. I Love You…) or feel a little weepy. Here are 63 of the best teen movies for your next night in, which is basically all that we seem to be doing right now. Enjoy!
1
Best teen movies – All The Bright Places
What iMDB say: The story of Violet and Theodore, who meet and change each other’s lives forever. As they struggle with the emotional and physical scars of their past, they discover that even the smallest places and moments can mean something.
What we say: When two students are paired together on a school project, they connect in a way no one was expecting.
2
Best teen movies – Enolma Holmes
What iMDB say: When Enola Holmes, Sherlock’s teen sister, discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.
What we say: Sherlock’s sister gets her own moment in the spotlight (sans silly hat, though.)
3
Best teen movies – Five Feet Apart
What iMDB say: A pair of teenagers with cystic fibrosis meet in a hospital and fall in love, though their disease means they must avoid close physical contact.
What we say: A bit like A Fault In Our Stars, but starring Cole Sprouse.
4
Best teen movies – The New Mutants
What iMDB say: Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.
What we say: With an all-star cast (Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton) and all the sci-fi vibes, this is one for Marvel fans.
5
Best teen movies – The Prom
What iMDB say: A troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theatre stars swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.
What we say: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Kerry Washington… need we say more?
6
Best teen movies – The Perfect Date
What iMDB say: To save up for college, Brooks Rattigan creates an app where anyone can pay him to play the perfect stand-in boyfriend for any occasion.
What we say: Noah Centineo’s back in another Netflix original. This one involves his character Brook setting up an app and becoming a date-for-hire.
7
Best teen movies – Let It Snow
What iMDB say: In a small town on Christmas Eve, a snowstorm brings together a group of young people.
What we say: So what if this is a Christmas film? Sometimes all you need is a little bit of festive teen joy.
8
Best teen movies – The Kissing Booth 2
What iMDB say: High school senior Elle juggles a long-distance relationship with her dreamy boyfriend Noah, college applications, and a new friendship with a handsome classmate that could change everything.
What we say: The second instalment in The Kissing Booth franchise – and there’s a third!
9
Teen movies – Lady Bird
iMDb say: “In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.”
We say: Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan and Beanie Felstein, star, while Greta Gertwig directs. There really is nothing not to like.
10
Teen movies – To All The Boys: PS I Still Love You
iMDb say: “Lara Jean and Peter have just taken their relationship from pretend to officially official when another recipient of one of her old love letters enters the picture.”
We say: A very very worthy follow up featuring Noah Centineo and Lana Condor. We’re big fans.
11
Best teen movies – Dumplin’
What iMDB say: Willowdean (‘Dumplin’), the plus-size teenage daughter of a former beauty queen, signs up for her mum’s Miss Teen Bluebonnet pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionising the pageant and their small Texas town.
What we say: A heartwarming questioning of the idealised beauty standards.
12
Best teen movies – What A Girl Wants
What iMDB say: An American teenager learns that her father is a wealthy British politician running for office. Although she is eager to find him, she realises it could cause a scandal and cost him the election.
What we say: Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth at their finest (ahem).
13
Teen movies – Booksmart
iMDb say: “On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realise they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.”
We say: Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Felstein take you on a wild night out on the eve of their graduation, and boy is it a hilarious ride.
14
Teen movies – Call Me My Your Name
iMDb say: “In 1980s Italy, romance blossoms between a seventeen-year-old student and the older man hired as his father’s research assistant.”
We say: This one will hit you right in the feels.
15
Teen movies – Little Women
iMDb say: “Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.”
We say: So good we could watch it on repeat.
16
Teen movies – 10 Things I Hate About You
iMDb say: “A pretty, popular teenager can’t go out on a date until her ill-tempered older sister does.”
We say: We will never not love this movie, and Heath Ledger.
17
Teen movies – Legally Blonde
iMDb say: “Elle Woods, a fashionable sorority queen is dumped by her boyfriend. She decides to follow him to law school, while she is there she figures out that there is more to her than just looks.”
We say: What’s better? IT’S BACK FOR ANOTHER MOVIE.
18
Teen movies – Mean Girls
iMDb say: “Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.”
We say: It’s the number one teen movie, isn’t it?
You can watch Mean Girls on NOW TV.
19
Teen movies – She’s The Man
iMDb say: “When her brother decides to ditch for a couple weeks, Viola heads over to his elite boarding school, disguised as him, and proceeds to fall for one of his soccer teammates, and soon learns she’s not the only one with romantic troubles.”
We say: The tampon up the nose scene is ICONIC.
20
Teen movies – LOL
iMDb say: “As a new year at school begins, Lola’s heart is broken by her boyfriend, though soon she’s surprised by her best friend, promising musician Kyle, who reveals his feelings for her.”
We say: Miley Cyrus and Douglas Booth are our dream duo.
21
Teen movies – Wild Child
iMDb say: “A rebellious Malibu princess is shipped off to a strict English boarding school by her father.”
We say: St Trinian’s meets Gossip Girl.
22
Teen movies – To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
iMDb say: “A teenage girl’s secret love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her love life. “
We say: Are we allowed to call it a modern classic? It’s a modern classic.
You can watch To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix.
23
Teen movies – Juno
iMDb say: “Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.”
We say: It will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.
24
Teen movies – The Princess Diaries
iMDb say: “Mia Thermopolis has just found out that she is the heir apparent to the throne of Genovia. With her friends Lilly and Michael Moscovitz in tow, she tries to navigate through the rest of her sixteenth year.”
We say: Still waiting for us transformation, tbh.
25
Teen movies – Clueless
iMDb say: “A rich high school student tries to boost a new pupil’s popularity, but reckons without affairs of the heart getting in the way.”
We say: Would trade lives with Cher Horowitz tbh.
26
Teen movies – Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
iMDb say: “The story centres on a 14-year-old girl who keeps a diary about the ups and downs of being a teenager, including the things she learns about kissing.”
We say: Robbie from The Stiff Dylans was the ultimate high school crush.
You can watch Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging on NOW TV.
27
Teen movies – Easy A
iMDb say: “A clean-cut high school student relies on the school’s rumour mill to advance her social and financial standing.”
We say: Question: how do we get to be Emma Stone please?
28
Teen movies – Step Up
iMDb say: “Tyler Gage receives the opportunity of a lifetime after vandalizing a performing arts school, gaining him the chance to earn a scholarship and dance with an up and coming dancer, Nora.”
We say: It was on the set of this movie that Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan met. That’s all you need to know.
29
Teen movies – The Fault In Our Stars
iMDb say: “Two teenage cancer patients begin a life-affirming journey to visit a reclusive author in Amsterdam.”
We say: Bring a box of tissues. And then bring another one.
30
Teen movies – The Breakfast Club
iMDb say: “Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.”
We say: A cult classic about finding friendship, even when you weren’t expecting it.
31
Teen movies – The Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants
iMDb say: “Four best girlfriends hatch a plan to stay connected with one another as their lives start off in different directions: they pass around a pair of secondhand jeans that fits each of their bodies perfectly.”
We say: Heart-warming and ridiculous in equal measure – that’s what makes a good teen movie, right?
32
Teen movies – The Miseducation of Cameron Post
iMDb say: “In 1993, a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy centre by her conservative guardians.”
We say: Touching, and Chloe Grace Moretz is brilliant.
33
Teen movies – The Bling Ring
iMDb say: “Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities’ whereabouts in order to rob their homes.”
We say: A hidden gem for one of those really hungover Sundays.
34
Teen movies – Superbad
iMDb say: “Two co-dependent high school seniors are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry.”
We say: Between Jonah Hill, Seth Rogan and McLovin’, the giggling will be real.
35
Teen movies – 13 Going On 30
iMDb say: “A girl makes a wish on her thirteenth birthday, and wakes up the next day as a thirty-year-old woman.”
We say: Like Tom Hank’s Big, but better.
36
Teen movies – A Cinderella Story
iMDb say: “Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, the downtrodden Sam Montgomery is excited about the prospect of meeting her Internet beau at the school’s Halloween dance.”
We say: We’re still hot for Chad Michael Murray, and not even sorry about it.
37
Teen movies – Bring It On
iMDb say: “A champion high school cheerleading squad discovers its previous captain stole all their best routines from an inner-city school and must scramble to compete at this year’s championships.”
We say: The epitome of high school movie.
38
Teen movies – Honey
iMDb say: “Honey is a sexy, tough music video choreographer who shakes up her life after her mentor gives her an ultimatum: sleep with him or be blacklisted within their industry.”
We say: WHAT. A. MOVIE. Jessica Alba is a babe, and Missy Elliott a queen.
39
Teen movies – Pretty In Pink
iMDb say: “A poor girl must choose between the affections of dating her childhood sweetheart or a rich but sensitive playboy.”/p>
We say: It’s full of classic one liners, and a great soundtrack.
You can watch Pretty In Pink on NOW TV.
40
Teen movies – Heathers
iMDb say: “In order to get out of the snobby clique that is destroying her good-girl reputation, an intelligent teen teams up with a dark sociopath in a plot to kill the cool kids.”
We say: Yeah, it sounds pretty creepy, but a dark high school movie is the type of stuff we live for.
41
Teen movies – Paper Towns
iMDb say: “After an all-night adventure, Quentin’s lifelong crush, Margo, disappears, leaving behind clues that Quentin and his friends follow on the journey of a lifetime.”
We say: John Green’s second novel-turned-movie is a cracker, featuring Cara Delevingne.
42
Teen movies – Lady Bird
iMDb say: “In 2002, an artistically inclined seventeen-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.”
We say: iMDb’s description doesn’t half describe the intricacies of how much this film will give you the feels.
43
Teen movies – Chalet Girl
iMDb say: “Former skateboard champion Kim wants to make more money after her mother’s tragic death. She joins the elite posh servicing company, which sends her off to Austria.”
We say: Holiday romance inspo forever.
44
Teen movies – The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
iMDb say: “An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world”
We say: Brilliant cast, even better storyline.
45
Teen movies – She’s All That
iMDb say: “A high school jock makes a bet that he can turn an unattractive girl into the school’s prom queen.”
We say: Yes the plot is outdated, but the jock/outcast romance storyline is such a guilty pleasure.
46
Teen movies – The Lizzie McGuire Movie
iMDb say: “Lizzie McGuire has graduated from middle school and takes a trip to Rome, Italy with her class. And what was supposed to be only a normal trip, becomes a teenager’s dream come true.”
We say: Oh GOD we wished we were Lizzie McGuire (still do tbh).
47
Teen movies – Good Will Hunting
iMDb say: “Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.”
We say: A young Matt Damon and Robin Williams is the ultimate joyful high school movie.
48
Teen movies – DUDE
iMDb say: “A group of teenage girlfriends deal with life after high school.”
We say: This Netflix original follows best friends navigating the last few weeks of school, and life beyond.
49
Teen movies – Save The Last Dance
iMDb say: “A white midwestern girl moves to Chicago, where her new boyfriend is a black teen from the South Side with a rough, semi-criminal past.”
We say: Between this, Honey and Step Up, can you tell we love a movie that features dancing?
50
Teen movies – Dead Poets Society
iMDb say: “English teacher John Keating inspires his students to look at poetry with a different perspective of authentic knowledge and feelings.”
We say: It’s a tearjerker, and also made us appreciate every good teacher we ever had.
51
Teen movies – Pitch Perfect
iMDb say: “Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school’s all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.”
We say: “Anything that features singing, we’re in.”
52
Teen movies – 17 Again
iMDb say: “Mike O’Donnell is ungrateful for how his life turned out. He gets a chance to rewrite his life when he tried to save a janitor near a bridge and jumped after him into a time vortex.”
We say: OK so anything with Zac Efron in is an excellent teen movie, basically.
53
Teen movies – High School Musical
iMDb say: “A popular high school athlete and an academically gifted girl get roles in the school musical and develop a friendship that threatens East High’s social order.”
We say: Troy Bolton, setting unrealistic expectations for men since 2006.
You can watch High School Musical on NOW TV.
54
Teen movies – Grease
iMDb say: “Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?”
We say: It’s the best ever selling movie musical for a reason.
55
Teen movies – Submarine
iMDb say: “15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: To lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.”
We say: Alex Turner from Arctic Monkeys did the soundtrack, so do you need to know any more?
56
Teen movies – Love, Simon
iMDb say: “Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends, and all of his classmates: he’s gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.”
We say: So heartwarming it hurts.
57
Teen movies – The Edge Of Seventeen
iMDb say: “High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.”
We say: It’s a pretty crap situation for Hailee Steinfeld’s character, to be fair.
58
Teen movies – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
iMDb say: “A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite what the Principal thinks of that.”
We say: We should all be a little bit more like Ferris Bueller.
59
Teen movies – The Kissing Booth
iMDb say: “A high school student is forced to confront her secret crush at a kissing booth.”
We say: It’s on Netflix, which makes it easily accessible, so there’s that.
60
Teen movies – John Tucker Must Die
iMDb say: “Three ex-girlfriends of a serial cheater set up their former lover to fall for the new girl in town so they can watch him get his heart broken.”
We say: Our rom-com-teen-high-school-loving hearts are so into this movie.
61
Teen movies – The DUFF
iMDb say: “A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF – Designated Ugly Fat Friend – by her prettier, more popular counterparts.”
We say: While you might feel dubious about the title of the movie, this is a heartwarming, more-than-surface-deep movie.
62
Teen movies – Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
iMDb say: “High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.”
We say: So heartwrenchingly worth watching.
63
Teen movies – Freaky Friday
iMDb say: “An overworked mother and her daughter do not get along. When they switch bodies, each is forced to adapt to the other’s life for one freaky Friday. “
We say: Lindsay Lohan is the queen of teen movies. Don’t @ me.
Senior Entertainment & Lifestyle Writer
Dusty Baxter-Wright is Cosmopolitan’s Senior Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer, covering celebrities, movies, TV and books as well as travel, interiors, food and drink on a daily basis.
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