The teen genre is a favorite of Hollywood. Although it might seem superficial or immature at first sight, the teen genre is actually more compelling and intricate than some give it credit for. Since the mid-50s, many filmmakers have used it to explore the uncertainty of life, the search for identity, and the ever-changing nature of love.
Since the genre exploded in the mid-1980s, Hollywood has churned out teen content almost non-stop. The 21st century has produced many acclaimed teen movies, many of which have already become iconic parts of pop culture and film history. From Lady Bird to Mean Girls, these films represent the best the teen genre offered in the new millennium.
10 ‘Booksmart’ (2019)
Olivia Wilde‘s feature film debut, Booksmart, starred Kaitlin Dever and Beanie Feldstein. The film follows two seniors on the last day of school, looking to break the rules and get the high school experience they missed. The supporting cast includes Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis.
Booksmart is clever and refreshing, a considerable feat considering the relative commonality of teen movies in the modern cinematic landscape. However, the film offers an insightful and intelligent approach to adolescence, thanks to a hilarious and relatable screenplay brought to life by two of Hollywood’s most promising talents.
9 ‘Thoroughbreds’ (2017)
Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke star in the dark comedy teen thriller Thoroughbreds. The plot follows two childhood friends who reconnect in adolescence and hatch a plan to improve their lives by going to extreme lengths. The late Anton Yelchin co-stars in a major supporting role.
Wickedly clever, witty, and ruthless, Thoroughbreds is among the best comedy thrillers of the 21st century. Subverting audiences’ expectations with a twisty and unforgiving screenplay, Thoroughbreds provides its talented leads with a sharp story that offers new insights into the nature of friendship.
8 ‘The Hate U Give’ (2018)
Based on the 2017 eponymous novel, The Hate U Give centers on a Black student reconciling her beliefs and place within a private school after witnessing a school shooting. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Anthony Mackie, KJ Apa, and Common.
The Hate U Give deftly handles thorny subjects to craft a nuanced and deeply affecting portrayal of identity. Dealing with issues like race relations and police brutality with empathy, delicacy, and unflinching determination, The Hate U Give is a gritty and raw portrayal of the more tumultuous side of adolescence, elevated by an astounding performance from Stenberg.
7 ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ (2016)
Academy Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld stars in the 2016 coming-of-age dramedy The Edge of Seventeen. The plot follows Nadine, an awkward teenager whose life changes after Krista, her best friend, starts dating Darian, her popular older brother.
Remarkably sharp, joyous, and featuring a truly outstanding performance from the talented Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen is a triumph of the teen genre and a gripping depiction of the highs and lows involved in growing up. The film finds its strength in the sympathy it has for its complicated lead character and the honesty with which it portrays her peaks and valleys.
6 ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ (2012)
Stephen Chbosky directs the film adaptation of his acclaimed eponymous 1999 novel. The Perks of Being a Wallflower stars Logan Lerman as Charlie, a teenager struggling with depression and PTSD, who strikes a friendship with two free-spirited students during his freshman year of high school.
Warm but surprisingly raw in its honest depiction of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a one-of-a-kind entry into the crowded teen genre. The film heavily influenced the Tumblr culture of the early 2010s, cementing its place as an enduring part of pop culture; however, its gentle and affecting portrayal of very real issues affecting countless generations of teenagers turned it into a modern cinematic classic.
5 ‘Bring It On’ (2000)
Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst stars as cheerleader Torrance Shipman in the now-iconic teen sports comedy Bring It On. The plot follows Torrance, recently named captain of her high school’s acclaimed cheerleading squad, as she discovers the team’s cheers are stolen from an underrated all-Black squad from Los Angeles.
Few films can deal with such a heavy issue as cultural appropriation with more nuance than Bring It On. Packing quite a punch without forgetting its teen roots, Bring It On is a lesson in race dynamics posing as a classic teen comedy. Funny and unforgettable, the film is as spirited as the many cheers its characters proudly chant.
4 ‘Lady Bird’ (2017)
Actress-turned-director Greta Gerwig is behind the critically acclaimed 2017 coming-of-age comedy Lady Bird. Four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan stars as the title character, an unyielding, highly opinionated high school student who shares a complicated dynamic with her equally forceful mother, played by Laurie Metcalf.
Lady Bird is a fascinating and earnest look at adolescence, courtesy of the once-in-a-generation talent from Gerwig. Powered by two outstanding performances from Ronan and Metcalf, Lady Bird is a warm, deep, witty, and rewarding depiction of familial turmoil that will ring true for millions of teenagers and their struggling parents.
3 ‘Easy A’ (2010)
Emma Stone rose to stardom thanks to her now-iconic portrayal of Olive Penderghast in the modern teen comedy classic Easy A. The film sees Olive, a clean-cut student, pretending to have sex with the school’s unpopular students after a gossipy mean girl spreads a harmful rumor about her.
Inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s The Scarlet Letter, Easy A is a funny and clever teen comedy that successfully reinterprets a classic. Stone is magnificent in the lead role, creating one of the best characters in modern cinema. The Oscar-winning actress is a riot as Olive, finding authenticity even in the film’s wackiest moments and helping turn Easy A into a superior entry in the teen genre.
2 ‘Superbad’ (2007)
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote the screenplay for Superbad, one of the best R-rated comedies of the 21st century. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera play Seth and Evan, two high school students trying to lose their virginities to the girls they like before graduating high school and departing for college.
Rapturously funny and raunchy without losing the emotional core that grounds it, Superbad is a triumph of the teen genre. More importantly, the film is a poignant and surprisingly affecting exploration of friendship amid the uncertainty of adolescence and an earnestly warm and humorous take on the struggles and awkwardness of the “coming of age” process.
1 ‘Mean Girls’ (2004)
Few films have a more enduring influence on modern pop culture than Mean Girls. Tina Fey‘s hilarious take on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes stars a who’s who of future movie stars, including Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lizzy Caplan. The plot revolves around Cady, a homeschooled student who attends school for the first time and becomes part of the most popular clique, the Plastics.
There is no teen movie more quotable than Mean Girls. Endlessly rewatchable, insightful, intelligent, and outright hilarious, Mean Girls represents a before and after in the teen genre. The film captured the zeitgeist and became a crucial part of millennial culture, offering a satirical but astute look at the complicated hierarchies of high school and the ever-changing dynamics of adolescence.
