Top 10 Teen Movies That Were Ahead Of Their Time
#10: “The Breakfast Club” (1985)
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“The Breakfast Club” wasn’t the first film to focus on the plights of teenagers. But, it might’ve been among — if not the — first to treat those modern plights with a meaningful level of sincerity. It centers on five kids from different cliques who learn they have more in common than they think during a day in detention. Many popular flicks after “The Breakfast Club” took on the idea of high school cliques, but few inspected and unpacked the extremely thin lines between them. Nowadays, stereotypical cliques feel like a trope of teen movies past. But in the 1980s, “The Breakfast Club” was already breaking down those barriers.
#9: “Pretty in Pink” (1986)
So many high school movies of yore revolve around the social tensions between jocks and geeks, popular kids and nerds. But in “Pretty in Pink,” the real tension is between economic classes. Andie is a working-class teenager with a job. She and her best friend Duckie have nicknamed the popular kids who mistreat them “richies,” and it seems a big reason the two groups don’t get along is wealth. Practically every aspect of Andie’s existence — from school, to her relationship with her father, to her romantic life — is filled with class anxiety. “Pretty in Pink” may come dressed up in a pretty package, but it’s more complex than you’d think.
#8: “Clueless” (1995)
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A lot of movies just graze the surface of what it’s like to be a teenager. But “Clueless” is a lot more than just a fizzy, poppy good time. In lesser hands, Amy Heckerling’s classic comedy about a Beverly Hills girl meddling in others’ relationships might have been just alright. But with the help of a killer starring performance from Alicia Silverstone, “Clueless” went beyond mirroring culture to actually influence it. The film not only had an impact on the way teenagers talked, but on a particular fashion movement as well. References to Cher and her signature style are as prevalent today as they were then.
#7: “Juno” (2007)
It’s pretty rare that a movie comes along that is a teen comedy, handles a weighty topic, and captures a very specific moment on the precipice of a new indie film age. But 2007’s “Juno” did all three of those things. Elliot Page stars as Juno, a wise-cracking, reference-making teen who accidentally gets pregnant. After deciding to give the baby to an upper-class couple looking to adopt, Juno must navigate teen pregnancy and relationships, new and old. The script handles each issue with care, but never shies away from tough truths. Plus, the movie is immensely quotable, with one-liners that would stay around for years to come.
#6: “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982)
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“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” might not be the very first teen movie. But in the modern teen comedy age, it’s the beginning of a movement. Before “Dazed and Confused,” or John Hughes’ many adolescent-centered classics, there was “Fast Times.” The plot is simple, following the lives of different teenagers at a fictional high school. But what makes the film so enduring and influential is how amidst the chaos, it has oodles of empathy for its teenage characters. “Fast Times” is sexual, silly and can be way over the top. Yet it’s also sincere, and its lack of judgment for its characters makes it revolutionary.
#5: “10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
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When it comes to nuanced, layered female leads, Kat Stratford fits the bill and then some. We’d obviously seen great, well-rounded characters in teen movies before. But none of them were quite like her. She was tough, direct, and didn’t leave you with questions on where she stood on anything, politically or otherwise. Kat might be one of the first true blue feminists of the teen movie, particularly in the pop culture sense. Her taste in music, books, and culture was just something we’d never really seen before. Played by the incomparable Julia Stiles, the character is very ‘90s in some ways, but also feels like someone you might meet at a Cardigans concert tomorrow.
#4: “Bring It On” (2000)
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Tackling cultural appropriation and in 2000? “Bring It On” said, bring it on! The film follows cheerleader Torrance Shipman who, shortly after becoming squad captain, learns that the old captain stole cheers from the East Compton Clovers. The movie has the squads facing off against each other at the championships. But it also forces its white characters to deal with cultural appropriation and shines a light on the issue in a way teen movies hadn’t really tackled before. While there’s no doubt this 2000s classic could’ve done more to center its Black characters, it’s still pretty ahead of its time with what it does do.
#3: “Heathers” (1989)
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Watching “Heathers” today, it’s hard to believe what you’re seeing. “Teen movie” and “black comedy” don’t always mix well, but the 1989 flick hit the sweet spot. The movie centers on a group of friends, three girls named Heather and one named Veronica, who rule the school. But when Veronica is lured in by the mysterious, and it turns out violent, JD, a murder spree takes over the school. “Heathers” is twisted and cynical, but still manages to bring the humor. It turned teen movies on their head before it was cool to do so, and is still one of the best subversions of the genre around.
#2: “But I'm a Cheerleader” (1999)
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In 1999, a satire of conversion therapy and its dangers wasn’t something we were seeing a lot of on our screens — particularly not in our teen movies. But that all changed with “But I'm a Cheerleader,” Jamie Babbit’s first feature directorial endeavor. The movie centers on a cheerleading teen who’s made to attend conversion camp when her parents find out she’s a lesbian. It’s a sharp satire, but also very revealing about teen sexuality. In the end, the protagonist, played by Natasha Lyonne, accepts herself despite the camp’s pressures. It’s an incredibly positive view of queerness and continues to be one of the best LGBTQIA+ films today.
#1: “Dirty Dancing” (1987)
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Most people remember “Dirty Dancing” for the … well, dirty dancing. But there’s so much more going on in this 1980s classic. It takes on working class strife, abortion, and growing up in roughly an hour and a half, and still manages to be enticing. In particular, the way Penny’s abortion is dealt with is incredible. The movie holds zero judgment regarding the character’s decision. Even Baby’s physician father treats Penny with nothing but care, even when he might be upset with his daughter. Baby’s relationship with her dad is also handled with nuance, with the film tackling the moment when a parent realizes their kid is growing up with empathy. With all that and more, “Dirty Dancing” left a defining mark.
