Top 10 Teen Movie Couples with the Best Chemistry

“Bend It Like Beckham” is one of the very best teen friendship movies of its genre. But in addition to the wonderful relationship between Jess and Jules, it also features a believable romance. Joe, who is their soccer coach, factors into a sort of love triangle with the pair, leaving you wondering who will eventually end up together. There are undoubtedly some problematic power dynamics at play. But if put those aside, it’s clear which girl Joe has more chemistry with. He and Jess have a flirty, lightly antagonizing quality to their banter that sets them apart. Sorry Jules, but we’re team Jess and Joe on this one.

Okay? Okay. “The Fault in Our Stars” is one of the most popular young adult romances of the past decade. The story revolves around two teenage cancer patients who fall in love after attending a support group. A lot of the film’s success has to do with the undeniable chemistry between lead actors Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. From the very first time Hazel Grace and Gus meet, the electricity between the two is palpable. The actors have to share some very emotional, very heavy scenes together, while still acting like believable teenagers in love. Both do a great job, portraying the awkwardness and tenderness of youthful romance with ease.

You can’t get much better than the classics. And 1996’s “Romeo + Juliet” is nothing if not a classic, beating out several other iterations of Shakespeare’s well-known tragedy. Directed by Baz Luhrmann, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the two ill-fated lovers. And the actors more than understood the assignment. Both DiCaprio and Danes deliver performances as big and emotional as their roles demand. In the scene where the title characters first see one another and fall in love while staring at each other through a fish tank, you can practically hear the hearts fluttering. That energy carries through the whole way, and always touches us.

It goes without saying, but conversion therapy is anything but funny. Yet this LGBTQIA+ black comedy finds a way to take the terrifying premise and turn it into a satirical delight. “But I’m a Cheerleader” is a cult classic, and features a standout performance from a young Natasha Lyonne. It also delivers one of the best queer romances to date with the relationship between Lyonne’s character Megan and Graham. Graham, played by Clea DuVall, is more at ease with her sexuality and comfortable in her own skin than Megan, and helps her find her way. The tension between the girls is sweet and quirky, solidifying this couple’s spot in the teen movie romance hall of fame.

James Ponsoldt’s sweet and sensitive coming-of-age romance is a quiet, underrated movie that perfectly captures the troubles of the transition between high school and college. Embedded within that tale is the romance between Sutter and Aimee, portrayed in lovely fashion by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, respectively. The two couldn’t be more different. Sutter is popular and charismatic, Aimee is quiet and shy. But the actors beautifully bridge that social gap to find and foster a real, layered spark between their characters. The resulting on-screen relationship feels magnetic yet grounded in reality, and that authenticity elevates every aspect of “The Spectacular Now.”

Director Susan Johnson’s 2018 film is one of the best romantic teen comedies around, and kickstarted a beloved franchise. Based on Jenny Han’s novels, so much of the three films’ success is due to how they convert Han’s wonderful books from page to screen. But we don’t think they would’ve been nearly as good if it weren’t for the absolutely stellar chemistry between Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. Their characters Lara Jean and Peter need to leap off of the screen in the same way they did in the source material. It’s a lot of pressure to put on two actors, but the pair act like they’ve known each other their entire lives. They’re easy flirtations are electric, and they’re a joy to watch.

A pairing so great, the actors got married in real life for a time! When Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan showed up on the set of “Step Up,” we have to imagine that everyone burst into flame. If the magnetism between the two behind the scenes was anything like it was on screen, how could they not? “Step Up” is about two very different types of dancers coming together to create one amazing, cohesive routine. Not only do Tatum and Dewan have great romantic chemistry in their scenes together, their dancing relationship is off the charts. They move so freely with each other, making everything look way easier than it is.

Heath Ledger’s heartthrob status in “10 Things I Hate About You” is undeniable. His charm is plain to see, and he gets a lot of deserved credit for making the film work as well as it does. But today, we’d like to give a little more credit where it's due. Because the hypnotic bond between Ledger’s Patrick and Julia Stiles’ Kat deserves just as much love as any one performance. Both characters are pretty abrasive, and like to live on the outskirts of everyone else’s drama. They start out kind of at odds, but watching how the actors start to drop their defenses as the characters become closer is a sight to behold. We can’t keep our eyes off of it!

Sometimes, love behind the scenes translates to love on screen. But in this case, the actors’ dislike for each other might’ve had something to do with the passion we see. Before working on the 1987 film, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze made “Red Dawn” together. They reportedly didn’t have the best relationship on that set. But their spark during the “Dirty Dancing” screen test was so magical, there was no choice but to pair them together again. As Baby and Johnny, the actors are passionate, physical, and deliver sexual tension you could cut with a knife. It’s the kind of alluring dynamic that draws you in and is impossible to ignore. There must really be a thin line between love and hate.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Sam & Austin, “A Cinderella Story” (2004)
Kissing in the Rain Never Looked Better

Landon & Jamie, “A Walk to Remember” (2002)
We Still Feel Their Love All These Years Later

Bianca & Wesley, “The DUFF” (2015)
We’ll Take That Wise Cracking Energy Any Day of the Week

Eric & Rod, “Edge of Seventeen” (1998)
Summer Love Equals the Hottest of Chemistry

Torrance & Cliff, “Bring It On” (2000)
Who Knew Brushing Your Teeth Could Feel Loaded with Such Sexual Tension?

When you think of “Say Anything…,” you probably think of John Cusack’s character holding a boombox over his head playing Peter Gabriel. But when we think of “Say Anything…,” the first thing that comes to mind is the perfect chemistry between Cusack and his co-star, Ione Skye. The relationship between Lloyd and Diane has to become solidified quickly in this film. When it starts, Lloyd is harboring a crush, but the two haven’t ever really hung out. For the story to be effective, the actors have to make us believe this thing could last longer than the summer. They knock it out of the park in the span of the characters’ first date, making us root for Diane and Lloyd the rest of the way.