Top 10 Things Only Adults Notice in Teen Movies
#10: Cameron’s Severe Anxiety & Depressive Moods “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” (1986)
When Ferris Bueller fakes being sick so as to take his titular ‘day off’, he gives his best friend Cameron a call and tells him to come and enjoy the vacation day with him. At first, Cameron refuses, saying he’s very sick, but he eventually gives in to his persuasive friend. While younger audiences might take Cameron at his word, adults watching might be more likely to notice the depressive moods that afflict him throughout the film, identifying his illness as one that’s perhaps more mental than physical. Even Ferris can’t help but admit his friend might be suffering when he goes semi-catatonic at one point.
#9: Peter B. Parker Is Very Relatable “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)
Comparing All The Peter Pan Movies
Not radioactive spider bite required to relate to Peter B. Parker in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” because it isn’t his super powers that adults will connect with, but rather the existential crisis he’s having. When he was younger he was out there falling in love and saving the world - anything was possible. But, as life got harder and bad times hit, his optimism waned and so did his faith in his path. Teen viewers generally haven’t experienced the exhaustion and cynism that comes with getting older, but adults around Peter’s age? Yep, very relatable. (Minus the web-slinging, of course.)
#8: Stalker with a Boombox “Say Anything…” (1989)
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The boombox scene at the end of “Say Anything…” is one of the most famous in the history of the rom-com scene. But is it really that romantic? Let’s not forget that when Lloyd shows up, Diane has already broken up with him. Sure, he thinks that she still loves him. But does that really make it okay for him to come to her house uninvited, blasting the song that was playing the first time they slept together? You gotta admit that’s standing right on the line of creepy stalker behavior…
#7: Depression Surrounds Lady Bird “Lady Bird” (2017)
“Lady Bird” is about a teenager trying to get along with her mother and fit in at school. You know, struggles all teens can relate to. However, adults taking a wider look at the film may notice broader themes, like the mental illness in the adults around our protagonist. There are the obvious examples, such as Lady Bird’s dad who is on medication to treat his depression. But, there are also subtler insinuations, such as Father Leviatch who can be seen crying at one point. Lady Bird’s mother certainly has her own struggles as well, dealing with her husband’s mental health and the family's financial woes. Lady Bird herself remains mostly unaware of the adults around her, so it makes sense that younger people audiences might as well.
#6: The Lorings “Juno” (2007)
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Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman play Vanessa and Mark Loring - the couple hoping to adopt Juno’s baby in the 2007 hit film. From a teen perspective, it’s probably easy to see Vanessa as a nagging wife trying to control her husband, while Mark is the cool guy who loves music and relates better to young people. But, seen from the perspective of an adult, things look quite different. Rather than a nag, Vanessa is the grown-up in the relationship, mature and desperately ready to be a mother. Mark, on the other hand, is a confused and immature man-child – a point the film also plays out visually with the character dressing more and more like Juno as the film progresses.
#5: Were They Too Mean to Regina? “Mean Girls” (2004)
Top 10 Things Only Adults Notice in Kids' Movies
As the leader of ‘The Plastics,’ Regina George is the meanest of them all and, naturally, we want to see her pay in some way. So, when the other girls turn the tables on her, it’s easy for us to believe she’s getting her karma. Flash forward a few years down the line into adulthood, and the question that comes up is “were they too mean to Regina?” While some might point to the expression, “an eye for an eye”, the one that seems more appropriate is “two wrongs don’t make a right.” There’s no doubting the fact that Regina needed to be knocked down a peg or two but, in doing so, the other girls just become ‘Reginas’ themselves.
#4: The Webcam Scene “American Pie” (1999)
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For obvious reasons, the “American Pie” webcam scene was a seminal movie moment in the lives of the younger generation in the late 90s. But, watch it now, and your reaction might not be the same. It’s more than just the super-duper creepy, non-consensual voyeurism of the whole thing. There’s also the blatant sexism it exposes. While Jim has his own embarrassing webcam experience, the incident doesn’t really cause him any problems. Whereas, exchange student Nadia - who was unaware that she was being recorded - is sent back to her home country. And don’t get us started on the fact that she still stays in touch with Jim after everything!
#3: Bender Doesn’t Deserve Claire “The Breakfast Club” (1985)
Look, high school hasn’t gotten any easier, and much of what resonated about “The Breakfast Club” back in 1985 still hits home with the youth of today. However, there is one thing that’s often overlooked by those caught up in the romantic trope of bad boy Bender getting together with princess Claire. Is that relationship really one we should be pumping our fists in the air about? As you may remember, Bender spends most of the movie bugging and talking down to Claire. And, while the old adage that boys bug girls they like might be true, it doesn’t make it right – especially when the people in question aren’t five years old! Mean isn’t charming!
#2: Noah’s Emotional Abuse “The Notebook” (2004)
A man asks a girl out and she says no. Then, while she’s on a date with another man, he ambushes her and threatens to throw himself off a ferris wheel if she doesn’t agree to go out with him. So she says yes. If you didn’t know that the guy was Ryan Gosling and that the scenario was from “The Notebook,” you’d be just as likely to think it was the opening scene from an episode of “Law & Order: SVU”. And that it was followed by a restraining order! Arm-twisting and harassment might seem romantic when Ryan Gosling does it, but rest assured such actions are most certainly not outside of rom-com territory!
#1: Toxic Masculinity “The Kissing Booth” (2018)
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They say love is blind. Well, “The Kissing Booth” love story will certainly blind many younger viewers to the hard truths adults are more likely to notice. Early in the film, Elle is inappropriately touched by a classmate, Tuppen. Her best friend, Lee, and his older brother, Noah, decide to “defend her honor”, as it were. She then agrees to go out with Tuppen, but he stands her up because jealous Noah has declared her off limits. Elle isn’t so much a full-fledged character as she is something to be gawked at, protected, and possessed by the men in her life. At one point, Lee even refers to her as a “thing”. Anyone else throw up in their mouth a little?
