Top 20 Best Teen Movies of the 2010s

Though not all of it has aged so well, this movie is still a modern teen movie classic. Duncan is a shy teenager who is misunderstood by his family and hasn’t made any real friends. But this summer changes everything. This movie portrays these essential teen movie themes without feeling cliche. When he starts working at the water park, he creates a family of his own among the employees. With their help, he has new adventures and experiences, he gets the girl, and he finally sees himself for the ten he truly is.

This one is a modern twist on classic romantic comedies. It simultaneously leans into and defies rom-com tropes. Lara Jean and Peter pretend to be in a relationship in order to make their prospective crushes jealous and end up falling in love along the way. Many teen rom-coms of this type usually include a male character who doesn’t appreciate the female character until she takes off her glasses and lets her ponytail down and he sees that she is beautiful after all. But here, it’s Lara Jean who doesn’t really see Peter until she reads his love notes. Their story is super cute.

Though it could be argued that this is more a superhero movie than a teen movie, the film’s own branding makes the definitive statement that this one is both. It even calls “The Breakfast Club” and “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” to mind. Some would argue that the previous “Spider-Man” movies were missing the high school element that the Tom Holland era provides. Being the only teenage Avenger, it is actually a major part of his personality. And in this movie, it really shows. It’s not just an action movie that happens to have high school in it. One of the main story arcs is Peter trying to navigate having a normal high school life while being a superhero.

Written and directed by Richard Ayoade, of “The IT Crowd” fame, this film is a cornerstone of contemporary teen films. Funny and heartbreaking, it follows Oliver Tate, a fifteen-year-old who tries to find his way in love, all the while trying to hold his family together amid suspicions that his mother is cheating on his father with an ex who has moved in next door. The whole thing has a delicate air to it that perfectly captures what it's like to be a teenager. It's a poignant reminder of a time where everything felt difficult and dramatic.

Everyone’s got growing pains when they’re a teen, but not everyone goes quite as far as Minnie does in this coming-of-age movie. An aspiring cartoonist, she decides to test the waters after her sexual awakening and begins a relationship with her mother’s boyfriend, Monroe. The two of them are encouraged to spend time together by Minnie’s mother, and find that they are attracted to one another. This indie movie brings together some great talents, like Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård, in what turns out to be one of the most interesting teen movies we’ve ever seen.

In 1985 Ireland, Conor puts together a band in order to impress Raphina, a young model. But as he meets fellow musicians and makes friends, it becomes about so much more. Together they use their music as an outlet to rebel against their repressive Catholic school. They even name the band ironically after the school. Anyone who has been in a high school band can relate to Conor’s journey. There is always an Eamon, that one guy that just knows every instrument. You always play like all of your favorite bands before you create your own style. It's a story about brotherhood, falling in love, and finding your sound.

Blackmail, drugs, college admissions. Just an average senior year right? Just kidding. But this is the life of Malcolm Adekanbi. Through circumstances out of his control, Malcolm finds himself in the fast-paced world of drug dealing. The poor guy is just trying to get into Harvard and maybe impress that one special girl. But when he finds drugs and a gun in his bag after a party, he is now the middleman in a massive drug deal. Now, Malcolm has to broker deals for the drugs, run from bad guys trying to steal them while simultaneously dealing with his school tormenter and trying to blackmail his way into college. It’s a fun and wild ride.

Most teen movies take place in high school. But this one focuses on that confusing year beforehand. Like many young people, Kayla worries about the kinds of experiences she is supposed to be having before high school. As a shy, anxiety-ridden, young adult, she fears that she is not making the most out of her life. Yet she still tries to step out of her comfort zone and attend the cool girl’s party, and make friends, and have experiences. In the end, she realizes she is just fine the way she is and doesn’t need to live up to anyone’s expectations but her own.

Elio and Oliver’s story is one for the ages. Their whirlwind romance is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. They spend a self-defining summer together that changes both of their lives for the better. Even though they only spend a short time together, and even though Oliver goes on to marry someone else, Elio knows in the end that love isn’t measured by how long it lasts, but how meaningful the time is. It’s easy to wish that they ended up together, but sometimes people are simply passing through each other’s lives changing them forever.

Remember when you were a kid and having a treehouse seemed like it was the coolest thing ever because it was a place where you made your own rules? In this movie, three teens decide to run away from their controlling parents and live a new life in the woods with a house they built themselves. They think they can do whatever they want, but after a while, relationships strain and turn sour. It’s an indie film with a lot of heart and a touch of the dark lingering at its edges. And just like having to come out of your treehouse in time for dinner, these teens find themselves returning home before summer’s end.

Despite the long and somewhat depressing title, this movie has a charm that we just can’t help but love. If you’re in it for a happy ending, we’ve got some bad news for you, but that really shouldn't stop you from watching this movie anyway. After realizing a girl in his grade has been diagnosed with leukemia, Greg befriends her and the two of them grow close. Greg decides to make a film for her, putting all his time and energy into it. Adapted from a 2012 novel of the same name, you get some A+ acting and a heartbreaking plot that will leave you breathless with sadness and exhilarated with hope.

Unless you were living under a rock in 2014, there is no way you could have missed the release of this movie. Based on the bestselling book by author John Green, it chronicles the tale of two teenagers whose lives become entwined after they meet in a cancer support group. As we watch them try to do the best they can with the time they have left, we’re thrown into a journey that takes them all the way to Amsterdam. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort gave us some heartfelt performances that shook us to our core, and helped launch their careers. We absolutely cannot watch this movie without crying, but it is worth it every single time.

Before Shailene Woodley appeared in “The Fault in Our Stars”, she was Aimee in “The Spectacular Now”. A weird girl with offbeat interests, she attracts the attention of Sutter, the party boy who drinks his way through his final year of high school. Despite becoming friends and then starting a relationship, Sutter struggles to give up drinking, eventually convincing himself that he is hopeless, like his father. It’s a movie that is warm, even when it’s raw, and there are few films that touch on the reality of being an American teenager in the way this one does. The late Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars, and we have to say that we agree.

Simon Spier is like any other teenager trying to navigate his way through life. Except he has a secret. Simon struggles with coming out because even though he has a supportive group of family and friends that will love him no matter what, it will still change his life no matter what. And that is one of the biggest struggles of growing up, isn’t it? The struggle to be your true self. Will your peers accept that person? Will you accept that person? Plus this one is the first gay rom-com made by a major studio. About darn time, right?

We do love our indie movies, and “Edge of Seventeen” is definitely one of the best. Nadine Franklin is an anxious teen whose insecurities can come across as self-centeredness. After the loss of her father, she struggles to get along with her family and cannot accept it when her best friend begins dating her older brother. It’s one of the most authentic portrayals of adolescence that we’ve seen, particularly in dealing with the aftermath of a parent’s death. Hailee Steinfeld has a stunning onscreen presence that grounds the movie. With a sense of humor and a touch of romance, this is a must-see for anyone looking to expand their teen movie repertoire.

Any introvert will find themselves relating to something in this movie. Lonely kid Charlie makes friends with a bunch of outsiders, including Sam, the cool girl, and her step-brother Patrick. One of few films that portray mental health issues in teenagers, the movie touches on depression and repressed memories to create a story that is both restrained and empowering. Directed by Stephen Chbosky, we can’t think of anyone better to direct the movie than the man who wrote the original book. And who can forget the image of the characters standing up in the back of a pickup truck speeding through a tunnel to the sound of David Bowie after seeing this movie?

Emma Stone was the world’s highest-paid actress in 2017, but in this film, she was just finding her feet in her career. A high school student who finds out just how cruel the rumor mill can be, Stone plays Olive, a girl whose reputation gets out of hand when she lies about losing her virginity, and the uptight, super-religious Marianne overhears. With references to “The Scarlet Letter” and John Hughes, this movie should be on everyone’s ‘To Watch’ list. Plus, it has Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as some of the dorkiest, funniest, and most lovable parents ever seen in film. What else could you ask for?

Since he was a child, Chiron had a hard life. His mother was an addict, he grew up gay, and he got mistreated at school. That scene with the chair is unforgettable. But truly, this is a story about growing up in adversity, and triumph in the face of that overwhelming adversity. No matter what is in his way, he comes out better on the other side. Through stellar performances, smart writing, and a compelling story, we see Chiron grow up through three stages of his life. It’s a story about sexuality, forgiveness, and growing up. No wonder it won the Best Picture Academy Award.

Akin to some teen movie classics like “American Pie,” “Can’t Hardly Wait,” and “Superbad,” this one becomes an instant classic itself. It shares the themes of the high school house party, the one-last-chance adventure, and of course raunchy humor. As graduation approaches, Molly realizes that the cool kids got into just as good of colleges as she and her best friend, Amy, who have spent their entire time in high school focussing on academics. Molly panics that they wasted their time when they could have been both studying and partying. So they spend the night hopping from party to party making good on all the experiences they missed out on over the past four years.

A standing ovation at TIFF, the highest ever theater average for a film in limited release directed by a woman, and at one point the most-reviewed film ever to remain at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes; these are just a few of the things Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut has achieved since its fall 2017 release. At its core, the comedy-drama follows the titular teen as she navigates life. This includes relationships with her family and friends, particularly her mother, as well as her religious surroundings and her artistic ambitions, all while coming of age, falling in love and transitioning from high school to college. Wonderfully acted and directed, “Lady Bird” is a refreshing and relatable cinematic take on adolescence.