Yahoo Lifestyle The 24 Best High School Movies That Pair Perfectly With Back-To-School Season
"Footloose" and "He's All That" share many similarities. Both movies portray the high school experience, where teens set out to find themselves and face societal and family challenges. People need someone to relate to, and most can likely relate to experiencing high school drama, stress, self-image issues, and pressure.
I've rounded up some relatable, funny, realistic high-school movies that pair perfectly with the back-to-school season and might just have you standing outside your crush’s house, holding a boombox.
1.Say Anything...(1989)
Cast: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John MahoneyDirector: Cameron CroweRuntime: 1 hour, 40 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
Plot via IMDB: A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love the summer before she goes off to college.
Say Anything... is a must-see romantic dramedy that sums up the 80's high school experience and has some memorable performances. It remains a timeless classic movie that's emblematic of personal growth and young love.
2.Easy A (2010)
Cast: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn BadgleyDirector: Will GluckRuntime: 1 hour, 33 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Plot via IMDB: When Olive lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys, a girl overhears their conversation. Soon, her story spreads across the entire school like wildfire.
Easy A is a quirky-comedy movie where Emma Stone takes her high-school experience into her own hands and spirals out of control. Even though the film deals with serious issues, the dialogue is edgy and fun.
3.The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake JennerDirector: Kelly Fremon CraigRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Plot via IMDB: High-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.
The Edge of Seventeen sums up the high school coming-of-age experience as it deals with family issues, relationship and friendship problems. The dialogue feels authentic and there's plenty of sharp wit and humor.
4.Booksmart (2019)
Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica WilliamsDirector: Olivia WildeRuntime: 1 hour, 42 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Plot via IMDB: On the eve of their high-school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.
These characters are both endearing and relatable. Like most high school comedy movies, Booksmart is about self-discovery and offers great humor.
5.The Half of It (2020)
Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis LemireDirector: Alice WuRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Plot via IMDB: When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn't expect to become his friend — or fall for his crush.
The Half of It is a fresh portrayal of high school love and the internal struggles that teenagers experience.
6.She's The Man (2006)
Cast: Amanda Bynes, Laura Ramsey, Channing TatumDirector: Andy FickmanRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 44%
Plot via IMDB: When her brother decides to ditch for a couple weeks, Viola heads over to his elite boarding school, disguised as him, and proceeds to fall for his school's star soccer player, and soon learns she's not the only one with romantic troubles.
Amanda Bynes shines in this teen comedy and it's heavily entertaining and heartfelt. Every character in this movie is charming and their chemistry is off the charts!
7.Love, Simon (2018)
Cast: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh DuhamelDirector: Greg BerlantiRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%
Plot via IMDB: Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends, and all of his classmates: he's gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.
This movie has so many deep layers, including being true to yourself and grappling with your sexuality. Audiences have connected with Love, Simon, and the meaningful performances.
8.Freaky Friday (2003)
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark HarmonDirector: Mark WatersRuntime: 1 hour, 37 minutesRating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Plot via IMDB: An overworked mother and her daughter did not get along. When they switch bodies, each is forced to adapt to the other's life for one freaky Friday.
Freaky Friday is a remake from 1976 and even though it's over 20 years old, it still feels fresh and the humor still holds up. It's a great portrayal of the mother-daughter high school relationship and the meaning of family.
9.Honor Society (2022)
Cast: Angourie Rice, Gaten Matarazzo, Christopher Mintz-PlasseDirector: Oran ZegmanRuntime: 1 hour, 37 minutesRating: TV-MA
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
Plot via IMDB: Honor's sole focus is getting into Harvard. Willing to do whatever it takes, Honor concocts a plan to take down her top three competitors, until things take a turn when she unexpectedly falls for her biggest competition.
Honor Society is about the pressures of academics and society. It's a must-see for those who have felt the overwhelming feeling of trying to achieve success and balance high school life.
10.The Princess Diaries (2001)
Cast: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector ElizondoDirector: Garry MarshallRuntime: 1 hour, 55 minutesRating: G
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49%
Plot via IMDB: Mia Thermopolis has just found out that she is the heir apparent to the throne of Genovia. With her friends Lilly and Michael Moscovitz in tow, she tries to navigate through the rest of her sixteenth year.
At the core of this movie, The Princess Diaries is about transformation and self-acceptance. It's an engaging, fairy-tale-esque story that has resonated with audiences.
11.Footloose (1984)
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John LithgowDirector: Herbert RossRuntime: 1 hour, 47 minutesRating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
Plot via IMDB: A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
Footloose captures the essence of high school from the 80s and still feels relevant as it's all about youth rebellion and trying to fit in where people are judgemental. The music and fashion trends are definitely another reason this is worth a watch.
12.A Cinderella Story (2004)
Cast: Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer CoolidgeDirector: Mark RosmanRuntime: 1 hour, 35 minutesRating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 11%
Plot via IMDB: Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, the downtrodden Samantha Montgomery is excited about the prospect of meeting her Internet beau at the school's Halloween dance.
A Cinderella Story is a perfect blend of high school drama, romance, and rebellion. It's one of the better Cinderella-themed movies.
13.All The Bright Places (2020)
Cast: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra ShippDirector: Brett HaleyRuntime: 1 hour, 47 minutesRating: TV-MA
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%
Plot via IMDB: The story of Violet and Theodore, who meet and change each other's lives forever. As they struggle with the emotional and physical scars of their past, they discover that even the smallest places and moments can mean something.
All The Bright Places dives deep into the complex themes of mental health and grief. The movie depicts internal battles, acts of compassion, and personal transformations.
14.The Craft: Legacy (2020)
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, Zoey Luna, Gideon AdlonDirector: Zoe Lister-JonesRuntime: 1 hour, 37 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%
Plot via IMDB: A group of high school students form a coven of witches.
The Craft: Legacy delves into the witchcraft theme, addressing contemporary teen issues and paying homage to the original movie, The Craft.
15.Teen Witch (1990)
Cast: Robyn Lively, Dan Gauthier, Joshua John MillerDirector: Dorian WalkerRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%
Plot via IMDB: High school misfit Louise, at a loss for romance, discovers magical abilities, but the teenage witch finds that she cannot conjure herself true love, so what?
Teen Witch is an audience favorite because of its quirky music, dialogue, and charm. It dives deep into the narrative of feeling like an outsider but adds a fun fantasy element.
16.Switched (2020)
Cast: Miya Horcher, Madeleine Byrne, Denise RichardsDirector: John K.D. GrahamRuntime: 1 hour, 44 minutesRating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%
Plot via IMDB: Tired of being bullied, Cassandra Evans prays that her nemesis, Katie Sharp, the queen bee of social media, would know what it's like to walk a day in her shoes. Her prayer is answered in an unexpected way when they get "Switched."
Switched takes on the body-swapping trope and aims to incorporate modern teen issues. It's light-hearted and still addresses the high school, teen-related themes of personal issues and transformation.
17.Spontaneous (2020)
Cast: Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Yvonne OrjiDirector: Brian DuffieldRuntime: 1 hour, 42 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Plot via IMDB: Get ready for the outrageous coming-of-age love story about growing up...and blowing up. When students in their school begin exploding (literally), seniors Mara and Dylan struggle to survive in a world where each moment may be their last.
Spontaneous is incredibly engaging because of the unique plot and vulnerable characters. It feels just like high school....plus people explode!
18.School's Out Forever (2021)
Cast: Oscar Kennedy, Liam Lau-Fernandez, Anthony HeadDirector: Oliver MilburnRuntime: 1 hour, 45 minutesRating: NR
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
Plot via IMDB: A 15-year old flees to his school after an apocalyptic event.
School's Out Forever is a dark comedy set in a dystopian setting. While it fits in the coming-of-age theme, it's a fresh take on teens experiencing a tough situation in the face of something very unexpected.
19.He's All That (2021)
Cast: Addison Rae, Tanner Buchanan, Madison PettisDirector: Mark WatersRuntime: 1 hour, 31 minutesRating: TV-14
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 28%
Plot via IMDB: A 15-year old flees to his school after an apocalyptic event.
"He's All That" is a high school romantic comedy that delves into the intertwining dynamics of personal growth and relationships. The film portrays the impact of social media on modern-day high school experiences.
20.Moxie (2021)
Cast: Hadley Robinson, Lauren Tsai, Alycia Pascual-PenaDirector: Amy PoehlerRuntime: 1 hour, 51 minutesRating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%
Plot via IMDB: A 15-year old flees to his school after an apocalyptic event.
Moxie is based on the novel by Jennifer Mathieu and is about feminism, empowerment, and societal pressures. It balances humor and drama and is an underrated must-see movie.
21.21 Jump Street (2012)
Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice CubeDirector: Phil Lord, Christopher MillerRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Plot via IMDB: A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
21 Jump Street DELIVERS in the humor department and will make you reminisce about high school. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum deliver outstanding performances.
22.Senior Year (2022)
Cast: Rebel Wilson, Angourie Rice, Mary HollandDirector: Alex HardcastleRuntime: 1 hour, 52 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 23%
Plot via IMDB: A cheerleading stunt gone wrong landed her in a 20-year coma. Now she's 37, newly awake and ready to live out her high school dream: becoming prom queen.
Just like 21 Jump Street, Senior Year is about reliving the high school experience and also explores themes like identity, second chances, and personal relationships.
23.Work It (2020)
Cast: Keiynan Lonsdale, Liza Koshy, Briana Andrade-GomesDirector: Laura TerrusoRuntime: 1 hour, 33 minutesRating: TV-14
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Plot via IMDB: When Quinn Ackerman's admission to the college of her dreams depends on her performance at a dance competition, she forms a ragtag group of dancers to take on the best squad in school. Now she just needs to learn how to dance.
Work It is a heartfelt journey that provides a genuine perspective of youth and is great for audiences who are fans of dance movies!
24.Freaky (2020)
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Celeste O'ConnorDirector: Christopher LandonRuntime: 1 hour, 41 minutesRating: R
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
Plot via IMDB: After swapping bodies with a deranged serial killer, a high-school senior discovers that she has fewer than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent.
This horror-comedy is an enjoyable high school slasher with clever humor. It's a refreshing departure from typical, structured coming-of-age films, and the actors deliver engaging performances.
