Being a teenager is complicated, exhausting and often really fun. Relating to a teenager is mostly just exhausting. Sometimes the best way to reach teens is through books, movies, music and art.
Here are 11 movies about teenagers to watch with your own teenager.
1. ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ (1986)
Sometimes a day off of school isn’t a bad thing. As Ferris Bueller professes, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”
High school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has decided he wants a day off of school, and he has devised a sophisticated plan to pull it off. Intending to make it his last ditch day before graduation, Ferris calls in “sick,” takes off in a Ferrari with his best friend (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend (Mia Sara) and embarks on a memorable journey through Chicago.
School principal Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is convinced this is not Ferris’ first day skipping school and is determined to catch him in the act. Ferris anticipates Rooney’s vindictive attitude and knows exactly how to keep a step ahead.
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount+.
2. ‘Back to the Future’ (1985)
Small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally travels back 30 years into the past when he takes a ride in a plutonium-powered DeLorean time machine created by an eccentric scientist, Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd).
When Marty finds himself in 1955, he encounters his parents’ teenage selves and his mission becomes clear: He must make his parents fall in love. Marty’s dorky dad (Crispin Glover) makes it challenging, but if he doesn’t pull it off, Marty will cease to exist.
Rating: PG for some language.
Where to watch: Rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, YouTube TV.
3. ‘She’s the Man’ (2006)
When the Cornwall girl’s soccer team gets cut, Viola Hastings (Amanda Bynes) is desperate to prove that the girls deserve to get their team back.
To demonstrate her soccer skills, Viola hatches a plan to pose as her twin brother, Sebastian (James Kirk), at his elite boarding school. She manages to secure a place on the soccer team and fool her new roommate, Duke (Channing Tatum), into believing she is Sebastian. The pair strike a deal: Duke will help Viola make first string on the soccer team if she helps him win the heart of the school beauty, Olivia (Laura Ramsey).
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual material.
Where to watch: Paramount+.
4. ‘Super 8’ (2011)
During the summer of 1979, a group of teenagers in small-town Ohio witness a catastrophic train crash while filming a Super 8 movie. As mysterious events continue to unfold and locals go missing, the kids realize the train crash was no accident but was caused by supernatural forces.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, some language.
Where to watch: Paramount+.
5. ‘Clueless’ (1995)
Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school’s social pyramid. To use her popularity for good, Cher befriends a hopelessly awkward new student, Tai (Brittany Murphy), and gives her a makeover. When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher realizes her ex-stepbrother (Paul Rudd) might have been right about how clueless she is — and begins to fall for him.
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual material and some teen use of alcohol and drugs.
Where to watch: Paramount+.
6. ‘The Outsiders’ (1983)
Based on the 1967 novel of the same name by S.E. Hinton, this film adaptation of the coming-of-age drama explores rival social groups in rural Oklahoma. It also boasts a star-studded cast, including: Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio and C. Thomas Howell.
In 1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma, the town is divided into two social groups: the working-class greasers and the wealthier crowd, the socials. The teen gangs are constantly at odds, but when two greasers, Ponyboy (C. Thomas Howell) and Johnny (Ralph Macchio), get involved in a brawl that leads to the death of a social member, the boys must go into hiding.
Rating: PG for some violence and intense scenes.
Where to watch: Max.
7. ‘The Maze Runner’ (2014)
When Thomas (Dylan O’Brian) arrives in the Glade — a large grass dwelling surrounded by a complicated maze — he doesn’t have a single memory of his previous life. All he can remember is his name. He is greeted by dozens of other teenage boys suffering from the same lack of memory.
Each boy in the Glade has his own role. When Thomas demonstrates a unique ability, he is assigned to be a Runner. Every day, the Runners explore the maze in hopes of discovering a way out. The maze changes every day, but Thomas believes he knows a way out.
Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements and intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.
Where to watch: Max.
8. ‘Nancy Drew’ (2007)
Teen sleuth Nancy Drew (Emma Roberts) and her widowed father (Tate Donovan) move from their quiet hometown to Los Angeles, California, where her father has a temporary job.
Nancy’s father encourages her to focus on being a typical teenager and avoid dangerous sleuthing. However, their new home is famous for its unsolved mystery of the death of the movie star Dehlia Draycott. As Nancy struggles to fit in at her new high school, she cannot help but investigate Dehlia’s mysterious death.
Rating: PG for mild violence, thematic elements and brief language.
Where to watch: Max, Amazon Prime.
9. ‘Dead Poets Society’ (1989)
New English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) is pushing the envelope at an all-boys preparatory school known for ancient traditions and high expectations. He uses unconventional teaching methods to connect with his students — who are under massive pressure from parents and teachers to excel.
As Mr. Keating shares his passion for poetry and arts with his students, he pushes Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) and others out of their shells and equips them with the confidence to pursue their dreams.
Rating: PG for some language and mild nudity.
Where to watch: YouTube TV.
10. ‘Princess Diaries’ (2001)
Awkward San Fransisco teenager Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is shocked when she learns that she is a real-life princess. As heir to the Genovian throne, Mia must learn how to properly carry herself by taking “princess lessons” from her strict grandmother (Julie Andrews) while balancing the typical challenges of being a high school student.
Rating: G.
Where to watch: Disney+.
11. ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ (2005)
Best friends Bridget (Blake Lively), Carmen (America Ferrera), Lena (Alexis Bledel) and Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) are going their separate ways over the summer. Before taking off on their summer adventures, the girls discover a pair of secondhand jeans that somehow perfectly fits every one of them.
To stay connected during their months apart, the girls take turns sharing the pair of magical jeans. They stay close as they report on their adventures and pass the magic jeans around.
Rating: PG for thematic elements, some sensuality and language.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime.