The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Teen Movies

Ranker Film
Updated September 15, 2023 2.6K votes 248 voters
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Greatest Guilty Pleasure Teen Movies
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Vote for the best guilty pleasure teen films.

Ah, teen agnst! From romance to friendship to academics, everything feels so much more dramatic when you're at that age. Ergo, guilty pleasure teen movies are ripe with entertainment value. These cheesy teen films are over-the-top enough to help you escape reality for a few hours. 

Why are corny teen films so fun? Their plot lines are often ridiculous, the actors are sometimes too old to play teenagers, and the dialogue can be abysmal. But hey - adult life is rough. These movies may be kind of dumb, but isn't it nice to remember a time when your biggest problems revolved around unrequited crushes and petty squabbles with your parents? These are easy films that don't demand a lot of attention from the viewer, making them great when you're in need of some escapism.

Vote up the best guilty pleasure teen movies below!

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  • Clueless
    1

    Clueless

    Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy
    107 votes
    • Released: 1995
    • Directed by: Amy Heckerling
    In the heart of Beverly Hills, high schooler Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) reigns as a self-proclaimed fashionista and matchmaker. Clueless, a comedy-drama flick directed by Amy Heckerling, sees Cher navigating the tricky waters of adolescence while attempting to handle love interests and maintain her social status. Alongside Cher is her best friend Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash), who aids in her various escapades. The film, an amusing modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, cleverly taps into teenage angst and the complexities of young love. Despite its light-hearted tone, it subtly addresses pertinent social issues, making it a timeless classic.

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  • Mean Girls
    2

    Mean Girls

    Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey
    102 votes
    • Released: 2004
    • Directed by: Mark Waters
    In the teen comedy Mean Girls, Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is a naive newcomer to public school, having been homeschooled in Africa. She finds herself in the whirlwind of high school politics and cliques, especially when she crosses paths with Regina George (Rachel McAdams), the queen bee of North Shore High School's most popular clique, The Plastics. As Cady navigates this new terrain, she becomes entangled in The Plastics' manipulative games. Tina Fey, who also wrote the screenplay, stars as Ms. Norbury, a teacher who provides guidance for Cady. Mean Girls was nominated for multiple awards and won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Comedy.

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  • Bring It On
    3

    Bring It On

    Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford
    95 votes
    • Released: 2000
    • Directed by: Peyton Reed
    Bring It On, a comedy-drama, is driven by the fiery spirit of high school cheerleading. Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst), captain of the cheerleading squad at Rancho Carne High School, discovers her team's routines were stolen from the East Compton Clovers, led by Isis (Gabrielle Union). The ensuing rivalry between the squads forms the crux of the narrative. Directed with verve by Peyton Reed, this film explores themes of integrity, competition, and friendship. Notably, Bring It On bagged nominations for multiple Teen Choice Awards, underscoring its appeal to young audiences.

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  • 10 Things I Hate About You
    4

    10 Things I Hate About You

    Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    96 votes
    • Released: 1999
    • Directed by: Gil Junger
    Welcome to 10 Things I Hate About You, a modern-day Shakespearean twist that dances on the line of teen romance and biting comedy. Set in an American high school, this late-90s gem revolves around two Stratford sisters: the rebellious Kat (Julia Stiles) and her popular younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). When Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a new student smitten by Bianca, learns of their father's strict dating rule, he hatches a plan involving bad boy Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to woo Kat. Amidst clever banter and unexpected romances, the characters navigate the labyrinth of teenage angst, love, and self-discovery. Noted for its memorable performances and sharp wit, this film is a charming exploration of young love and personal transformation.

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  • Legally Blonde
    5

    Legally Blonde

    Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair
    71 votes
    • Released: 2001
    • Directed by: Robert Luketic
    Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), the effervescent protagonist in Legally Blonde, is a fashion-merchandising major at UCLA, whose life takes a dramatic turn when she decides to enroll in Harvard Law School. This surprising decision comes after her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis), dumps her for someone more serious. The film traces Elle's journey through law school, defying stereotypes and proving her worth. A comedy-drama of determination and wit, this movie won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Elle's metamorphosis from a ditzy blonde to a respected law student forms the crux of this engaging narrative.

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  • The Breakfast Club
    6

    The Breakfast Club

    Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson
    80 votes
    • Released: 1985
    • Directed by: John Hughes
    In the film The Breakfast Club, five high school students, each representing a different stereotype, meet in detention. There's the brainy Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), the athletic Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), the rebel John Bender (Judd Nelson), the princess Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), and the outcast Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy). As they spend a Saturday together under supervision of the strict assistant principal Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), they gradually open up to one another, revealing their deeper selves beneath their public personas. This 1985 coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by John Hughes explores themes of identity, peer pressure, and adolescence within its 97-minute runtime. To this day, it remains a classic in teen cinema.

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