10 Best High School Movies Ever, Ranked

1. Superbad (2007)

• Director: Greg Mottola
• Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
• Cast: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader

I go back to this film all the time, and in it, I see myself. I was a senior when this came out, and that frantic night of escapades was my dream. Few films capture the frantic, vulgar, yet deeply sincere bond of male friendship like Superbad. It’s a raunchy odyssey that perfectly distills the panic of realizing your life is about to change as high school ends.

2. The Breakfast Club (1985)

• Director: John Hughes
• Writer: John Hughes
• Cast: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy

The gold standard of the genre. I put it second, but everyone knows that's because I wanted to be different, just like these kids. Hughes took five archetypes—a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal—and proved that when you peel back the labels, everyone is struggling with the same fears. It remains a masterclass in character-driven storytelling and of the genre.

3. Mean Girls (2004)

• Director: Mark Waters
• Writer: Tina Fey
• Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Amanda Seyfried

This movie was huge when I was in high school, and then it never went away. It's kind of perfect, and it stands the test of time because I don't think kids change that much. Written by Tina Fey, this film is as much a sociological study as it is a comedy. It perfectly captures the "Girl World" hierarchy and gives us a lexicon that is still used today. It’s "fetch," whether Regina George likes it or not.

4. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

• Director: John Hughes
• Writer: John Hughes
• Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones

This list could be all John Hughes' movies. I mean, this is the ultimate fantasy of every student who ever wanted to just walk away and take a day for themselves. Ferris is the charismatic hero we all wanted to be, reminding us that "life moves pretty fast." It’s a love letter to friendship and the city of Chicago.

5. Clueless (1995)

• Director: Amy Heckerling
• Writer: Amy Heckerling
• Cast: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison

Another film that sort of defined an era, there was no movie that was more 90s than this one. This brilliant modern update of Jane Austen’s Emma has it all, and it explores high school in a way no one had dared. Amy Heckerling’s film redefined 90s fashion and slang while providing a surprisingly heartfelt look at personal growth behind the designer shopping bags.

6. Dazed and Confused (1993)

• Director: Richard Linklater
• Writer: Richard Linklater
• Cast: Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich

Richard Linklater’s hangout movie is less about plot and more about a feeling. It's a total vibe story that takes you to the last day of school in 1976; it captures the aimless, exhilarating freedom of being young and having nowhere—and everywhere—to go. It's fun and enthralling.

7. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

• Director: Amy Heckerling
• Writer: Cameron Crowe
• Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker

This dive into high school in the '80s was written by Cameron Crowe after he went undercover at a real high school. That's why this film feels more "real" than many of its contemporaries. It balances stoner comedy with some of the most honest depictions of teen heartbreak in cinema. And it has so many memorable scenes and ideas that have permeated pop culture.

8. American Graffiti (1973)

• Director: George Lucas
• Writers: George Lucas, Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
• Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Harrison Ford

Before he went to a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas captured the cruising culture of 1962 Modesto, California. This movie might have the best soundtrack of all time. We follow a group of teenagers on their last night of summer vacation. The film is a masterclass in nostalgia, soundtrack-driven storytelling, and the bittersweet feeling of being on the precipice of adulthood.

9. Boyz n the Hood (1991)

• Director: John Singleton
• Writer: John Singleton
• Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, Nia Long

John Singleton made history with this film, becoming the youngest person and the first African American ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director, and he probably should have won. Set in South Central Los Angeles, the movie follows Tre Styles as he navigates the dangers of gang culture, police harassment, and the struggle to maintain a future. It’s a powerful, empathetic coming-of-age story that grounds the teenage experience in a reality often ignored by mainstream cinema at the time.

10. Election (1999)

• Director: Alexander Payne
• Writers: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
• Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Matthew Broderick, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell

How about a little high school that also gives you the teacher's perspective? For those who prefer their high school experience with a side of dark satire, this is one of the best examples. Reese Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick is the quintessential overachiever, and the film serves as a brilliant metaphor for politics and ethics. You can watch this movie over and over, and it still holds up.

Summing It All Up 

These are my favorite high school movies, but I bet you have ones you wish I added on here. There are so many great coming-of-age movies to cover.