We all went through the harrowingjourney of high school. Whether you were among the popular students like the jocks, the cheerleaders, or you were hanging with more outcast groups like the nerds, the goths, or the anime geeks, high school movies can be relatable to all.
Movies have always been able to tackle the image of high school in every way possible. The good, the bad, and most of all, the weird. It’s a sacred ordeal where teenage angst becomes the rule, and where characters are forced to grow up in the midst of a crisis that’s often associated with acoming-of-age story. Without the high school element, those films wouldn’t work the same way.
Every decade has its own plethora of themes about high school issues. Fashion especially seems to be able to put us at a certain moment in time, and needle drops usually confirm the genre. And bullies? Well, those are always the same regardless of the age.
The 2000s didn’t exactly change the rules of the high school movie, but this doesn’t mean it was not an interesting decade. One thing’s for sure: the variety of genres and tones is formidable, and has allowed us to easily sail through the 10 very best high school movies of the 2000s.
Greg Mottola’s modern comedy classicSuperbadis a wild ride about three high school students who wish to change their lives in their last year of school. They each have their own objectives, but together they will attempt to accomplish everything, from losing their virginity to finally becoming super popular. It all starts with the use ofthe most famous fake ID in cinema history, and it all goes down from there.
One of the Best Comedies of the 2000s
The film follows Seth, Evan, and Fogell as they navigate the rocky terrain of high school, and while they’re not exactly the pariahs of the school, you get a sense that they’ve always stayed secondary.
Their progression from high school kids to men is the theme of a film that doesn’t pack any punches, delivers an R-rated adventure that never feels cringy, and features a stellar cast that would see their careers suddenly jumpstart. It’s, by far, one of the most remarkable comedies from the 2000s, that also didn’t feel like it had to be politically correct.
Rent Superbad on Prime Video
9Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darkotells the story of a socially awkward teenager named Donnie, who has visions after barely escaping certain death. A rabbit-like monster appears to Donnie and predicts the end of the world, enticing him to be reckless.
This modern sci-fi film has seen its cult status grow massively over the years, and to this day, it’s consideredone of the most interesting science fiction filmsmade in recent history. It’s cryptic, gloomy, and emotionally powerful in its own way.
It’s Not Exactly About What You Think
The film resembles nothing else you’ve seen before. Even if it seems a bit too surreal to associate with a more serious approach, we can’t deny the feeling that it communicates about something that director Richard Kelly doesn’t exactly address.
Teenage frustration is a thing, and Donnie suffers from every bit of scrutiny, not only by his peers. His entire world is shaken to the point of crumbling. The hallways of his high school reek of tradition, and Donnie’s expected to be like society wants him to be. The film ends on a bittersweet note that is intentionally vague and leaves viewers pondering over it for a while after.
Stream Donnie Darko on Tubi
8Freaky Friday (2003)
Freaky Friday
The fantasy teen comedyFreaky Fridaytells the classic story of body switching between two characters that couldn’t be more different. In this case, teenage artist Anna Coleman lives with her widowed mother Tess, and the rest of the family.
It all starts with an argument, and seconds later, when they see the message inside fortune cookies, the problem begins. The next morning, Anna and Tess wake up in each other’s bodies. Literally. Now, if only we could get some news aboutthat long-awaited sequel.
Related:Best Teen Comedies of the 2000s, Ranked
The Best in the… Franchise?
There are many films that use the concept of body swapping. Enough to turn this part of the concept into a franchise. Every single one of them offers something different, but in the end, they’re all about the same thing: learning something important the hard way.
Freaky Fridayis the best of the bunch because it stars two prominent actors, Jamie Lee Curtis (who was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role) and Lindsay Lohan. And as expected, most of the film takes place in Anna’s school, where Tess (trapped in Anna’s body) must engage with a world that’s already difficult. The ending with the gig at the House of Blues is especially exciting and rewarding.
Stream Freaky Friday on Disney+
7Bring It On (2000)
InBring It On, Peyton Reed’s directorial debut, Torrance Shipman is a cheerleader who’s forced to become the captain of her squad. Leading up to a national competition, Torrance has to deal with the superiority of the other teams, but also with the fact that all their moves have been plagiarized, and the cheerleading team of Rancho Carne High School must start from scratch. Contrary to what you may think,Bring It Onis a solid teen comedy thatstands among the bestof its genre.
The Relevance of Bring It On
In the middle of its high school environment of toxicity,Bring It Ontackles certain themes that make it one of the most important teen comedies of its time, like cultural appropriation and feminism, all filtered through a clever but thin script that won’t require much from the viewer.
In the end, it also works as a solid “high school competition” movie in which the third act consists of the most important moment of those teens' lives. It’s got dance-offs, drama, and lots of cheering. Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union are spectacular in the film.
Rent Bring It On on Apple TV
6Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Jennifers Body
Karyn Kusama’sJennifer’s Bodytells the story of Jennifer and Needy, two teenagers in high school who are very different from each other, but are really good friends nonetheless. Needy is an insecure and nerdy teen, and Jennifer is a beautiful cheerleader.
Things take a wrong turn when a local rock band offers Jennifer as a virgin sacrifice to Satan. The problem is that she isn’t a virgin, and instead of being a sacrifice, she becomes a flesh-eating monster that Needy tries to control to no avail.
The Tropes as Seen Through a Horror Film That Matters
One of thebest horror comediesever made,Jennifer’s Bodyfeatures a simple storyline that takes place in a small town high school. Even when Needy has to investigate how she can stop Jennifer’s rampage, of course she goes on to read in her school’s library.
Every trope of the typical high school movie is portrayed in Kusama’s film, which is based on Diablo Cody’s script. Though people didn’t connect with the film at first, it has resurged in recent years and became a cult classic. It deeply resonates with the audience because it does a fine job at portraying teenage insecurities that still feel relevant even in the middle of a supernatural plot.
Stream Jennifer’s Body on Max
5Remember the Titans (2000)
Remember the Titanstellsthe true storyof the football team at T. C. Williams High School where the new coach, Herman Boone, is forced to deal with racial prejudice that was very much alive in Virginia in the early ’70s.
Boone, an African-American man, gets hired by the school in an effort to get rid of racial segregation in high schools. He finds that, as effective as his method is, he won’t necessarily be accepted. Neither will the players he decides to incorporate into the team.
A Beautiful and Uplifting Film
Though the film is most of all a high school football movie, the theme transcends the school hallways and even the dynamics of the small town. The racial tension is visible at first, but then it’s about the inevitable acceptance of Boone’s new ways.
The transformation starts in the field, but then it migrates over to the school, where education is prime and social dynamics are directly linked to culture and the ability to accept the rest as peers. The ensemble cast consists of Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Donald Faison, Ethan Suplee, Kip Pardue, Ryan Gosling, and Wood Harris. Without them doing such a fine job, the film wouldn’t work at all.
Stream on Disney+
4Saved! (2004)
The dark comedySaved!from 2004 took us to American Eagle Christian High School. And, with that name, you can guess what kind of school it is. All-white, all-Christian, all-holier-than-thou attitude.
In the film, Mary Cummings gets pregnant when she tries to help her gay ex-boyfriend come back to the more Christian side of things. Mary tells no one, and she joins the gang of outcasts of the school who, on a daily basis, confront the extremely religious student Hilary Faye Stockard, who spends her days trying to indoctrinate everyone around her — violently.
Blasphemous for Some, Eye-Opening for Others
The comedy aspect of the film is very heavy, and successfully mocksthe religious extremismthat’s imperative to Christian-based education in its most orthodox manner. We can’t say it won’t wink at the sensibility of some viewers.
But on the other hand, Mary’s story is engaging and invites viewers to think of school dynamics and how education may have something more to do with values than with books and classrooms. Mandy Moore’s Hilary is one of the best characters in modern comedy, and the actress has no problem poking fun at what Hilary represents.
Stream Saved! on Tubi
3Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamitetells the story of Napoleon, a high school student living in Preston, Idaho. He lives with his older brother and his grandmother, and he’s constantly daydreaming about being more popular, getting the girl he likes to fall in love with him, and helping his new friend Pedro become class president. Needless to say, this is not an average high school film. It’s a very bizarre adaptation of an original concept by Jared and Jerusha Hess.
Related:Most Underrated Coming of Age Movies
Yes, It’s Weird, but That Doesn’t Make It Any Less Real
The extremely funnyNapoleon Dynamiteis a quirky comedy that doesn’t aim to be realistic. It’s surreal at best and provides no logical frame for any of its characters. However, that doesn’t meanyou won’t learn a thing or twofrom watching it.
Napoleon’s story is uplifting and heartwarming because, even though he’s a nerdy guy impossible to identify with, the sense of triumph and kindness he accomplishes by being himself is hard not to love.
Stream Napoleon Dynamite on Hulu
2Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
Not Another Teen Movie
In the 2001 parody filmNot Another Teen Movie, director Joel Gallen does his best to compile every Hollywood storyline that was featured in teen comedies since the ’70s. Most of them take place in high school, so inNot Another Teen Movie, John Hughes High becomes the center of the clash between all stereotypes of the genre.
Even though it wasn’t exactly acclaimed by critics, it’s much better than people said back in the day because of its lack of boundaries when addressing the usual tropes, and its ability to compile and make fun of all the different cliches involved.
A Parody for a Genre that Needs Parodies
Categorized asone of the best parodiesof all time,Not Another Teen Movieplays in the same tone as other films of its genre. So, trying to make some sense of the story is just fruitless.
You will have more fun focusing on the specific situations where films likeVarsity Blues,American Pie,She’s All That,Bring It On,Sixteen Candles, and evenThe Breakfast Clubare parodied. If you’re into high school films regardless of the decade, this one’s for you — and it was a long time coming.
Rent Not Another Teen Movie on Vudu
1Mean Girls (2004)
Mean Girls
Based on the bookQueen Bees and Wannabesand completely re-adapted into a teen comedy by Tina Fey,Mean Girlsis one of the most important teen films of the 2000s. It regards Cady Heron, a teenage girl who moves to Illinois after spending 12 years in Africa with her parents.
Cady has always been homeschooled, and it’s her first time attending a regular high school. On her very first day she faces the “Plastics,” a posse of wealthy girls that make Cady fall back into her cocoon as she navigates modern times in America’s school system and everything that comes with that.
Smart Comedy at Its Best
Even though the film makes good use of the “dumb white girl” trope many times, it never loses the tone of itssmart and well-paced script.Mean Girlsis a modern comedy achievement that perfectly depicts the school experience while revealing the social disruption brought upon by bullying and how it can affect students.
Fey’s script is easily the best on the list, because it stays fresh throughout the whole film and manages to hit its target without losing the wit that characterizes her work on a writer’s desk. It’s not surprising that a modern remake was due, andis now set to come out soon.
Stream Mean Girls on Paramount+
To stay in the mood of high school films of the 2000s, here’s a video about some films from the same era that defined a generation:
