While girly teen movies might have enjoyed their heyday in the early 00’s, they're making a stronger comeback than ever before, thanks to the likes of novel adaptations like The Fault in Our Stars and The DUFF. With the release of Paper Towns right around the corner, it seems that 'girly' movies are hogging all the action once again. But don’t worry guys—just because the movie looks like it's targeted at a female audience, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it too.
All the pink and swirly font on the posters can be scary, and a story based on a young woman's coming-of-age may seem like a purely female touchstone, but many girly teen movies actually appeal to a wide variety of audiences, including males and adults.
So in the spirit of sharing, we’ve compiled a list of the Top 15 Girly Teen Movies That Guys Can Enjoy, with the following rules in mind:
The Rules
- The film must star a female protagonist, or prominently feature a female as part of the story.
- She must be in high school or high school-aged (sorry Legally Blonde and Pitch Perfect).
- The film must have a contemporary setting (so no Hunger Games or Ella Enchanted either).
Step Up (2006)
One of the best of the girly teen dance films (in a list that includes Center Stage and Save the Last Dance), Step Up is the film that taught us all Channing Tatum could dance - a skill he would revive for Magic Mike. The film follows Tyler (Tatum), a troubled and poor dancer who vandalizes a performing arts school and gets a chance to turn his life around through dance. While the romance isn't unexpected, the choreography and music remain on point and impressive to watch. It was largely a critical failure, but it made up for the negative reviews at the box office, where it earned $21 million its opening weekend. The film has inspired four sequels, all of which shine for the choreography alone.
She’s All That (1999)
She’s All That recreates the narrative of My Fair Lady or Pygmalion in high school, telling the story of ugly duckling Laney Boggs (Rachel Leigh Cook), a frumpy tomboy made beautiful when quarterback Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) takes her under his wing - and gives her a pair of s. More than any other teen film, this one seemed to serve as the main inspiration for the genre's most well-known parody, Not Another Teen Movie. Something of a sleeper hit when it first released, She's All That became a symbol of the entire era of teen comedies 'with a message,' going on to reach the top of the box office soon after.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Based on the best-selling young adult novel, The Fault in Our Stars is a romantic-dramedy about two teens who meet in a cancer group (so viewers should prepare for some stoic weeping). It follows the story of Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a sufferer of terminal thyroid cancer, beginning a deep relationship with Augustus (Ansel Elgort), a teenager whose bone cancer is in remission. The film (like the novel) was well-received, and Woodley received plenty of praise for her heart-wrenching performance. She and Elgort would go on to become modern teen darlings, with the pair later appearing in another young adult adaption, The Divergent Series - strangely enough, as siblings.
Pretty in Pink (1986)
One of most iconic classics of the 1980s, Pretty in Pink follows a poor girl named Andie (Molly Ringwald) who has the misfortune of falling in love with the super-wealthy Blane (Andrew McCarthy). Social barriers and friends threaten to keep the couple apart, but given that it's a John Hughes movie, audiences can rest easy that everything works out in the end. At the time of its release, Pretty was both a critical and commercial success, and the warm-and-fuzzy ending ensured it would remain in the pop-culture pantheon, becoming one of the most often-referenced entries in Hughes' catalogue.
Saved! (2004)
Saved! puts the spotlight on the duo of Macaulay Culkin and Mandy Moore, set mainly within a group of religious teenagers at a Catholic high school. After Mary (Jena Malone) becomes pregnant with her homosexual ex-boyfriend’s child, she must deal with her own religious crisis while the other students begin to ostracize her. Although the film takes on heavy subject matter, it's comedy (and strong ing cast) shines, blending genuine wit with satire of the teen genre. Despite some criticizing the supposed anti-Christian agenda, the movie became a cult-hit among teens already familiar with the subject matter.
Juno (2007)
Critically beloved, Diablo Cody's Juno tells the unlikely tale of its sixteen-year-old heroine, thrown into the deep end of life... better known as 'teen pregnancy.' Juno is the best type of female lead: smart, funny, and totally relatable, no matter the viewer's gender. The film is aided by stellar performances from Page, Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, and J.K. Simmons, receiving four Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Original Screenplay, which it won.
Jawbreaker (1999)
Jawbreakers starts with over-the-top teen sweetness with its focus on the "Flawless Four," the four most popular girls in their high school, as they prepare to celebrate the seventeenth birthday of the prom queen. Fortunately, the giggling and celebrating quickly takes a dark turn when they accidentally murder her with a jawbreaker. While it was a critical and financial failure at the time of its release, it's gone on to attain cult-classic status thanks to the crazy scenarios and brightly dark vibe. The danger of social cliques themes has drawn several comparisons to two other films on this list - Heathers and Mean Girls.
Heathers (1988)
Heathers is a cult-classic centering on a popular clique made entirely of girls named 'Heather.' When Veronica (Winona Ryder) is asked to the group, she quickly misses her old, nerdy lifestyle. Soon she starts to fall for the dark and mysterious J.D. (Christian Slater), who shows her a new way to take care of the Heathers—killing them. While a commercial failure, the movie was critically well-received for its dark and humorous take on the teen genre, before going on to become a cult-classic.
easy A (2010)
Partially inspired by The Scarlett Letter, this 2005 film follows the aftermath of the high school rumor mill run amuck when Olive (Emma Stone) lies about losing her virginity to a college student. Soon, Olive is lying about fooling around with other boys in her school to help their reputation, while her own begins to suffer. The script for easy A is witty and fun, but it’s Emma Stone’s charming performance that pushes this movie into gold status.