The The 2000s were full of teen comedies, and although they were hugely popular when they were released, many were buried as the years went by. These films were bigger and better than many other films released that decade, and many of them should be considered highlights of the decade. But thanks to so many of the films in the genre often overshadowing them, and at least 16 years or more passing, not enough people remember or talk about these films today.
There were many teen-based movies that arrived in the 2000s, and some of them don’t quite fit the mold, such as the incredible Rian Johnson movie Brick. It was more of a film noir set in a high school setting, and while it might be the best teen movie of the decade, it really doesn’t fit into that genre. Instead, many of the best teen movies are in the comedy genre, with some coming-of-age stories and even Shakespearean adaptations.
The 2000s include some incredible releases that people still talk about today, with movies like Wild girls, Super bathand Wet hot American summer still talked about to this day. However, there are other films that don’t get enough praise today, from box office bombs that became cult classics, to films that were re-evaluated years later, and even an Oscar-nominated indie.
Get Over It (2001)
Many teen movies in the 2000s were based on William Shakespeare’s plays, and the one movie that no one talks about enough from this subgenre is Get over it. The film was directed by Tommy O’Haver and released in 2001 and stars Ben Foster, Kirsten Dunst and Melissa Sagemiller. The plot is a romantic comedy in which Berke (Foster) auditions for the school’s musical adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to win back his ex-boyfriend (Sagemiller).
The film has an incredible cast of future stars, including Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldaña, Shane West and Colin Hanks. Martin Short even has a role as theater manager. But the film was a disappointment at the box office, earning $19.9 million on a $22 million budget. It has relatively low reviews, but it’s still a great 2000s teen comedy, and one that more people should look back on and reevaluate.
Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
There were many spoof movies that came out in the 2000sand almost all of them were terribly reviewed. But the one that is still one of the best in the genre was actually a really good teen comedy. This was Not another teen movieand it takes the tropes of all the teen movies of the 1980s and 1990s and uses them to deliver a fun story that pokes fun at the genre without actually insulting it.
Not another teen movie also featured a large cast of young stars including Chyler Leigh and Chris Evans. While most spoof movies are thrown in for making fun of the genre they’re spoofing with quick jokes, this one actually tells its own story within the framework, and it delivers on almost every level. There’s even a brilliant moment at the end with Molly Ringwald as she mocks her classic character’s decision-making skills. Critics hated it, but it has become a cult classic.
She’s the Man (2006)
In the 2000s, there was perhaps no more in-demand teenage starlet than Amanda Bynes. She was in several films over the years, but one film that more people should revisit is the 2006 comedy She is the Man. The film is a football-themed remake of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and stars Bynes as a teenage soccer star whose school cuts the girls team, so she transfers to her brother’s school and pretends to be him to make the men’s team.
The film also stars a then-unknown Channing Tatum, and the film helped make him a star. The film has a strong message about overcoming gender stereotypes, even if some of the gags and jokes don’t work as well today as they did in 2006. That said, the film was a box office success thanks to Bynes’ popularity, and it’s a film still worth revisiting.
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
John Tucker must die is a 2006 teen comedy film directed by Betty Thomas. The film follows serial cheater John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) and the young women he has cheated on as they plot their revenge. The female cast here includes Brittany Snow as the new girl in school, with the scorned exes including Sophia Bush, Arielle Kebbel and Ashanti. Penn Badgley also has a pre-Gossip Girl role here, and Jenny McCarthy is also in the cast.
The film was a huge success, grossing $68.8 million on an $18 million budget. Although critics weren’t all on board, as they almost never were regarding teen films in the 2000s, it was a film that audiences paid money to see. Despite its box office success, it’s an overlooked but worthy revenge comedy with a great young cast.
The Girl Next Door (2004)
The girl next door remains a largely forgotten 2004 teen film, even though it has a lot in common with the wildly popular one Super bathwhich came out a few years later. Directed by Luke Greenfield, this film stars Emile Hirsch as a straight-laced senior who meets and falls for his new neighbor, played by Elisha Cuthbert. But when he finds out she’s a former adult movie star, things get complicated.
The film has some great cast members including Timothy Olyphant, Paul Dano, Chris Marquette and Timothy Bottoms. It was only a modest hit at the box office and received mixed reviews, although many critics compared it favorably to Risky business. It is an overlooked but worthy film that succeeded in going from its more generic plot description to becoming a sincere coming-of-age film.
Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
Josie and the Pussycats was a commercial failure, but time has been kind to the teen film. Co-directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, and based on the Archie Comics characters, the film stars Rachael Leigh Cook as Josie, Tara Reid as Melody and Rosario Dawson as Valerie, a small-town band swept into stardom. Although they are the leads, it’s the supporting cast that helped make this a cult classic.
Alan Cumming and Parker Posey star as music industry villains who use these three young women to make money, and their villainy sells the whole story. This is a clever satire of the music industry as well as of branding and product placement, which is more noticeable in today’s society than it was in 2001 when the film was released. It is one of those teen movies that has been re-evaluated in recent years and is much better than the early reviews indicate.
Saved! (2004)
Directed by Brian Dannelly in his feature film debut, Saved! is a religious satire that went from Sundance to theaters. The film stars Jena Malone as Mary, a student at a Christian high school who has to deal with Mandy Moore’s self-righteous Hilary, who turns much of the school against Mary when she loses her virginity. Macaulay Culkin is brilliant as a wheelchair-using cynic named Roland, and Patrick Fugit also has a role as Mary’s love interest.
The film was a minor success, grossing $10.1 million on a $5 million budget, which was impressive for a film on the festival circuit. But when religious groups protested the film, it hurt its legacy at the time. The good news is that it has stood the test of time, and with a 61% Rotten Tomatoes score, it has become an overlooked but genuine subversive teenage satire that is almost more relevant today than when it was released.
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
When Nick and Norah’s never-ending playlist hit theaters, reviews at the time made it look like it would go down in history as one of the most iconic teen comedies of the 21st century. However, it seems that the film has been mostly forgotten and no one is talking about it anymore. It seems many younger viewers have never seen it. The film stars Michael Cera as Nick and Kat Dennings as Norah, two teenagers who meet one night while traversing New York’s indie rock scene.
Norah asks Nick to be her fake boyfriend, and they end up spending the night trying to find their favorite band’s secret show, while Norah’s best friend (Ari Graynor) gets really drunk and needs help getting home. The film was a box office success and has a score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. This one-night stand romance is one of the most emotionally genuine teen movies of the 2000s.
Charlie Bartlett (2007)
Charlie Bartlett is a 2007 film that has an impressive cast and a great script, but it has been lost to time. Directed by Jon Poll, the late Anton Yelchin stars as Charlie Bartlett, a wealthy, expelled preschooler, while Robert Downey Jr. has the lead role as elementary school principal Nathan Gardner. While at the new elementary school, Charlie becomes popular as he begins acting as an amateur therapist and even dispenses prescription medication in the bathroom.
It seems like a dark story, but the film ends up delivering a great story with a spectacular cast. In addition to Yelchin and Downey, the cast also includes Kat Dennings and Hope Davis. The film was only a modest hit at the box office, but its 59% Rotten Tomatoes score mostly points to the chemistry between Downey and Yelchin. For anyone who wants to see how incredible Yelchin was before his death in 2016, this might be the best teen movie to check out from his career.
Ghost World (2001)
Ghost world is an indie teen film that is based on a cartoon and was nominated for an Oscar, and it is one that more people should be talking about today. Directed by Terry Zwigoff, based on Daniel Clowes’ 1990s graphic novel, the film stars Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson as two cynical teenagers, Enid and Rebecca, who have no idea what to do with their lives after graduating from high school.
Steve Buscemi plays the scene-stealing Seymour, an elderly record collector who Enid befriends, straining her relationship with Rebecca. This was a career-defining role for Johansson and a highly acclaimed headlining tour for Birch. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and has a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, and also received a Criterion Collection release.
