A great coming-of-age film has the power to speak to an audience of younger moviegoers and present them with a story and set of characters that they find relatable. Even for older audiences, great films about childhood can evoke strong feelings of nostalgia. Authenticity may be a virtue within this subgenre, but it’s always fun to see teen films that push the boundaries of realism. Whether it's an escapist fantasy or the epitome of adolescent anxieties, truly “wild” high school movies have significant entertainment value.

There’s no one formula that teen movies follow, as they can often intertwine with other genres. In fact, many of the most iconic high school films of all time include elements of fantasy, horror, science fiction, absurdist comedy, and even musicals. However, it’s the teen films that truly shock and surprise audiences that end up having the most significant legacy. These are the wildest teen movies out there, game-changing efforts that prove there are countless ways to tell a high school story.

10 ‘Risky Business’ (1983)

Directed by Paul Brickman

Nowadays, Tom Cruise is best known for his action movies. However, he got his breakout role in the classic high school film Risky Business. A wild comedy of errors with no shortage of lewd content, Risky Business explores a male fantasy gone wrong by forcing its protagonist into a vulnerable position. Cruise stars as the idiosyncratic wealthy teenager Joel Goodson, who gets a dose of reality when his attempts to throw a party turn into a wild romance with the sex worker Lana (Rebecca De Mornay).

Between its erotic scenes and now iconic dance sequence, Risky Business is a crime comedy that isn’t afraid to show the consequences of irresponsibility. The film crafts a cunning satire of class differences by showing the lengths that Joel’s family goes to in order to ensure that their reputation is maintained. However, its satire is worthwhile, offering the perfect balance of humor, intelligence, and shameless, over-confident bravado.

9 'Superbad' (2007)

Directed by Greg Mottola

Easily one of the most influential comedies of the 21st century, Superbad inspired many gross-out high school party comedies following its initial release. Films like Booksmart and Plan B have utilized similar formulas, but Superbad is truly wild with the amount of graphic content and crude humor it got away with. The sheer strangeness of the situation is only emphasized by the fact that the two protagonists, Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill), are high school students just desperately trying to have a good time.

What’s most surprising is that Superbad’s anarchic sense of humor is not an impediment to its heartfelt message about friendship. Despite their chaotic adventures, Evan and Seth realize how much they mean to one another; it’s a surprisingly earnest way to conclude a film with a heavy amount of drug, sex, and the occasional, late 2000s politically incorrect humor.

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8 ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (1986)

Directed by John Hughes

While it captures a similar representation of high school culture, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the ultimate escapist fantasy about escaping the mundanity of education. Loosely inspired by true events, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off gives Matthew Broderick’s titular character the opportunity to experience all that Chicago has to offer before he graduates from his senior year.

Although he ultimately proves to be a warm-hearted character, Ferris Buller’s Day Off allows the viewer to enjoy Ferris’ irresponsibility. His wild behavior doesn’t go grating, even as Ferris keeps eluding consequences to give his friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and love interest Sloane (Mia Sara) a good time. John Hughes was a highly influential filmmaker within the coming-of-age genre because he developed films that felt emotionally authentic; Ferris Buller, The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles are just a few examples of his brand.

7 'Bottoms' (2023)

Directed by Emma Seligman

Director Emma Seligman pushed the teen movie genre to its violent extremes with Bottoms. The film examines the rampant sexism that is common with coming-of-age films by giving its female characters the chance to defend themselves against the aggressive boys in their class. What begins as an earnest attempt to be safe turns into a violent showdown reminiscent of Fight Club.

Bottoms is both violent and hilarious, using shocking moments of brutality to catch the audience off guard. Despite resembling a fairly standard coming-of-age drama in its early sections, Bottoms becomes even more ridiculous once it throws realism out the door entirely. The idiosyncratic performances by Ayo Edibiri and Rachel Sennot indicate that Bottoms will grow a very strong cult fanbase in subsequent years.

6 ‘Wild Things’ (1998)

Directed by John McNaughton

While it has now become best known for its raunchy legacy, Wild Things is a teen film that satirizes the inherent absurdity of noir films. What begins as a courtroom drama becomes a heightened series of plot twists where every character betrays one another; the over-the-top performances by Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, and Neve Campbell keep Wild Things on a firmly extreme path.

Viewers may have been so busy trying to determine each character’s motivations that they ignore how completely ridiculous it is that the characters are supposed to be in high school. While there’s a great deal of lurid eroticism, Wild Things succeeds as a satire of the class divide that criticizes the media for misreporting crime stories. Examining the taboo surrounding sexual content served as a great way for Wild Things to deconstruct how crime reporting has desensitized viewers to the plight of the victims.

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5 ‘Freaky’ (2020)

Directed by Christopher Landon

While the final girl trope has been epitomized by many horror films, Freaky turns the premise of the slasher movie on its head. In a tribute to both the slasher classic Friday the 13th and the body-swapping classic Freaky Friday, Christopher Landon’s horror movie satire sees a shy teenage girl (Kathryn Newton) and a violent killer (Vince Vaughn) swap bodies.

Freaky uses the horror movie genre to analyze the superficiality of high school, revealing how ignorant a class of students is to the fact that a killer is living among them. Despite its graphic death scenes and crude humor, Freaky has a surprisingly earnest message about body positivity and individuality. The subversive performances from Newton and Vaughn, both of whom are cast against type, only make Freaky even wilder.

4 ‘Hairspray’ (1988)

Directed by John Waters

Director John Waters has a history of making disturbing films that upset critics, but Hairspray is a surprisingly heartfelt tribute to the wild hippie culture of the 1960s. Set in Baltimore during the rise of teen-centric television musical programs, Hairspray examines how young people have the potential to be at the forefront of social change when it comes to ending racial segregation.

As serious as the subject material is, Hairspray has wild twists and turns in its over-the-top recreation of this era of American culture. The original Hairspray preceded some even wilder adaptations. The film was adapted into a popular stage musical that won many awards on Broadway; the musical was later adapted into a popular 2007 film starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer. Nonetheless, the original Hairspray is certainly a wild and campy take on the teen genre, even if it's tame by Waters' standards.

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3 ‘Bring It On’ (1999)

Directed by Peyton Reed

Bring It On examines the intense world of competitive cheerleading, showing the extreme lengths that high school teams go to outdo each other. A classic of the teen genre that features no shortage of impressive stunts and cheesy one-liners, Bring It On celebrates and satirizes its central characters. Kirsten Dunst shines in her breakout performance as a character who is impossible to root against despite her undeniable ego.

Through humor and chutzpah, Bring It On captures the life-or-death way teens view the world as each competition looms large within the characters’ minds. Director Peyton Reed isn’t afraid to get a little melodramatic at points, suggesting that the characters aren’t adequately mature enough to perceive the world more realistically. Bring It On was truly a once-in-a-generation hit, inspiring a series of direct-to-DVD sequels that weren’t nearly as wild or creative.

2 ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ (1999)

Directed by Michael Patrick Jann

The mockumentary genre has been popular since This Is Spinal Tap lampooned rock musicians. Drop Dead Gorgeous uses a quasi-documentary format to satirize the world of teenage beauty pageants. The film equates the highly eccentric personalities involved with the competition itself and takes a wild turn when a small town becomes a backdrop for conspiracies and murder.

Those expecting a more traditional high school comedy may be shocked when Drop Dead Gorgeous goes off the deep end. Drop Dead Gorgeous uses its offensive humor to satirize bigotry and bullying. From the get-go, it’s evident that its boundary-pushing jokes are intended to expose the seedy underbelly behind seemingly idealistic communities. A delightfully wicked performance by Kirstie Alley gives Drop Dead Gorgeous its most wild and eccentric villain.

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1 ‘Heathers’ (1989)

Directed by Michael Lehmann

The epitome of a cult classic, Heathers tracks the toxic relationship between a teenage girl and a social outsider as they plan to disrupt their school’s social infrastructure with a series of murders. Heathers has a straight-faced satirical edge; while not calling attention to its themes with obvious gags, it still condemns the nihilistic ideologies that the characters abide by. It’s a film in which teenagers are left to their own devices and create chaotic circumstances that force them to live with grueling consequences.

Winona Ryder and Christian Slater give depthful performances that help Heathers crack its unique tone. Despite its wild premise, Heathers had a significant influence on popular culture in the time since its initial release. In addition to inspiring a subgenre of darkly comedic high school comedies, Heathers spawned a legacy sequel television series and a popular Broadway musical.

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