The Best High School Comedy Movies Since Mean Girls
by kjtenorman | created - 22 Jan 2017 | updated - 08 Dec 2019 | PublicFollow me on Letterboxd for more great film lists: https://letterboxd.com/kjtenorman
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1. Mean Girls (2004)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
Director: Mark Waters | Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey
Votes: 432,584 | Gross: $86.06M
2. Saved! (2004)
PG-13 | 92 min | Comedy, Drama
When a girl attending a Christian high school becomes pregnant, all of her former friends turn on her and she is ostracized and demonized.
Director: Brian Dannelly | Stars: Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit
Votes: 48,862 | Gross: $8.94M
3. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
PG | 96 min | Comedy
A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.
Director: Jared Hess | Stars: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell
Votes: 236,907 | Gross: $44.54M
4. The Girl Next Door (2004)
R | 109 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenager's dreams come true when a former porn star moves in next door and they fall in love.
Director: Luke Greenfield | Stars: Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Downs, Elisha Cuthbert, Timothy Olyphant
Votes: 238,807 | Gross: $14.59M
5. A Cinderella Story (2004)
PG | 95 min | Comedy, Family, Romance
Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, the downtrodden Samantha Montgomery is excited about the prospect of meeting her Internet beau at the school's Halloween dance.
Director: Mark Rosman | Stars: Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Dan Byrd
Votes: 93,722 | Gross: $51.44M
6. EuroTrip (2004)
R | 92 min | Comedy
Dumped by his girlfriend, a high school grad decides to embark on an overseas adventure in Europe with his friends.
Directors: Jeff Schaffer, Alec Berg, David Mandel | Stars: Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Michelle Trachtenberg, Travis Wester
Votes: 222,156 | Gross: $17.72M
7. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004)
PG | 89 min | Comedy, Family, Music
A teenage girl is convinced that her home city revolves around her until her family packs up and moves to the suburbs, where she finds herself competing for attention.
Director: Sara Sugarman | Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Adam Garcia, Glenne Headly
Votes: 31,205 | Gross: $29.33M
8. Sky High (2005)
PG | 100 min | Action, Comedy, Family
Set in an era where superheroes are commonly known and accepted, young William Stronghold, the son of the Commander and Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and an extraordinary being.
Director: Mike Mitchell | Stars: Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker
Votes: 94,320 | Gross: $63.95M
9. Thumbsucker (2005)
R | 96 min | Comedy, Drama
Justin throws himself and everyone around him into chaos when he attempts to break free from his addiction to his thumb.
Director: Mike Mills | Stars: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Keanu Reeves
Votes: 21,962 | Gross: $1.33M
10. John Tucker Must Die (2006)
PG-13 | 89 min | Comedy, Romance
Three ex-girlfriends of a serial cheater set up their former lover to fall for the new girl in town so they can watch him get his heart broken.
Director: Betty Thomas | Stars: Jesse Metcalfe, Ashanti, Arielle Kebbel, Sophia Bush
Votes: 87,837 | Gross: $41.01M
11. She's the Man (2006)
PG-13 | 105 min | Comedy, Romance, Sport
When her brother decides to ditch for a couple weeks, Viola heads over to his elite boarding school, disguised as him, and proceeds to fall for his school's star soccer player, and soon learns she's not the only one with romantic troubles.
Director: Andy Fickman | Stars: Amanda Bynes, Laura Ramsey, Channing Tatum, Vinnie Jones
Votes: 174,945 | Gross: $2.34M
12. It's a Boy Girl Thing (2006)
PG-13 | 95 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Sworn enemies find themselves in each other's bodies, and use this to ruin each other's lives.
Director: Nick Hurran | Stars: Samaire Armstrong, Kevin Zegers, Sherry Miller, Robert Joy
Votes: 42,751
13. The Curiosity of Chance (2006)
98 min | Comedy
A confident, out-of-the-closet gay teenager has the support of an eclectic range of friends while dealing with a homophobic bully during his first year at an international high school.
Director: Russell P. Marleau | Stars: Tad Hilgenbrink, Brett Chukerman, Aldevina Da Silva, Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyze
Votes: 3,156
14. Juno (2007)
PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Drama
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes a selfless decision regarding the unborn child.
Director: Jason Reitman | Stars: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Votes: 547,777 | Gross: $143.50M
15. Superbad (2007)
R | 113 min | Comedy
Two co-dependent high school seniors are forced to deal with separation anxiety after their plan to stage a booze-soaked party goes awry.
Director: Greg Mottola | Stars: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader
Votes: 629,455 | Gross: $121.46M
16. Hairspray (2007)
PG | 117 min | Comedy, Drama, Musical
Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.
Director: Adam Shankman | Stars: John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky, Michelle Pfeiffer
Votes: 138,297 | Gross: $118.87M
17. Charlie Bartlett (2007)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A rich kid becomes the self-appointed psychiatrist to the student body of his new high school.
Director: Jon Poll | Stars: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, Kat Dennings
Votes: 66,600 | Gross: $3.95M
18. Rocket Science (2007)
R | 101 min | Comedy, Drama
Looking for answers to life's big questions, a stuttering boy joins his high school debate team.
Director: Jeffrey Blitz | Stars: Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas D'Agosto, Utkarsh Ambudkar
Votes: 13,680 | Gross: $0.71M
19. Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The story centers on a 14-year-old girl who keeps a diary about the ups and downs of being a teenager, including the things she learns about kissing.
Director: Gurinder Chadha | Stars: Georgia Groome, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Karen Taylor, Alan Davies
Votes: 29,993
20. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
PG-13 | 90 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
Two newly acquainted music-lovers spend the night scouting the streets of New York City in search of their favourite band's surprise secret show. All the while, they're both being chased after by their tempting but devious exes.
Director: Peter Sollett | Stars: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Rafi Gavron
Votes: 95,266 | Gross: $31.49M
21. 17 Again (2009)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Mike O'Donnell is ungrateful for how his life turned out. He gets a chance to rewrite his life when he tried to save a janitor near a bridge and jumped after him into a time vortex.
Director: Burr Steers | Stars: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon
Votes: 215,622 | Gross: $64.17M
22. I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)
PG-13 | 102 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A nerdy valedictorian proclaims his love for Beth Cooper--the hottest, most popular girl in school--during his graduation speech. That very night, she shows up at his door offering to show him the best night of his life.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Hayden Panettiere, Paul Rust, Jack Carpenter, Lauren London
Votes: 37,395 | Gross: $14.79M
23. Easy A (2010)
PG-13 | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When Olive lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys, a girl overhears their conversation. Soon, her story spreads across the entire school like wildfire.
Director: Will Gluck | Stars: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley, Dan Byrd
Votes: 416,231 | Gross: $58.40M
24. Submarine (2010)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
15-year-old Oliver Tate has two objectives: to lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life.
Director: Richard Ayoade | Stars: Craig Roberts, Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, Noah Taylor
Votes: 96,296 | Gross: $0.47M
25. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
In a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.
Director: Edgar Wright | Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick
Votes: 463,790 | Gross: $31.49M
26. Kick-Ass (2010)
R | 117 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a superhero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.
Director: Matthew Vaughn | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloë Grace Moretz, Garrett M. Brown
Votes: 591,469 | Gross: $48.07M
27. Detention (2011)
R | 93 min | Comedy, Horror, Romance
As a copycat killer named after movie villain Cinderhella stalks the student body at Grizzly Lake High School, a group of co-eds band together to survive while serving detention.
Director: Joseph Kahn | Stars: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, Spencer Locke, Dane Cook
Votes: 16,481
28. Prom (2011)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A group of teenagers get ready for their high school prom.
Director: Joe Nussbaum | Stars: Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell, DeVaughn Nixon, Danielle Campbell
Votes: 15,688 | Gross: $10.13M
29. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama
Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
Director: Stephen Chbosky | Stars: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Votes: 546,035 | Gross: $17.74M
30. 21 Jump Street (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson
Votes: 596,266 | Gross: $138.45M
31. The First Time (I) (2012)
PG-13 | 95 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A shy senior and a down-to-earth junior fall in love over one weekend.
Director: Jonathan Kasdan | Stars: Dylan O'Brien, Britt Robertson, Victoria Justice, James Frecheville
Votes: 73,527 | Gross: $0.02M
32. Project X (2012)
R | 88 min | Comedy
Three high-school seniors throw a birthday party to make a name for themselves. As the night progresses, things spiral out of control as word of the party spreads.
Director: Nima Nourizadeh | Stars: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Dax Flame
Votes: 232,171 | Gross: $54.73M
33. Struck by Lightning (2012)
Not Rated | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
A high schooler recounts the way he blackmailed his fellow classmates into contributing to his literary magazine.
Director: Brian Dannelly | Stars: Chris Colfer, Rebel Wilson, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney
Votes: 15,130 | Gross: $0.02M
34. LOL (2012)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
As a new year at school begins, Lola's heart is broken by her boyfriend, though soon she's surprised by her best friend, promising musician Kyle, who reveals his feelings for her.
Director: Lisa Azuelos | Stars: Miley Cyrus, Douglas Booth, Ashley Greene, Demi Moore
Votes: 58,053 | Gross: $0.05M
35. The Bling Ring (2013)
R | 90 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities' whereabouts in order to rob their homes.
Director: Sofia Coppola | Stars: Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Claire Julien
Votes: 91,981 | Gross: $5.84M
36. The Spectacular Now (2013)
R | 95 min | Drama, Romance
A hard-partying high school senior's philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical "nice girl."
Director: James Ponsoldt | Stars: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Votes: 161,011 | Gross: $6.85M
37. The Way Way Back (2013)
PG-13 | 103 min | Comedy, Drama
Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.
Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash | Stars: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb
Votes: 156,597 | Gross: $21.50M
38. G.B.F. (2013)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
What happens after Tanner is outed by his classmates and becomes the title "gay best friend" for three high school queen bees?
Director: Darren Stein | Stars: Michael J. Willett, Paul Iacono, Sasha Pieterse, Andrea Bowen
Votes: 11,409
39. Geography Club (2013)
PG-13 | 84 min | Comedy, Drama
At Goodkind High School, a group of students with varying sexual orientations form an after-school club as a discreet way to share their feelings and experiences.
Director: Gary Entin | Stars: Cameron Deane Stewart, Justin Deeley, Meaghan Martin, Wesley Eure
Votes: 6,240
40. The To Do List (2013)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Romance
Feeling pressured to become more sexually experienced before she goes to college, Brandy Klark makes a list of things to accomplish before hitting campus in the fall.
Director: Maggie Carey | Stars: Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat
Votes: 41,834 | Gross: $3.45M
41. The Kings of Summer (2013)
R | 95 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land.
Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts | Stars: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias, Nick Offerman
Votes: 84,252 | Gross: $1.29M
42. The DUFF (2015)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Romance
A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF - Designated Ugly Fat Friend - by her prettier, more popular counterparts.
Director: Ari Sandel | Stars: Mae Whitman, Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell, Allison Janney
Votes: 101,318 | Gross: $34.03M
43. Dope (2015)
R | 103 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who's surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure.
Director: Rick Famuyiwa | Stars: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise
Votes: 89,161 | Gross: $17.51M
44. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
PG-13 | 105 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance