We’re rounding out Women’s History Month with our favorite must-watch movies about girls navigating relationships, coming of age, and everything else that comes along with being in high school!
High school is such a pivotal time for many young adults, and these movies do an incredible job showcasing coming of age and the unique female experience that comes along with it.
Mean Girls
One of the most popular films of all time, Mean Girls, is always worth a rewatch. Comparing high school to the wild of Africa, it truly depicts how feral and ruthless teenage girls can be. This movie shows how the only way to really survive high school is to support your fellow women, even if it takes the main characters the better part of the movie to get there.
Where to watch: Paramount+
mean girls is the most iconic teen movie ever created pic.twitter.com/O8AC6wyJmS
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) November 15, 2022
Easy A
Highlighting the double standards of the female experience through the lens of high school, Easy A is a modern-day adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter that proves things nowadays aren’t as different for women as they were back then. With an exemplary musical number and a younger Penn Badgley, this film is a must-see if you haven’t already.
Where to watch: Netflix
the pocketful of sunshine scene in easy a is still iconic to this day
— cee⁷ (@namkookify) March 12, 2023
Lady Bird
Focusing on the relationship between a girl applying to college and her mother, Lady Bird is a phenomenal closeup of the tumultuous time of applying for college and how these few years can alter the course of a teen’s life. Lady Bird is headstrong and rebellious, truly capturing the wild spirit of a young woman in a quintessential coming-of-age film.
Where to watch: Hulu
lady bird’s opening scene really is so iconic pic.twitter.com/R2CeCAE0Ao
— bethany (@fiImgal) January 1, 2023
Booksmart
Following two girls on their attempt to pack four years of crazy fun into the night before graduation, Booksmart spotlights how incredibly wild, confusing, and messy high school truly is. This revered movie is a rollercoaster with one night of partying, friendship breakups and makeups, and self-discovery.
Where to watch: This film unfortunately isn’t available for free on any platforms right now but is available to rent on Amazon Prime.
booksmart being the most iconic coming of age pic.twitter.com/dNhZh4ykYl
— thau (@tcreatorp) September 23, 2020
Do Revenge
A modern-day Mean Girls, this movie is delightfully exciting and pays homage to several classic teen movies of the past. With twists and heartbreak and plenty of betrayals, Do Revenge is an awe-inspiring female-centric film that shows the true havoc a woman scorned can wreak.
Where to watch: Netflix
Do Revenge pays homage to iconic teen movies of the past and does so in fabulous fashion. Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke are absolutely perfect together. This is definitely my favorite Netflix original film of the year. Jennifer Kaytin Robinson did a wonderful job. pic.twitter.com/qAapEt4Pc6
— Renzo Tupas (@RenzoTupas) October 16, 2022
Honorable mentions include The Edge of Seventeen, Jennifer’s Body, and The DUFF.
