Still enjoying the recent resurgence of teen movies? Netflix has really propelled the genre back into the mainstream of late, with original films like The Kissing Booth trending in the US, spurring audiences to search out more fun, lighthearted teen movies to watch. Maybe it's because things are so heavy in the world right now, or perhaps it's because as they search for more films to watch in a year when new movies are slow to release, older audiences — meaning not just teenagers — are tuning in, too. Most teens movies are just good, clean fun that bring us back to simpler times in our lives.
Of course, some teen movies tackle more emotionally charged topics than say, snagging a date with the cutest guy in the senior class — or how to survive in the boonies without a cellphone signal. But to be honest, even those that deal with illnesses, deaths in the family, or trauma, can be a bit easier to watch than films intended exclusively for adults. Perhaps that's because there's just something about being a teenager that screams of hope and possibilities, and in these uncertain times, we could all use more of that. So, we have no shame in our penchant for teen movies.
Whether deep and moving, or simple and cheesy, sometimes it's A-OK to get lost in a little teenage drama. We found 17 more movies on Netflix that anyone who enjoyed The Kissing Booth and just can't wait for the third installment to come out to get their teen movie fix, should put on their watch list. Keep reading to find out what they are what they're about.
'Candy Jar'
Rated: TV-14
Super-smart teens have been rivals for as long as they can remember, and now, in their senior year, the two opposing debate team members will stop at nothing to get in to their top choice colleges. They're at odds with each other, both on the debate floor and off. That is until they realize that if they team up, they'll have far better chances of succeeding.
… only that means they'll have to put the long-standing rivalry aside.
'Work It'
Rated: TV-14
Quinn Ackermann is not a dancer, but she needs to dance and actually be good at it if she's going to get into the college she's always dreamed of attending. In an all-out bid to up her extracurriculars, she gathers a group of misfits to create a dance team that will have to battle it out with the best dancers in the school to win the championship that will get Quinn noticed by her dream school.
'DJ Cinderella'
Rated: PG
Cintia dreams of being a world-famous DJ. She's driven, independent, and totally crushed by her parents' divorce — but she won't let anything stop her from achieving her goals. After she gains the attention of a famous singer for the awesome remix she did of his lackluster hit, Cintia finds herself slowly falling for him.
'Alex Strangelove'
Rated: TV-MA
Alex is a smart high school senior with a promising future ahead of him. He's not a part of the "in" crowd, but he has a great girlfriend and a happy social life. But Alex is still a virgin, and sex is starting to take over all of his thoughts. So he hatches a plan to lose his virginity — only, he meets a guy that makes him question whether his girlfriend is the right person to be with for the first time, or even whether any girl at all is.
'Under the Riccione Sun'
Rated: TV-MA
A group of teens meets each other vacationing on the beach in Riccione, Italy, and spend the summer forming unexpected bonds with one another. The teens start and end romantic relationships, endure unrequited crushes, and have a veritable beach blast along the way. Under the Riccione Sun seriously chronicles all the ups and downs of teen love, and is sure to leave audiences with lots of feels.
'The Package'
Rated: TV-MA
The Package offers viewers the classic — sometimes raunchy — slapstick humor we've all come to know and love from the teen movie genre. It's about a group of older teens who decide to spend spring break camping deep in the woods. They think they're prepared until everything that could go wrong, starts to go wrong. Expect lots of embarrassing and awkward moments throughout.
'Swiped'
Rated: TV-14
In a scheme to make money and get into girls' pants, two college roommates develop a brand-new hookup app called "Jungle" that gains popularity pretty quickly. The app is all about meeting someone to satisfy physical needs — that's it, no dating, no complications. Everything is gravy, until one of the developers realizes that, get this, his newly divorced mom has started using the app.
'Let It Snow'
Rated: PG-13
In an unexpected take on the holiday movie, Let It Snow is about a diverse group of teens coping with broken friendships, unrequited crushes, and new love while they're all stuck in the same small town during a major snowstorm. Add in a stranded pop star, and a true rager of a party, and let the teen hijinks ensue.
'You Get Me'
Rated: TV-MA
This one is not for the kids. (Think Cruel Intentions level of intensity.) When two high schoolers have a totally random one-night stand — after Tyler unexpectedly breaks up with his girlfriend — Holly becomes obsessed with Tyler. Tyler's breakup wasn't long-lived, though, and he and his girlfriend reunite. But, Holly is not about to give up easily. She ends up transferring to his high school so she can get closer to him, and her obsession becomes dangerous.
'The Babysitter'
Rated: TV-MA
The insane antics of this teen horror flick are funny, horrific, and shocking at the same time. Young Cole is spying on his supermodel look-alike babysitter and discovers that something isn't quite right. Turns out, his beloved sitter is a murderer working with the devil himself. Now, Cole must figure out how to survive until his parents return home.
'All the Bright Places'
Rated: TV-MA
In All the Bright Places, two damaged teens from Indiana find solace in each other as they work to mend their hearts and bodies from past traumas and losses. In this cathartic watch, they team up for a school project, and end up finding love and authentic friendship as they work through the assignment which sends them on a quest to learn more about their home state.
'The Clique'
Rated: PG
The Clique is like Mean Girls, only with well-off middle schoolers and a lot less risqué. The middle school queen bee feels threatened when a confident new girl moves into town. Massie can't escape her new classmate because her family has moved into Massie's family's guest house. How will she ever be able to keep the new girl out of her clique and remain safely in the top position of her school's social hierarchy?
'RipTide'
Rated: PG
An embarrassing viral video sends a chic, gorgeous, teen model running from New York to her aunt's home in a rural Australia beach town. Her new surroundings push her out of her glamorous comfort zone, and she learns about the things that are truly important in life: love, family, humility, and new experiences.
'SPF-18'
Rated: PG-13
In this coming-of-age tale, five recent high school graduates spend their last summer together house sitting on the beach for a celebrity. Together, they hit milestones, make choices about their future, learn more about themselves and each other, and enjoy one incredible summer surfing and soaking up as much sun as possible.
'Dude'
Rated: TV-MA
In Dude, a group of high school girls gearing up for graduation in just two weeks face the emotional ups and downs of leaving one stage of life and entering another. It's a humorous and heartwarming take on the classic coming-of-age tale — oh, and they happen to be newbie potheads as well, obviously adding to the hilarity of it all.
'A Walk to Remember'
Rated: PG
Most moms have probably seen this one. In A Walk to Remember, an unlikely duo is cast in their high school play, and before long, the local bad boy and shy bookworm fall head over heels for each other. Anyone whose a fan of Mandy Moore in This is Us has to see this movie to see exactly where she started in the acting world.
'Step Sisters'
Rated: PG-13
A rhythmically challenged white sorority has intentions of getting involved in the Black-dominated world of stepping to repair their damaged reputation, and Jamilah has been tasked with training them. She grudgingly gives it her all in order to get support from the dean and get into Harvard Law — a dream she's had her entire life.
