The 2000s was something of a golden age for teen movies. After all, this was the decade in which millennials, a significant demographic cohort, were coming of age, and so Hollywood studios wanted to cash in on their desire to see themselves - their interests, their desires, their struggles - represented on the big screen.
While some of these have remained enduringly popular and appreciated, others have managed to slip through the cracks. Though the general populace might have forgotten about them, revisiting them from the standpoint of today reveals the extent to which they have aged like fine wine, reminding viewers of a simpler time in the American zeitgeist.
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Even more than most genres, the teen film relies on various types of stock characters, and one of the most frequently occurring of these is the loser. While this figure often hovers in the background, in Accepted, they take center stage, as the entire plot focuses on a group of teens who start their own college, having been denied acceptance at the colleges of their choice.
Obviously, a number of hijinks ensue but, fortunately, all ends up happily, with Justin Long’s Bartleby now owning his own college and finally securing his demanding father’s long-withheld approval. There is, indeed, something particularly pleasing about seeing underdogs finally get to come out on top and, even now, Justin Long exudes the effortless sort of charm which would characterize so many of the roles throughout his career.
- Actors: Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Blake Lively, Maria Thayer, Lewis Black
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Steve Pink
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In some ways, the film Ella Enchanted has been quite overshadowed by the later enormous success of Enchanted. This is a shame, because Anne Hathaway, who plays the princess Ella, is truly enchanting, with the charm and charisma which was evident in her early roles in such films as The Princess Diaries and would become so key to her later success.
While Hathaway’s effortless charm is one of the film’s greatest strengths, it is also worth watching for the unique take it has on the fairy tale genre as a whole. In particular, the movie’s central conceit - Ella must obey every command she is given, a bit of a curse from a fairy godmother - is an implied critique of the passive role women so often play in fairy tales. As if this weren’t enough, it also has an appearance by Cary Elwes, which is a nod to his role as the handsome and dashing Westley in the fairy tale-oriented The Princess Bride.
- Actors: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox, Joanna Lumley
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Tommy O'Haver
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Given the enormous success of Harry Potter in the early part of the decade, it was inevitable it would spawn its own imitators, one of which was - arguably - Sky High. In this case, the film focuses on Michael Angarano as Will Stronghold who enrolls at a high school designed for the training of teenage superheroes. Unsurprisingly, he then has to contend with the usual teen angst while also facing his superpowers and a menacing supervillain.
At first glance, it might seem quite derivative, and this is how it was viewed at the time. With the passage of time, however, it becomes clear just how irreverent and knowing Sky High really is. More to the point, it is also a very smartly-written film, and it has a refreshingly fun approach to the idea of the superhero.
- Actors: Michael Angarano, Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Danielle Panabaker, Kevin Heffernan
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Mike Mitchell
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The road movie is an enduringly popular film genre, and its pleasures - of the joy of discovery, of encountering the majesty of the broader world, of getting closer to one’s friends - are very much in evidence in EuroTrip. As one might guess from the title, it follows a group of friends as they travel across Europe, all so main character Scotty Thomas can finally connect in the real world with his German pen pal.
There remains something endearing about this particular 2000s teen comedy. In part, this stems from the chemistry among the cast, and it is refreshing to see the extent to which Scotty can truly count on his group of friends. However, there is also a bit of satirical bite to EuroTrip, and it gently pokes fun at its American tourists, even as it also captures something of the disorienting exuberance of traveling in a foreign country.
- Actors: Scott Mechlowicz, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jacob Pitts, Travis Wester, Jessica Boehrs
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Jeff Schaffer
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What a Girl Wants is one of those 2000s teen films which is all about a search for identity. In this case, Amanda Bynes’s Daphne Reynolds yearns to connect with her father, but he happens to be a very high-profile British politician and, obviously, her existence could ruin his electoral prospects. The usual plot beats follow, and Daphne and her father ultimately come to accept her for who she is.
There is, to be sure, an almost too-good-to-be-true quality to What a Girl Wants, which may help explain why it has been largely forgotten. However, those who want to watch a film with strong performances, some genuinely funny and touching moments, and a positive message by the end should definitely give it a re-watch.
- Actors: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Eileen Atkins, Anna Chancellor
- Released: 2003
- Directed by: Dennie Gordon
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One of the most noteworthy filmmaking trends of the late 1990s and early 2000s was the Shakespeare adaptation, and one of the most notable, and humorous, of these was She’s the Man. A modern take on the play Twelfth Night, it stars Amanda Bynes as Viola Hastings, who masquerades as her brother in an effort to prove women can play soccer as effectively as men.
The film’s brilliance lies in its ability to succeed on several levels. Obviously, it is a romantic comedy, but it is also a fascinating look at the assumptions many people bring to the performance of gender. Just as importantly, it also shows just how skilled Bynes is at comedy, giving viewers a heroine who manages to be charming and funny, whether as her authentic or imagined self. Even now, it is a fascinating film which demonstrates the enduring relevance of the Bard.
- Actors: Amanda Bynes, James Kirk, Channing Tatum, Laura Ramsey, Emily Perkins
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Andy Fickman
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Among other things, the middle years of the 2000s were known for their preponderance of sports movies, many of which also double as teen movies. One notable example of this phenomenon is Stick It, which focuses on Missy Peregrym’s Haley Graham, a gymnast who reluctantly returns to the sport she abandoned.
While there are a few notable plot contrivances - Haley’s return to the sport is triggered by a trespassing incident early in the film - there’s no doubt it holds up to the test of time. It hits all of the comedic beats one expects of the genre, and it has all of the characters one would expect. What really grounds it, however, is Peregrym, who gives viewers a heroine they can find both aggravating and endearing at the same time, and by the end of the film, it’s impossible not to feel vindicated by her success. Though overshadowed by other films such as Bring It On (which was written by this film’s director, Jessica Bendinger), it still deserves some recognition of its own.
- Actors: Jeff Bridges, Missy Peregrym, Vanessa Lengies, John Patrick Amedori, Tarah Paige
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Jessica Bendinger
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John Tucker Must Die, like so many other teen comedies of this period, has a revenge plot at the center of its narrative, in which a group of teen girls decides to bring down the cool guy in school who has made a career out of dating multiple women and keeping them secret from one another. There’s an edge to this comedy that holds up surprisingly well.
More to the point, the film is also very much about the power of young women to strike back against the callous patriarchy of high school. While it has fallen through the cracks somewhat - perhaps because the cast is played by people manifestly not in their teens - there is still something pleasurable about seeing young women joining together in solidarity rather than simply giving in to the usual generic impulse to have the characters pair off.
- Actors: Jesse Metcalfe, Sophia Bush, Ashanti, Jenny McCarthy, Brittany Snow
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Betty Thomas
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In many ways, Step Up has a great deal in common with Save the Last Dance, for it also focuses on dancing and its power to bring together two people from very different circumstances. On the one hand, there’s Channing Tatum’s Tyler Gage and Jenna Dewan’s Nora Clark. Ultimately, they are able to overcome their differences - through dance, of course - and become romantically coupled.
Though it hits many of the expected beats of a romantic teen drama of this sort, it’s still worth watching. In particular, it is fascinating to see Channing Tatum at this early stage in his career, before he became a Hollywood heartthrob. Just as importantly, the film is also a fascinating look at how dance, in the cinematic imagination, becomes a means of overcoming social differences.
- Actors: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Mario, Drew Sidora, Rachel Griffiths
- Released: 2006
- Directed by: Anne Fletcher
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One of the most dominant trends of 2000s filmmaking was the adaptation of popular novels into (sometimes lackluster) films. In some ways, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is one of the paradigmatic examples of this phenomenon. Based on the novel of the same name by Ann Brashares, it focuses on a group of friends who, as the title suggests, share a pair of pants over the course of a summer (with the fantastic conceit of it fitting them all equally, despite their differing proportions).
Though it has slipped through the cracks - there were just so many teenage movies in this decade, it’s easy for some to be forgotten - it retains a heartfelt warmth that remains charming. In fact, it is worth revisiting precisely because it so realistically depicts the lives of teenage girls and, just as importantly, it also shows the tremendous power of female friendship, particularly at this important stage in people’s lives.
- Actors: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Jenna Boyd
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Ken Kwapis
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Throughout much of the 2000s, Michael Cera excelled at playing gawky, dorky characters who, nevertheless, were very lovable. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, which also stars Kat Dennings, is a perfect illustration of Cera’s charm, and there’s undeniable chemistry between the two leads.
The film is, altogether, one of those rare gems in Hollywood: a sweet story that doesn’t try to be anything too ambitious or to break out of the teen film mold. Perhaps this explains why it has tended to recede into the background. However, there is a tenderness to the movie which holds up remarkably well, and it is a reminder of a more innocent period of Hollywood filmmaking, before cynicism became far more common and when romantic comedies like this one had a better chance of succeeding at the box office.
- Actors: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Alexis Dziena, Ari Graynor, Aaron Yoo
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: Peter Sollett
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In many ways, Josie and the Pussycats is a brilliant send-up of so many elements of late ‘90s and early ‘00s culture, particularly since its central plot premise focuses on a record label’s efforts to implant subliminal messages in the music it produces. It also happens to feature some of the most recognizable indie actors of the period, including Seth Green and Parker Posey.
Fortunately, the film doesn’t take itself very seriously, and it clearly doesn’t want the audience to, either. This is precisely what makes it such a fun watch, even from the standpoint of 2022. It is like a little time capsule into the past, showing just how exuberantly ridiculous the plots of 2000s teen movies could be. To solidify its reputation, it also features the voice of Kay Hanley, lead singer of Letters to Cleo and, later, a successful solo artist in her own right.
- Actors: Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Alan Cumming, Parker Posey
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont
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The surfer is one of those figures that crops up again and again in popular culture. Almost without exception, films focusing on surfers tend to be male-dominated (Point Break being one of the most notable examples), but Blue Crush takes things in a different direction, focusing instead on a group of young female surfers.
Blue Crush follows most of the familiar beats of this type of film - with its central characters wanting nothing more than to surf, even as they have to contend with the realities of their blue-collar lives, as well as various romantic entanglements. However, there is an exhilarating feeling to the surfing scenes which holds up remarkably well. More to the point, though it has been overshadowed by many of the other sports films of the decade, this one is worth revisiting for the way it puts women at the center of its story rather than as mere eye candy.
- Actors: Kate Bosworth, Matthew Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Sanoe Lake, Mika Boorem
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: John Stockwell
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Clockstoppers has a little bit of everything. In addition to being a great teen movie, it also blends in some top-notch science fiction, since the entire plot revolves around a new technology that speeds up the molecules of a user’s body. When this technology falls into the hands of a teenager, all kinds of madness ensue.
Like many other teen movies of the period, it never pretends to be something it’s not, and it has all of the trademark slapstick one associates with other Nickelodeon productions. This is, however, precisely what gives it its charm. It provides viewers a touching opportunity to revisit the enjoyable movies of the past.
- Actors: Julia Sweeney, Paula Garcés, Michael Biehn, Jonathan Frakes, French Stewart
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Jonathan Frakes
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Like many of the other teen films of this decade, Sleepover takes as its subject the painful transition from middle school to high school. In particular, it focuses on a group of friends who are challenged to a scavenger hunt by a group of popular girls. The usual teenage hijinks ensue, and it hits all of the comedy bits one would expect from such an offering.
Predictable as it is, there is still something enchanting about this particular film. Though the critics did not like it and it failed at the box office, there remains something about it that helps to ensure its lasting legacy. It’s the type of movie that perfectly captures the angst and joy of coming of age.
- Actors: Alexa PenaVega, Mika Boorem, Scout Taylor-Compton, Kallie Flynn Childress, Sam Huntington
- Released: 2004
- Directed by: Joe Nussbaum
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Even though many of the most notable teen movies of the 2000s came from the United States, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging came from the UK, based on the series of novels by Louise Rennison. In the film, George Groome stars as Georgia Nicholson, a teen who wants to find a boyfriend even as she also has to plan her own birthday party.
There’s a light touch to this particular teen film which helps to explain its enduring appeal. Angus, Thongs knows what it is and doesn’t try to do anything more. As a result, it provided viewers of the time, and since, a pleasant viewing experience, and it is anchored throughout by Groome’s performance, who provides a rich authenticity to her character.
- Actors: Georgia Groome, Alan Davies, Karen Taylor, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Steve Jones
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: Gurinder Chadha
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