Few movies had the cultural impact of 2004’s Mean Girls. Such was this film’s popularity that over the past couple of decades, everyone from fans to A-listers to presidential candidates shared memes and direct quotes on social media. I’ve put together the ten best movies like Mean Girls to keep you up all night (or ’til 4).
Heathers (1988)
Iconic in its own right, Heathers is basically Mean Girl’s older and more murderous cousin. This high school black comedy shows what happens when the protagonist, Veronica, accidentally murders her best friend – the mean and very popular Heather. After getting away with one murder, Veronica and her boyfriend continue on their mission to set their school free from popular kids.
Do Revenge (2022)
This little gem only came out on Netflix last year to critical acclaim for its witty storyline and compelling characters. Loosely based on Hitchhock’s Strangers on a Train, Do Revenge tells the story of two high school students who agree to help each other get payback from those who wronged them. Drea is a popular student whose life’s turned upside down when her boyfriend releases her sex tape, while Eleanor wants the classmate who outed her to get their comeuppance. Together, they make a perfectly vindictive team.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Arguably among the best adaptation from the French novel, Dangerous Liaisons, Cruel Intentions is what Mean Girls would have been if the characters attended private school and used sex as a bargaining chip. The plot centers on Kathryn and Sebastian, two step-siblings who make an unorthodox bet set on destroying the reputation of two innocent girls.
Jawbreaker (1999)
With a similar premise to Heathers, Jawbreaker features a group of popular girls who accidentally kill their queen bee with the titular hard candy. Of course, now they must find a way to escape prison before graduating high school.
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
This teen movie shows three girls from different cliques coming together to get revenge on their mutual cheating boyfriend, the titular John Tucker. What’s their plan? They use a fourth girl and task her with breaking poor John’s heart.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The teen movie to influence all teen movies, The Breakfast Club, takes members of different cliques (a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal) and puts them together in detention. While stuck together, these five kids discover how much they have in common despite usually hanging out in different crowds.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
Drew Barrymore stars in this teen drama as a 20-something reporter who goes undercover pretending to be a high school student. She sees it as a chance to relive her high school experience, which wasn’t so great the first time. While this movie includes the problematic teacher-student love story plot point that would not go down so well these days, it’s still worth a watch if you enjoy the genre.
Saved! (2004)
While Mean Girls satirizes the “girl world,” this indie film from that same year takes a swipe at religion in a high school setting. Mary is an Evangelical Christian who tries to cure her boyfriend’s gayness with sex. Of course, it doesn’t work. However, she does end up pregnant.
The Craft (1996)
The Craft is probably the darkest title on this list. Just like Mean Girls, it centers on a group of teen girls. Unlike Mean Girls, they are all powerful witches who start putting curses on people they don’t like, such as fellow students and teachers.
The Hot Chick (2002)
Also featuring Means Girls star Rachel McAdams, The Hot Chick is a body swap comedy about a popular high school student who magically swaps bodies with a felon. Now looking like Rob Schneider, she has to find a way to convince her friends of her true identity and get her own body back.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Mean Girls? Let us know.
More Recommendations
