“Prom” was once a distinctly American concept that has been introduced in the rest of the world largely on the strength of movies like Hulu’s Prom Dates. The appeal of prom is pretty universal at this point, which the success of this kind of teen fare proves, so here are some recommendations for more movies like Prom Dates that involve prom in one way or another.
Teen Movies Like Prom Dates
Pretty in Pink (1986)
Pretty in Pink (Image via MUBI)
The absolute king of teen angst comedy, John Hughes, would bring us this well-loved gem, starring red-haired Breakfast Club mean girl emo lover Molly Ringwald, torn between her long-time childhood friend and more affluent rich-kid suitor. You can’t help but cheer when Andie and Duckie meet at the prom, and walk arm and arm into the event. “You’re here! What happened?” “You’re looking at it.”
It just makes you beam.
Footloose (1984)
Before Kevin Bacon became the face of a mobile phone giant in the UK, he would become a household name for Footloose. Kevin would find himself as a rebellious teen moving to small town USA where bizarrely rock music and dancing have been banned. This of course does not sit well with Ren, who makes it his goal to have this stupid law revoked, resulting in a glorious third-act prom night that still gets the heart thumping and the feet tapping.
If it sounds silly, hold that thought, as the film actually used a true story for its basis, and though you may know exactly where the screenplay is going, you still find yourself just going with the flow and getting all footloose in a prom night that is filled with sheer joy.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Napoleon Dynamite | Image via Consequence
Jared Hess brought us this indie gem, featuring memorable and quirky characters, in a story of friendship and self-discovery. Jon Heder is brilliant as Napoleon, daydreaming his way through the world and having to face off against the bullies that make his life miserable. With prom night approaching, tensions run high as dates are required, and the story awkwardly lurches into a satisfying third act.
Bittersweet and beautifully observed, the film avoids the usual cliches, presenting a strange almost dream-like quality for the viewer. Hugely influential for a generation who found it so relatable, it remains a classic. Vote for Pedro.
Carrie (1976)
Carrie (1976) | Image via The Movie Buff
Let’s take a turn off the beaten track, with a film that has a prom night that nobody would ever forget, for all the wrong reasons. Based on the debut novel by Stephen King, Brian DePalma would fashion a disturbing and controversial thriller that ends with the traumatized Carrie using her powers to bring prom night to a horrific, fiery end.
Relentlessly bullied, abused, and shamed, Carrie eventually strikes back at her tormentors, in a shocking third act that scarred a generation. Tricked into becoming the prom queen, only to literally have a bucket of animal blood dumped on her in front of the whole school, all hell is let loose, with DePalma cementing his split-screen technique in a collage of terror.
Just when you think it’s all over, the audience gets a final jump scare that would be copied forever by horror filmmakers even today.
Prom Night (1980)
Prom Night | Image via Frame Rated
Another horror with prom on its mind in this stalk-and-slash extravaganza starring scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis and re-invented comedy genius Leslie Nielsen. Cashing in on the slasher genre, Prom Night is a mid-tier shocker, that never really managed to make much of a mark but has found an audience in the decades that followed.
Oddly, the film does come across initially as a teen movie before a horror flick, and does have its moments, but it just couldn’t manage to scale the heights of Halloween or Friday the 13th. However, the prom setting puts it on my list, and in a double bill with Carrie, this is a great way to spend a night in with friends if you don’t make it to your own prom.
Do you have any other suggestions for movies like Prom Dates? Let me know in the comments below.
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