10 Movies To Watch If You Like Heathers

The 1988 cult classic Heathers has seen a recent revival in popularity with its availability on VOD streaming platforms. Following her iconic role as Veronica, Winona Ryder became one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood, often starring in quirky, off-beat projects.

Veronica is part of the most popular clique in school, which comprises three equally cruel Heathers: Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), and Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk). After Veronica and her boyfriend (Christian Slater) accidentally kill Heather Chandler, Veronica realizes that J.D. wants to murder classmates he doesn’t like. Luckily, there is no shortage of movies with something in common with the cult classic ’80s dark comedy.

10 Beetlejuice (1988)

Winona Ryder also stars in this film, released round the same time as Heathers. Here, she portrays Lydia, the teenage goth daughter of wealthy parents. Her family moves into a new home that also belongs to the dead couple who previously lived there, and now haunt the place as ghosts.

The couple wants their home back to themselves, so they ask for help from Betelgeuse, a mischievous ghost. Meanwhile, the couple finds that they can communicate with Lydia, who has an unsettling connection with death and the underworld. Like Heathers, Beetlejuice is a dark comedy that poses deeper questions.

9 The Breakfast Club (1985)

One of the most iconic teen movies of ever, The Breakfast Club revolutionized the genre forever. Directed by John Hughes, the film takes place during a Saturday detention, where five students of contrasting backgrounds get to know each other.

Like Heathers, the movie has a lot to say about teenagers, American high schools, cliques, and societal expectations for young people, all with a sense of humor. At the end of the detention, the five students see each other in a new light.

8 Little Women (1994)

One of Winona Ryder’s most acclaimdd roles is her performance as Jo March in Little Women. The 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel even earned Ryder an Oscar nomination.

The endearing story of the four March sisters follows their tumultuous transition from childhood to adulthood. Jo especially struggles to herself find a place in the world where she can assert her independence.

7 Pet Sematary (1989)

For those who enjoyed the horror elements of Heathers, Pet Semetary is a must-watch film, not to be confused with the 2019 remake. Based on Stephen King’s novel, the earlier film adaptation retains some distinctive ’80s quirks that fans of Heathers are sure to appreciate.

Dr. Louis Creed moves into a new home with his family. The surroundings are a little odd, with many trucks zooming past the street and an eerie pet cemetery behind the house. Across the road lives Jud, a friendly but enigmatic neighbor who helps the Creeds settle in. When the Creeds’ cat dies, Jud advises Louis to bury it in the cemetery, but it comes back to life.

6 Clueless (1995)

Clueless is also a movie about a popular high school clique where the girls become replicas of each other. They even have similar costumes to the “Heathers.” Cher Horowitz is the entitled, shallow, yet still charming daughter of a wealthy man living in Beverly Hills.

Cher likes to think that she’s a good matchmaker after helping two teachers get together, and later finding a boyfriend for new student Tai. She also gives Tai a makeover, which leads to her overtaking Cher on the social hierarchy. Cher seeks comfort from her ex-stepbrother, Josh, and realizes she’s falling for him.

5 Mean Girls (2004)

Mean Girls is an essential watch for any fan of the teen dramedy genre. Like Heathers, it’s about a clique of popular girls who are very similar to one another and take joy in tearing others down while assuming that they’re superior.

Lindsay Lohan stars as Cady, who accidentally ends up becoming part of the mean girls’ clique. However, much like Veronica, Cady soon realizes that she wants no part in their despicable behavior.

4 Detention (2011)

Starring and produced by Josh Hutcherson, Detention is a modern cult classic that blends a few genres, just like Heathers. The movie even calls back to the ’90s, accentuating its nostalgic feel.

The movie plays with time travel, which ties together the story of a gruesome serial killer and the fate of students who receive detention. Like J.D. in Heathers, the murderer in Detention is targeting overly privileged and disliked students. Also like Heathers, the film has a dark but timely sense of humor.

3 Jennifer’s Body (2009)

A slasher film, Jennifer’s Body didn’t do well at the box office or with critics, much like Heathers and many other films on this list, but has seen a recent burst in popularity. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried star in this dark comedy about a popular girl who becomes possessed by a demon.

The demon controls Jennifer, who starts making victims out of the boys who had hopelessly pined over her previously. Her best friend Needy must put a stop to the violence before things get even more out of hand.

2 Sixteen Candles (1984)

At the time, Sixteen Candles didn’t leave much of an impression, but today it’s considered to be one of John Hughes’ most iconic films. It premiered a year before The Breakfast Club and also stars Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall; interestingly, they both play similar characters— a princess and a nerd, respectively.

Samantha is about to turn sixteen, but her sister’s wedding is overshadowing the occasion. She pines over the popular Jake but only seems to be receiving attention from Ted, a geek who she wishes she could avoid. She fears that her inexperience will deem her ineligible and childish before Jake, who is older than her.

1 Easy A (2009)

Emma Stone portrays the quirky, easy-to-relate-to Olive in this teen rom-com. Olive lies to her friend about losing her virginity, and soon the whole school knows about it when mean girl Marianne (Amanda Bynes) spreads the false rumor.

Initially proud of her lie, Olive is now facing the consequences of being judged and outcast. Still, she maintains her sense of humor and tells the audience her version of events as accurately as she can. The “A” she wears is, of course, a reference to The Scarlet Letter, opening a whole new level of social commentary.

About The Author

Svetlana Sterlin
(256 Articles Published)

After years of relocation, Svetlana Sterlin (she/her) was raised by her Russian parents in Brisbane, Australia, where she completed a BFA and contributes to ScreenRant and Our Culture Magazine. An avid cinephile and bookworm, Svetlana also writes creatively across multiple forms and genres. Her fiction and poetry appear in several printed and digital publications. Find more from Svetlana here: https://linktr.ee/svetlanasterlin.

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