5 Best 80’s Teen Movies (& 5 Worst)

Most teen movies of the 1980s are considered classics of the coming of age genre. From The Breakfast Club to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, these movies are about everything it is to be a teenager and capture both the fun and difficult things aspects of being a teenager, whether it was in the 1980s or now.

There is something there for everyone, and while a lot of films hit the mark perfectly, there are some that aren’t as impactful or are just plain weird, like Teen Wolf and Weird Science. Here are 5 best and 5 worst 80’s teen movies.

10 Best: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a classic for anyone who has ever wanted to skip on a day of school, which is basically everyone. It tells the story of Ferris Bueller, who skips school with his two friends. The plot is really simple and the movie has some of the most memorable scenes of a John Hughes’ teen movie. It’s a movie that will have inspired everyone to want to skip a day off school and have a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

9 Worst: Weird Science

Weird Science is one of John Hughes’s strangest creations. The film is about two teenaged boys who create their ideal woman, and it hasn’t really aged well in retrospect. The concept is very 80’s, and Weird Science probably wouldn’t have ever been made in today’s climate, and it’s definitely not considered one of the best of the genre or the decade.

8 Best: The Breakfast Club

This film is debatably one of the most iconic teen movies of the 1980s. Directed by John Hughes, The Breakfast Club is about a group of kids who represent each kind of high school student stereotype who spend detention together which changes their lives.

The Breakfast Club is a cult classic and is probably one of the most culturally impactful teen movies out there. It has some extremely quotable moments along with some of the most famous scenes in cinema and a great soundtrack.

7 Worst: Teen Wolf

Teen Wolf, not to be confused with the recent TV series, features Micheal J Fox, a teenager who turns into a wolf. It’s a simple concept but it looks pretty strange, as his wolf form is one of the most bizarre things ever seen on screen. It’s a film that’s difficult to take seriously because of how ridiculous it is.

6 Best: Pretty In Pink

Pretty In Pink tells the story of a love triangle between a girl, the boy she likes, and her best friend, who is in love with her. As with most John Hughes’s films, it’s an endearing story and features the fabulous Molly Ringwald. The love triangle is great and it definitely has similarities to some of Hughes’ other works in the genre, but that doesn’t make it any less lovely.

5 Worst: Can’t Buy Me Love

While it might not be considered a bad movie of sorts, Can’t Buy Me Love isn’t exactly critically acclaimed compared to some of the other films of the era. Can’t Buy Me Love is about a nerdy kid, played by Patrick Dempsey,  who pays the most popular girl in his school to be his girlfriend. It’s a pretty predictable plot, but then again most teen movies follow the same formula in a similar way.

4 Best: Some Kind Of Wonderful

Some Kind Of Wonderful is another gorgeous John Hughes movie that follows the love triangle structure in a similar way to Pretty In Pink.

It’s about a boy who is in love with one of the most popular girls in school but is oblivious to the fact that his best friend is also in love with him. It’s a really sweet movie with a great story and an even better soundtrack.

3 Worst: Sixteen Candles

Sixteen Candles might also be one of those movies that have not aged well over the years, particularly due to the stereotypical characters. While that doesn’t mean it’s all that bad, parts of the film don’t sit that well anymore. Molly Ringwald’s character Samantha is likable but some of the others aren’t.

2 Best: Heathers

Heathers is somewhat of a cult classic. It tells the story of Veronica Sawyer, who joins a clique of three very mean Heathers; Heather Chandler, Duke, and McNamara. She then meets the mysterious JD and all hell breaks loose. Heathers touches about subjects like bullying and teen suicide in a stylish yet overdramatic way. It’s a very quotable film that has even been made into a musical.

1 Worst: Footloose

It’s a far reach to consider Footloose a teen movie, but the main plot is about teenagers who just want to dance. It’s cheesy and over the top as both a film and a musical, and stars Kevin Bacon who was clearly not a teenager at the time. Footloose is about a teenager who moves to a town where dancing is illegal and meets a girl who just so happens to be the mayor’s daughter.

About The Author

Evi Lodge
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Evi Lodge is a student and avid cinema-goer. She currently writes list articles, and when she is not writing or studying, she’s probably reading a good book and catching up on pop culture.

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