9 Must-Watch Movies Similar to Mean Girls

Bring It On (2000)

Bring It On offers a delightful twist on the high school competition theme, featuring feuding female high-schoolers vying for the title of the most popular. The movie centers around a champion high-school cheerleading squad competing against an inner-city high school after discovering they've stolen many of their signature routines. Notably, Bring It On delves into issues relating to race, class, and cultural appropriation, offering a sincere and engaging perspective rarely seen in teen comedies.

Gabrielle Union as Isis in a scene from Bring it On.

The humor, slang, and style of Bring It On make it one of the most similar teen comedies to Mean Girls, providing an entertaining and thought-provoking experience for viewers.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

10 Things I Hate About You cleverly subverts the teen comedy formula, centering around a high school boy's attempt to charm a girl by enlisting the help of an enigmatic figure. This adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew offers a refreshing take on teenage relationships, emphasizing the realization of common ground between opposing forces of nature.

A promo still featuring the cast of 10 Things I Hate About You.

Featuring a breakout performance by the late Heath Ledger, 10 Things I Hate About You is less about bullying and more about the complexities of interpersonal connections, aligning it closely with the brilliant subversion of the genre seen in Mean Girls.

Heathers (1989)

Heathers is an early entry in the teen comedy genre that effectively blends dark humor with the bubbly exterior of high school cliques. The movie centers around the exploits at Westerburg High, where every popular girl named Heather collaborates with the jocks to dictate the school's social hierarchy. With its influence felt in similar movies, including Mean Girls, Heathers arguably wrote the playbook for the genre.

Christian Slater as J.D. and Winona Ryder as Veronica in a scene from Heathers.

Underappreciated in its time, Heathers has since received retroactive praise from critics, solidifying its status as a groundbreaking and influential movie in the teen comedy genre.

Jawbreaker (1999)

Jawbreaker is a cult classic that highlights the futility of vanity and popularity through its absurdly hilarious premise. The movie centers around three popular high school girls who hatch a plan to cover their tracks after accidentally killing their school's prom queen in a prank gone wrong.

Rebecca Gayheart as Julie Freeman, Julie Benz as Marcie

Featuring great performances from its lead cast, Jawbreaker staunchly opposes the expectations set for a movie in the genre, making it easily one of the movies most like Mean Girls.

Easy A (2010)

Easy A shines a light on the damaging effects of people-pleasing, following high school student Olive Penderghast as she navigates social pressures and rumors to fit in. With its witty sense of humor and strong message about authenticity, Easy A is a notable movie in the teen comedy genre, sharing thematic similarities with Mean Girls.

Emma Stone as Olive in Easy A.

The engaging cast and clever jokes of Easy A make it a must-watch for fans of the genre, offering a compelling exploration of teenage experiences and societal pressures.

The Outcasts (2017)

The Outcasts offers a fresh perspective on the teen dramedy genre, focusing on best friends Jodi and Mindy as they seek revenge against their high school's popular kids. Filled with a more mature sense of humor, The Outcasts infuses the genre with fresh perspectives and a message that resonates with the themes of cliques and their futility, closely linking it thematically with Mean Girls.

Victoria Justice as Jodi and Eden Sher as Mindy in The Outcasts.

With convincing performances from its cast, The Outcasts provides a compelling narrative that challenges the traditional dynamics of high school social structures, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre.

Do Revenge (2022)

Do Revenge presents an unlikely alliance between the popular girl and the shy girl, as they join forces to combat their opposing bullies. With great performances and a unique approach to the teen comedy formula, Do Revenge emphasizes the importance of treating others with respect and learning to see shared humanity through common goals.

Sophie Turner as Erica in Do Revenge.

Featuring unique slang and opposing factions, Do Revenge's compelling female characters and thematic emphasis make it a great movie with similar themes to Mean Girls, offering a fresh and engaging perspective on teenage social dynamics.

Clueless (1995)

Clueless is a delightful addition to the teen comedy genre, centered around the shallow and rich high school student Cher Horowitz and her friends' amusing plot to orchestrate a romance between two teachers. With its effortlessly funny script and optimistic tone, Clueless endears audiences to its characters and offers as many laughs as it does charm, making it a welcome comparison to Mean Girls.

Alicia Silverstone as Cher gives a speech in Clueless.

The movie's ability to captivate audiences with its humor and cleverly written female characters solidifies its status as a special addition to the teen comedy genre's repertoire, aligning it closely with the appeal of Mean Girls.

She's All That (1999)

She's All That delivers a powerful message of acceptance, centering around a teen jock's bet to turn the school's least attractive girl into the next prom queen. Notable for its soundtrack and premise, She's All That highlights the vapid nature of vanity and popularity, while also emphasizing the importance of accepting people for who they are, aligning it thematically with Mean Girls.

Freddie Prinze Jr. as Zack Siler in She's All That.

The careful handling of sensitive subjects in She's All That keeps it in line with Mean Girls, offering a compelling exploration of teenage social dynamics and the complexities of high school life.

The High School Musical Franchise (2006 - 2008)

The High School Musical movies blend dance numbers with conventional teen comedy tropes, offering a unique blend of comedy, teen drama, and Broadway musicals. Notable for successfully blending differing styles to create a memorable effect, the High School Musical movies share the same stylistic approach to storytelling as Mean Girls, making them a must-watch for fans of the genre.

Vanessa Hudgens as Gabriella and Zac Efron as Troy in High School Musical.

While leaning more into the musical aspects, the High School Musical movies share thematic and stylistic similarities with Mean Girls, providing an entertaining and uplifting experience for viewers.