Can You Identify the Teen Movie From a Screenshot?
By: Ian Fortey
5 min
Image: Paramount Pictures
About This Quiz
You could make a strong case that teen movies are as old as movies themselves. Not everything was a stuffy old drama meant for middle-aged audiences. Going to the movies has always been a beloved hobby of the younger segment of the population, so it's always been a part of the medium to crank out teen movies. Just look at the crazy beach movie phase of the '50s and the '60s. Nothing but teens, or at least actors in their 20s pretending to be teens, surfing and play beach blanket bingo. Elvis made a series of teen films back in the day that were just excuses for him to sing to girls.
Teen movies really hit their stride as a blockbuster genre in the late '70s moving into the '80s, and you can thank John Hughes for making them a behemoth. His movies "Pretty in Pink," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Weird Science," "16 Candles" and, of course, "The Breakfast Club" dove a little deeper into teen drama than films had in the past, mixing comedy with real-life stuff teens could relate to in a way that made those movies timeless. And the teen movie lives on to this very day. If you feel like you know it well enough, take the quiz and see what you can do!
We can't forget about this one. Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson spend a Saturday in detention in which of these teen movies?
"Risky Business"
"The Breakfast Club"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"She's All That"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"The Breakfast Club" may be one of the most well-known teen movies of all time, if not the most well-known. From famed director John Hughes, this was one of three films he made with Molly Ringwald in the '80s.
This movie features three high schoolers skipping out on class in Chicago. What's it called?
"16 Candles"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"Weird Science"
"Say Anything"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Another John Hughes film, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" featured Matthew Broderick in the title role and Alan Ruck as his best friend. Despite playing a high school kid who's 17, Ruck was 29 at the time.
A teen movie quiz without this '90s classic? As if.
"Clueless"
"Footloose"
"Never Been Kissed"
"The Princess Diaries"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Clueless" came out in 1995 and has become something of a cult classic, spawning numerous parodies and even a TV show. In a very, very loose way, it's actually based on the Jane Austen novel "Emma."
Everyone forgets Sam's birthday in this John Hughes classic. What's it called?
"Never Been Kissed"
"Sixteen Candles"
"Say Anything
"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Molly Ringwald starred in "Sixteen Candles" alongside Anthony Michael Hall, who was her co-star in the movie "The Breakfast Club." John Hughes was famously enamored with Ringwald and apparently wrote the movie after being inspired by her picture in only one weekend.
Two bookish best friends set out to have an A+ night of adventure before graduation. Do you know it?
"The Princess Diaries"
"She's All That"
"Booksmart"
"Bring It On"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Booksmart" takes the common formula of "one crazy night" movies like "Superbad," but it focuses on girls instead of boys. Until the night before graduation, the craziest thing Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever's characters had done was get fake college IDs to use the 24-hour library.
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles make paintballing look romantic in this movie. What is it?
"Bring It On"
"10 Things I Hate About You"
"She's All That"
"Ever After"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"10 Things I Hate About You" is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The same story is the basis for the movie "Deliver Us From Eva" and the musical "Kiss Me Kate."
On Wednesdays, they wear pink in this movie. Can you name it?
"Bring It On"
"She's All That"
"Mean Girls"
"16 Candles"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Written by SNL alumnus Tina Fey, "Mean Girls" made Lindsay Lohan a major league star for a time. It was so popular it spawned a quasi-sequel and then later it even became a musical.
Nobody puts Baby in a corner in this '80s classic. What's it called?
"The Spectacular Now"
"Dirty Dancing"
"Pretty in Pink"
"Grease"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Sparks fly during the summer of 1963 when Jennifer Grey's Baby Houseman and Patrick Swayze's Johnny Castle fall in love while he teaches her how to dance. Her family is vacationing at a resort in Catskills when the two meet.
A cheer captain discovers that all of her squad's routines are stolen in this movie. What is it?
"She's the Man"
"The Goonies"
"Ever After"
"Bring It On"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Bring It On" came out in the year 2000 but there have been five sequels to it since then that didn't get quite as much fanfare. The latest film was 2017's "Bring It On: Worldwide Cheersmack."
This movie is about a high school rumor that gets way out of control. What is it?
"Dazed and Confused"
"16 Candles"
"Scott Pilgrim vs The World"
"Easy A"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Emma Stone starred in "Easy A" alongside Amanda Bynes and Aly Michalka. The film proved to be remarkably successful, earning more than nine times its budget back at the box office.
The main character deals with an unplanned pregnancy in which of these movies?
"Juno"
"13 Going on 30"
"She's the Man"
"Freaky Friday"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Juno" was directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. It starred Ellen Page and Michael Cera and actually won the Oscar for best original screenplay back in the year 2008.
Molly Ringwald's character makes her own prom dress in this John Hughes movie. What's it called?
"Pretty in Pink"
"The Outsiders"
"Heathers"
"Weird Science"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Pretty in Pink" was one of the "Brat Pack" films that John Hughes made famous in the 1980s. Aside from being a popular film, it also had a remarkably popular soundtrack and Molly Ringwald herself has been chosen the #1 greatest teen star of all time by VH1.
Which of these movies started a semi-musical franchise?
"Freaky Friday"
"Clueless"
"Pitch Perfect"
"The Lost Boys"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Pitch Perfect" proved to be a sleeper hit back in 2012, as few people were expecting a comedy about a women's college a cappella team to be that popular. Instead, it ended up grossing over $115 million.
What's the name of this movie about prep school kids who discover that sometimes life's a bittersweet symphony?
"Red"
"Welcome to the Doll House"
"Boys Don't Cry"
"Cruel Intentions"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Cruel Intentions" is the height of teen intrigue and melodrama. It stars Ryan Phillipe and Sarah Michelle Gellar at the height of their fame and was a teen version of "Dangerous Liaisons," itself an adaptation of a French novel from 1782. Reese Witherspoon also stars.
Universal Pictures / Good Universe / Point Grey Pictures / Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions / DMG Entertainment
Overprotective parents try to keep their daughters from having too much fun on prom night in this movie. Can you name it?
"Blockers"
"Weird Science"
"Freaky Friday"
"The Outsiders"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Leslie Mann, John Cena and Ike Barinholtz star in this high school comedy about a trio of parents who do everything they can to keep their daughters from doing anything rash after prom.
Comedian Seth Rogen wrote this semi-autobiographical movie with his friend Evan Goldberg. What is it?
"Superbad"
"Pineapple Express"
"Your Highness"
"Preacher"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Seth Rogen has long been writing partners with his friend Evan Goldberg. The two main characters in "Superbad," played by Michael Cera and Jonah Hill, are actually named Seth and Evan after the writers.
Paramount Pictures / Allan Car Production / Robert Stigwood Organization / Polydor Records
In which movie do Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson fall in love?
"West Side Story"
"Grease"
"Footloose"
"The Lost Boys"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Grease" is one of the most popular musicals of all time. It starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as high school students even though both of them were quite a bit older than high school age when the film was made. Travolta was 24 and Newton-John was 30.
Do you know which of these movies started a franchise?
"Dazed and Confused"
"Superbad"
"Easy A"
"American Pie"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Starting back in 1999, there have been a total of 8 "American Pie" films in the franchise, though not all of them were released theatrically nor did they all feature the same cast. The series has grossed over $1 billion.
This movie has actually been made four times, including once with Jodie Foster and once with Lindsay Lohan. What is it?
"13 Going on 30"
"The Princess Diaries"
"Freaky Friday"
"She's the Man"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Freaky Friday" was first made in 1976 with Jodie Foster then again in 1995 with Gaby Hoffman. In 2003 the most popular version was released featuring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. In 2018 there was a TV version on the Disney Channel.
For which of these movies was Jennifer Garner nominated for a Teen Choice Award?
"John Tucker Must Die"
"The Outsiders"
"13 Going On 30"
"Never Been Kissed"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Jennifer Garner starred in "13 Going on 30" which was about a 13-year-old girl who wishes she could be grown up and then wakes up as a 30-year-old the next day. The movie made nearly the same amount in rental revenue, about $57 million, as it did at the box office.
IAC Films / Scott Rudin Productions / Management 360
Greta Gerwig directed this Academy Award-nominated movie about a teen girl's complicated relationship with her mom. Do you know it?
"Sixteen Candles"
"10 Things I Hate About You"
"Lady Bird"
"Heathers"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Saorise Ronan and Laurie Metcalf were nominated for Academy Awards in this Best Picture-nominated movie. Director Greta Gerwig was also nominated. The film follows Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson during her senior year of high school.
Rachel Leigh Cook starred in which of these movies?
"She's All That"
"Never Been Kissed"
"The Princess Diaries"
"Ever After"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"She's All That" starred Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prinze Jr. The movie, while a bit of a cult classic, didn't garner too many positive reviews and has been parodied many times for its very forced "ugly duckling" storyline.
This Netflix hit is based on a novel by Jenny Han. What is it?
"Heathers"
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
"Scott Pilgrim vs the World"
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" is based on the book of the same name and is actually the first movie in a planned trilogy to air on Netflix. The second is called "To All the Boys: P.S. I Stil Loved You" and the third is "To All The Boys: Always And Forever, Lara Jean."
A journalist goes undercover as a high school student in this movie. What's it called?
"Mean Girls"
"The Princess Diaries"
"Ever After"
"Never Been Kissed"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Drew Barrymore starred in "Never Been Kissed" back in 1999. It was one of those teen movies that had a twist, ostensibly poking fun at the history of teen movies casting older actors, by having Drew Barrymore portraying a woman in her 20s pretending to be a teenager.
Phoenix Pictures / IndieProd Company Productions / Silver Screen Partners
In which movie is dancing forbidden despite the fact there's a lot of dancing in it?
"The Goonies"
"Risky Business"
"Ever After"
"Footloose"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Kevin Bacon became world-famous thanks to his role in "Footloose" back in 1984. The movie was remade in 2011 but didn't seem to cause as much of an impact culturally as that first one did.
1982's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" probably wouldn't get made today given its pretty intense subject matter for a teen audience, but it was a hit back when it came out and made Sean Penn, who'd only been in one other film, famous.
Tom Cruise slides across the screen and dances to "Old Time Rock and Roll" in which movie?
"Risky Business"
"Footloose"
"The Goonies"
"Freaky Friday"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Tom Cruise plays Joel Goodson in this 1983 classic. When his parents go out of town, he takes advantage of the freedom and dances to "Old Time Rock and Roll." Things get complicated, though, when he meets a call girl and his mother's valuable glass egg is stolen.
Anne Hathaway learns that miracles happen once in a while in which of these movies?
"She's All That"
"The Princess Diaries"
"Pitch Perfect"
"13 Going on 30"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"The Princess Diaries," starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews was a massive success that ended up grossing $165 million worldwide, which is a staggering amount for a teen comedy. A sequel puled in $134 million.
A teen who dreams of being the next Diane Sawyer enters the local beauty pageant in this black comedy. Can you name it?
"Clueless"
"Heathers"
"Drop Dead Gorgeous"
"Jennifer's Body"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
When Kirsten Dunst's Amber enters her small town's beauty pageant, she discovers a cutthroat world of pageant moms and beauty queens. This dark comedy from 1999 has become a cult classic in the years since.
Fox 2000 Pictures / Temple Hill Productions / TSG Entertainment
A gay high school student is hesitant to come out to his friends and family in which movie?
"Love, Simon"
"The Outsiders"
"Teen Wolf"
"The Edge of Seventeen"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
The 2018 movie "Love, Simon" stars Nick Robinson as a high school student who's fallen for an anonymous student online. Since he hasn't even come out as gay to anyone, everything's a bit complicated.
John Heder stars in this very odd movie. What is it?
"Napoleon Dynamite"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
"She's All That"
"American Pie"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Jon Heder's first role was in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite." Likely no one could have predicted how popular the movie would become as evidenced by the fact Heder was only paid $1,000 for his role, though he was cut in for some of the profit later.
DreamWorks Pictures / Lakeshore Entertainment / The Donners' Company
This movie is a high school twist on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." What is it?
"She's the Man"
"Heathers"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Juno"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum starred in "She's the Man" which is very loosely based on "Twelfth Night" by Shakespeare. It's also a soccer film, which is not really a part of Shakespeare's play.
Do you know which movie is a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet?"
"Say Anything"
"Ever After"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"West Side Story"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"West Side Story" is a class movie adapted from the classic romance of star-crossed lovers from families, or in this case gangs, that hate each other. The film was added to the National Film Registry in 1997 for being culturally important.
Which of these is an extremely dark comedy from 1988?
"The Lost Boys"
"10 Things I Hate About You"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Heathers"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"Heathers" featured Winona Ryder and Christian Slater in a very dark story that became something of a cult film as time went on. It even spawned a TV show adaptation in 2018.
Which of these movies stars Logan Lerman and Emma Watson?
"Scott Pilgrim vs the World"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Dazed and Confused"
"Grease"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" had an impressive ensemble cast that also includes Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Paul Rudd, Ezra Miller and Dylan McDermott.
Slacker Lloyd Dobler falls for valedictorian Diane Court in which of these movies?
"Heathers"
"Say Anything"
"The Outsiders"
"Risky Business"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
John Cusack starred in 1989's "Say Anything" as Lloyd Dobler, a character that has become famous for the single scene in which he stands outside Diane's house with a boombox over his head playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes."
Which 1993 movie features a pre-fame Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey?
"Dazed and Confused"
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
"The Outsiders"
"The Goonies"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused" featured an epic ensemble cast that is a cult classic today but absolutely bombed when it first came out, earning just $8 million at the box office.
Which 1983 movie has an all-star cast, including Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze and Diane Lane?
"Grease"
"Heathers"
"The Outsiders"
"Animal House"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Based on the novel of the same name, "The Outsiders" starred C. Thomas Howell, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe. It was one of the first Brat Pack movies of the '80s.
STX Entertainment / H. Brothers Tang Media Productions / Gracie Films / Virgin Produced
A girl is thrown for a loop when her brother and best friend start dating in which of these teen movies?
"The Edge of Seventeen"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"She's the Man"
"Easy A"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"The Edge of Seventeen" is about Hailee Steinfeld's Nadine, an awkward high schooler who doesn't know how to handle it when her best friend starts dating her older brother. Woody Harrelson co-stars as a sarcastic teacher who's always there to help talk things through with Nadine.
Vast Entertainment / CBS Films / Wonderland Sound and Vision
Do you know which of these movies stars Mae Whitman?
"Easy A"
"John Tucker Must Die"
"The DUFF"
"Never Been Kissed"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
"The DUFF" was released in 2015 and stars Mae Whitman. The name is an acronym and stands for "Designated Ugly Fat Friend" which is kind of a repeat Whitman, who also starred as Ann on "Arrested Development," a character everyone felt was unattractive and forgettable.