Whether art imitates life or life imitates art, hundreds of movies have been produced imitating high school life. Through learning hard lessons, making mistakes and just being a teenager, main characters eventually discover themselves and generally things turn out good for them. These coming-of-age movies can inspire you to live differently, or maybe just excite you for what’s to come. I recommend sitting down to watch these movies as we head into the 2026 school year, and learning a little from the lives of these characters. Below are 2 movies that feature characters of each grade in high school.
Freshman
1. Perks of Being a Wallflower
The main character, Charlie, befriends two seniors and deals with many different cliche high school experiences, and navigates growing up. Even though this movie is somewhat sad, I highly recommend it for any incoming freshman because it has this timeless nostalgic feeling to it, and we could all learn from Charlie’s life and his mistakes.
2. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Although this pick is wildly different from the previous, Spider-Man: Homecoming is still an amazing film that captures the essence of freshman year. Learning how to balance different skills and hobbies is such an important part of high school, and even though we’re not all secretly superheroes it has the right values.
Sophomore
1. Clueless
Clueless is such a classic – and for good reason. Even though most of the movie is comedy and valley-girl antics, Cher steps out of her crowd and embraces new friendships and learns how to stand up for herself. This is a lighthearted movie to watch with friends, but also has undertones of self expression and female empowerment.
2. To All the Boys I Loved Before
Within the book and movie, main character Lara Jean Covey learns both how to drive and how to navigate high school romance. This movie is actually a trilogy that takes place all the way through Covey’s senior year, so it’s a great pick to watch as you advance into each grade. No matter why you watch it, it”s a sweet story about friendship and young love.
Junior
1. The Edge of Seventeen
The Edge of Seventeen encapsulates the feeling of teenage awkwardness and angst. Through that, she ends up a better and more confident version of herself. It also ends with a sense of optimism towards the future, which all juniors need going into the college application process. Overall this is one of my favorite coming-of-age movies, as Nadine’s problems make you feel not so alone on your own.
2. Mean Girls
Although the main characters aren’t specifically stated to be juniors, the general online consensus is that the age range for the characters is 16-17. The entire concept of the movie is brilliant, as it touches on staying true to yourself and not getting lost in the popularity contest of high school. I have seen this movie countless times, and always take something new away from it.
Senior
1. Lady BirdÂ
Directed by Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird features a senior girl who feels trapped in Sacramento. Through her fierce independence and tense relationship with her mom, this is a beautiful movie about juxtaposing relationships and that feeling of growing out of your hometown. I would recommend watching this at the beginning and end of senior year, as relationships will change with your friends and family as college draws closer.
2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
The famous quote “Lives moves pretty fast” perfectly encapsulates senior year. Bueller taking a day for himself is an important reminder for seniors to take breaks and enjoy life. The final year of high school can get busy quickly and it’s important to also appreciate the little things that you may miss when you leave for college.
There are so many amazing other movies that take place in high school, these are just a few that tackle different issues and fit into different genres. Hopefully everyone can take some inspiration from these characters – whether it’s figuring out what to do or what to avoid!
