Good movies to watch with your teen: picks they won't roll their eyes at

The best movies to watch with a teenager are ones they'd pick themselves: sharp comedies, coming-of-age stories and smart sci-fi, not "family movies". Let your teen suggest or veto first, check the rating together, and use the trailer to settle it. Below are 20 picks with their US ratings.

Last updated

Watching a movie with a teenager is a small win. The hard part is finding something that doesn't feel too young to them or too much for you, and that doesn't start a debate before anyone presses play.

The trick is to let them lead. Teens are far more invested in a movie they helped choose. The list below mixes classics you'll enjoy rewatching with newer films they may already be curious about.

How to pick a movie with your teen

  1. Let your teen suggest three titles first, and add one of your own.
  2. Each of you gets one veto, no explanation needed.
  3. Check the rating and watch the trailer together. It's a quick, low-pressure way to agree on tone.
  4. If you're still stuck, pick the shortest one. You can always watch another next week.

Classics that still land

  • The Princess Bride (1987, PG): adventure, romance and comedy that every generation seems to love.
  • Back to the Future (1985, PG): time travel, great jokes and a soundtrack they'll recognize.
  • Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, PG-13): the ultimate skip-school fantasy, still funny.
  • The Breakfast Club (1985, R): five very different teens stuck in detention. Best for older teens.

Comedies teens actually like

  • Clueless (1995, PG-13): sharp, quotable and surprisingly smart.
  • 10 Things I Hate About You (1999, PG-13): a high-school take on Shakespeare that holds up.
  • Mean Girls (2004, PG-13): a comedy about high-school cliques that most teens can quote.
  • School of Rock (2003, PG-13): pure fun, especially for any teen who plays music.

Coming-of-age stories worth talking about

  • Juno (2007, PG-13): funny and honest, with a lot to talk about afterward.
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012, PG-13): friendship, belonging and finding your people.
  • Lady Bird (2017, R): a mother-daughter story that parents and teens see from different sides.
  • Hidden Figures (2016, PG): the true story of the women whose math got astronauts into space.

Sci-fi, adventure and action

  • The Martian (2015, PG-13): a stranded astronaut solves problems with science and humor.
  • Dune (2021, PG-13): big-screen sci-fi for teens who like epic worlds.
  • Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017, PG-13): a fun adventure comedy that works for mixed ages.
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023, PG): stunning animation that teens rate highly.

A little scary, not too scary

  • A Quiet Place (2018, PG-13): tense rather than gory, and great for a family watching together.
  • Coraline (2009, PG): creepy and beautifully made. A good first scary movie for younger teens.
  • Holes (2003, PG): a mystery adventure with just enough edge.
  • The Hunger Games (2012, PG-13): intense but not graphic, and a good way into a longer series.

Check the rating, then the trailer

Ratings above are US ratings and can differ in other countries. A rating tells you roughly what's in a movie, but a two-minute trailer tells you much more about the tone. Watching it together also makes the choice feel shared rather than imposed.

Choosing together with ReelMatch

In ReelMatch, each person swipes through trailers on their own phone and the app shows the titles everyone said yes to. Teens tend to like it because they get a real say without having to argue for it. It's free on iPhone and Android.

Still can't decide? Let the random movie generator pick one for you.

Frequently asked questions

What are good movies to watch with teenagers?

Sharp comedies, coming-of-age stories and smart sci-fi tend to work best: Clueless (1995), The Princess Bride (1987), The Martian (2015) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) are safe bets that parents enjoy too.

What are good PG-13 movies for teens?

Mean Girls (2004), School of Rock (2003), Clueless (1995), The Martian (2015) and A Quiet Place (2018) are all rated PG-13 and popular with teens and parents alike.

How do I get my teen to watch a movie with me?

Let them choose. Ask for three suggestions, add one of your own, give each of you one veto and settle it with the trailers. Teens are much more likely to join in when the pick was partly theirs.

Is there an app to help families pick a movie?

Yes. In ReelMatch each person swipes through trailers on their own phone and the app shows the titles everyone said yes to. It's free on iPhone and Android.

Keep reading