It’s time to let my secret out: I love teen movies. I know what you’re thinking. I have seen that reaction first-hand when I admit it’s my second-favorite genre. People are shocked, but many teen movies are funny, entertaining, and pretty true to the time period.

That chick from the Aerosmith videos. The girl with the awesome (or crazy) hats. And the adorably helpless girl in flannel with red hair.

If you grew up in the 90s, you know Clueless – and you know it is a great teen movie. Some of it is unrealistic unless you live in Beverly Hills, but it’s well written and a good flick.

Was I Clueless?

I was 13 when Clueless came out, and I think I saw it on the big screen. I was so jealous of Cher’s (Alicia Silverstone) wardrobe. That movie made me want to go out and buy new clothes. It still has that effect on me!

I rewatched it a few weeks ago and the 90s came flooding back. Sagging, beepers, weave, flannel, and The Cranberries. Ah… 90s music. In 7th grade, I thought Travis the skater guy was cute. I didn’t get all the jokes either, which was probably a good thing. That’s when I started dying my hair, too.

My Grown-up Perspective

If you want someone to see what the 90s were like, Clueless is a movie to show them. The 90s weren’t all about depression, grunge, and crowd surfing. We had our own mix of styles, enjoyed various kinds of music, and I doubt you’ll find a larger group of people who love cartoons and teen shows more than us. We love them so much, Nickelodeon brought them back in 2011 with the 90s Are All That.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is Cher discussing high school boys and why we should not date them. “They roll out of bed, throw on some clothes and a backwards cap, and we’re supposed to swoon?” Amen, sister. I remember watching that in middle school and thinking, “Why do I like the boys at my school?”

Unlike a lot of teen movies, guys dig Clueless – whether they want to admit it or not. The cast is full of cute girls, the guys are genuine, and it’s funny. It is very funny.

Bigger Issues

Clueless touched on a number of subjects that affect teens even today. Worthless classes, teachers (good and bad), relationships and unrequited love, homosexuality, popularity, and cliques. The rich-kid attitude aside, this movie was a great representation of teens and how they interact with each other.

I also appreciate that the cliques in this movie mesh well. That is not something you see very often, and it’s a shame that no matter where you are, there are little groups of uninviting close-knit people. It’s a good thing to mix it up now and then.

Today, we all know the cute (Tai) late Brittany Murphy, the charming (Josh) Paul Rudd, the gorgeous (Dionne) Stacey Dash, and the cool (Travis) Breckin Meyer. These kids and several more, paired with a fun-loving group of adults, created one of the funniest and best teen movies you’ll ever see. Check out the reunion video below!