Movies and shows to watch if you are feeling like an angsty teen in a movie

Through the last few decades, there have been plenty of movies and shows that depict how teen life really is and some of the struggles we go through at those ages. Many of the picks on this list discuss serious topics and have messages to think about after it’s over. I didn’t want to include shows like Euphoria because while that does depict serious topics, I wanted to stick to some that are around the same time frame and also give off the same early to mid 2000s vibes. In my opinion, something about the culture at that time, and how technology was still in its early years in a sense, really just helped angsty movies show the different sides of teens along with all of the woes they go through during a slightly easier time. I personally recommend these movies because I love their shared aesthetics they each have. 

1. Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Girl Interrupted is about a girl named Susanna, who after mixing pills and alcohol, checks herself into a mental health facility. There, after talking to doctors, she is given the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. She makes many friends there who have similar problems to her and realizes that she isn’t alone with what she is feeling. Though the stigma on mental health portrayed in this movie doesn’t hold to today’s, it still discusses the fact of how it really can be for people who have mental health issues and how they live. Other than that, it is filled with a lot of great messages and wonderful performances by the actors. I haven’t seen it personally myself, however I still feel you can learn a lot from it. 

2. Speak (2004)

I read the book that the movie Speak is based off of when I was a freshman in highschool and let me tell you, it is very sad and I am now giving a huge trigger warning. Speak is about a girl named Melinda, who during a party before her freshman year is s*xually assaulted. Everyone at school now knows her as the girl who called the cops and caused them to ‘shut down’ the party. During the movie, she slowly stops speaking to friends and family because of the traumatic event until she starts hanging out with her art teacher and tries to find comfort. In the end, she starts to explain what happened to her. If you like movies and books with such topics as these, I definitely recommend you read the book as well as Wintergirls, which was written by the same author, and also the 13 Reasons Why book. 

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Similar to Girl, Interrupted, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about a boy named Charlie who is struggling with the transition to high school after the loss of his best friend. He befriends two students named Sam and Patrick who tell him about their own struggles and teach him about the true meaning of friendship. Together, they go on many adventures in highschool, and the audience learns more about the dynamic between Patrick, Sam and Charlie. I’ve seen this movie only maybe once or twice and I really like it because of how everything is seen through Charlie’s eyes and we get to understand how he feels. 

4. Skins (2007-2013)

When I was a little younger, I thought that this show was similar to season 1 of Gossip Girl because I knew they both included under-age students partying and taking part in risky behavior. Now that I am older, it is more in the same stream as Euphoria because of how each character is dealing with a heavy subject matter. The most well known character is Effy Stonem who is more of the focus of the show. Effy is the wild character who likes drinking and partying to cope with the drama in her life. Another fan-favorite character is Cassie Ainsworth who deals with self-esteem issues and an eating disorder. If you are a fan of Euphoria and love Rue, you’ll fall in love with Effy too. 

5. Thirteen (2003)

Thirteen is probably my favorite movie on the list. It tells the story of a thirteen-year-old, straight-A student named Tracy who befriends the popular girl in school, Evie. Evie introduces her to use of drugs, s*x, and stealing; causing Tracy’s life to quickly spin out of control as she uses these things to cope with how her father isn’t present in her life, and how her mom’s alcoholic boyfriend is. It really sends the message of how hard teenage life is especially for girls and what parents can do to help. I consider it my favorite due to the early-2000s, angsty aesthetic and the clothes they wear. I even have a few outfits of my own that remind me of what they wear in the movie. I am also giving a trigger warning for this one just because of how heavy and real this movie is. People have said that this one can stay with you for a long time and considered it to be thought provoking. 

As I mentioned before, I seriously recommend these movies and shows if you are feeling like no one understands you or if you just want to watch something that has a little more feeling. All of these are very similar with their thoughtful characters going through serious turmoil. If you like movies like this, check out the hashtags for these on social media and you will find a beautiful, yet dark, aesthetic that goes along with them.