Being a teenager is hard. And Netflix is here to remind you just how hard.
Whether you want to revisit your younger years or are still facing the ups and downs of high school, the streaming service has curated a collection of films that are achingly (and often hilariously) relatable.
We've searched through Netflix's catalog to find some of the best teen movies out there, from films that focus on lighthearted first loves to those that zone in on the more serious complications of being an almost adult.
Ready to feel young again? Then check out these incredible coming-of-age teen movies, which you can stream on Netflix right now.
1. The Edge of Seventeen
This whip-smart and painfully funny cousin of Booksmart comes from writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig. The Edge of Seventeen stars Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, an anxious adolescent still mourning her father. She continues to spiral when her best friend starts ostensibly dating her brother, pushing the friends apart and Nadine even further into solitude and self-destruction.
Steinfeld is at her most hysterical in every sense of the word, striking the perfect balance in Nadine’s frenzy and unrelenting humor. Craig’s script is confident, with a voice beyond its years, and still unabashedly emotional in the way that only youthful emotions are. Woody Harrelson plays reluctant mentor and confidante, Mr. Bruner, while Kyra Sedwick plays Nadine’s mother in a layered Lady Bird-esque relationship. — Proma Khosla, Senior Entertainment Reporter (*)
How to watch: The Edge of Seventeen is now streaming on Netflix.
2. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
To All the Boys I've Loved Before is on the sweeter side of the teen movie spectrum, featuring a bubblegum pink romance between Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and star lacrosse player Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo).
Lara Jean writes parting love letters to every crush she's ever had in hopes of getting over them. Though these notes are supposed to stay locked away in her closet, she must confront the boys of her past after these moody missives are mysteriously mailed out. Even worse, one of her letters gets sent to her sister's ex-boyfriend, so Lara Jean must keep up a fake relationship with Peter to throw him off track.
The great news about this teen romance is that the sequels, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and To All the Boys: Always and Forever are also available on Netflix right now. — Brooke Bajgrowicz, Entertainment Fellow
Where to watch: To All the Boy I've Loved Before is now streaming on Netflix.
3. The Half Of It
Written and directed by Alice Wu, The Half Of It offers a fresh teen spin on Cyrano de Bergerac. High school loner Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) earns extra cash by writing papers for her classmates. Then, reluctantly she agrees to write love letters on behalf of jock Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer). As Ellie develops feelings toward Paul's dream girl, she must figure out whether keeping up the ruse is worth her own happiness.
Though the premise of The Half Of It is simple, its fresh spin on the love triangle will entice modern audiences. — B.B.
Where to watch: The Half of It is now streaming on Netflix.
4. Dumplin’
Dumplin' is just as cute and feel-good as it sounds. The comedy focuses on Texas girl, Willowdean Dickson (Danielle Macdonald), who is forced to live in the shadows of her former beauty queen mother (Jennifer Aniston) When the Miss Teen Bluebonnet Pageant rolls around, Willowdean decides to enter — in an attempt to protest her mom's superficiality, despite not fitting the traditional pageant mold. Though this seems like a good idea at first, she is soon forced to confront her own feelings of insecurity. From this, a tender tale of self-love and growing up blooms. — B.B.
Where to watch: Dumplin' is now streaming on Netflix.
5. Yes, God, Yes
Yes, God, Yes is a sweet movie that will catch you off guard with its caring examination of a high schooler's sexual awakening.
When Alice (Stranger Things' Natalia Dyer) becomes the subject of a raunchy rumor at her Catholic school, she doesn't even understand it — because she doesn't know much about sex. And what she does know, she feels guilty about. To prove her innocence, Alice goes on a religious retreat, where she finds out that her holier-than-thou peers and authority figures are struggling with their own desires, just as much as she is. Anchored by Dyer's strong performance and heavy doses of early 2000s nostalgia, Yes, God, Yes is a perfectly understated teen comedy. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Where to watch: Yes, God, Yes is now streaming on Netflix.
6. Banana Split
It can be brutal when your ex moves on to someone new, especially when his new girlfriend is pretty, nice, and cool. Sure, you could stew in jealousy — and who could blame you! But what if you befriended her instead? That unexpected turn is the inciting incident of Benjamin Kasulke's bubbly buddy comedy, Banana Split.
After splitting with her hunky boyfriend Nick (Dylan Sprouse), eccentric April (co-writer Hannah Marks) was prepared to spend the summer in lonesome misery. Then, she partied with her ex's new girlfriend, the lovely Clara (Liana Liberato). Much to her surprise, they click instantly and intensely, becoming the bosom bestie each desperately needs. The trick is just never to talk about or tell Nick…but how long can that last? Surprisingly sweet and unapologetically silly, Banana Split is a total treat.* —Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor
How to watch: Banana Split is now streaming on Netflix.
7. Moxie
With a script from Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer, Amy Poehler directs this charming film about budding feminist Vivian (Hadley Robinson). Inspired by her mother's Riot Grrrl past, Vivian decides to expose systemic sexism at her high school through the anonymous zine MOXiE!, and ends up spearheading a cause that other students support.
Robinson hits the perfect balance of fired up and unsure that feels so familiar to young women. Plus. she’s surrounded by a strong and thoughtfully diverse ensemble (including viral hit band The Linda Lindas). Moxie will make you want to get up and start something, even if the plan is a little half-baked but your heart is in the right place. — P.K.
How to watch: Moxie is streaming on Netflix.
Asterisks (*) indicate the entry comes from a previous Mashable list.
