15 Best Movies Like Clueless

Fab friends, a dream closet, teen romance, and meddling in others' lives. These are the ingredients that make up "Clueless," the 1995 film about Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), who wants to help others, as long as it works to her advantage. This includes giving a makeover to the new girl, Tai (Brittany Murphy), who is Cher's next project. These elements make "Clueless" the quintessential teenage movie, complete with a look into the world of '90s high school and the idea that adults and responsibilities like driving are a total drag. 

All of this is told through the eyes of Cher, whose inner thoughts are shared through a narration that makes you truly understand her plights and her genius problem-solving skills that not everyone understands. Is there another movie out there that is just as cool as "Clueless" continues to be? As if! But if the ending has you buggin', and you're anticipating the upcoming "Clueless" sequel series, then we have some rad remedies for you.

Here are the 15 best movies like "Clueless" that you should check out right now. 

Jane Austen's classic novel "Emma" is the inspiration for "Clueless," and the 2020 film adaptation showcases Austen's humor and thoughts on women in society. Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a wealthy woman who uses match-making to entertain herself (at least that's what she tells people). The reality is that she doesn't want to get married because she fears the expectations that society will place upon her. It's easier to treat everyone as a piece on her chessboard as she dodges romance. 

"Emma." is the sharp adaptation of this tale that highlights Emma's fears about societal pressures through hilarious scenes, such as parents cringing at their children's temper-tantrums. "Clueless" addresses societal pressures in a more personal way through Cher's voiceover, which explains her unique perspective on dating and school. Like Emma, Cher is worried about what life would like if she didn't care for her father, and while it isn't explicitly addressed in "Clueless," it could be why she holds off on having a steady relationship. Nonetheless, both ladies learn that facing the future is easier said than done when they stand out from the rest. 

"Clueless" finds Cher getting involved in other people's lives and running from her problems, and the same is true for "Uptown Girls." Brittany Murphy is Molly Gunn, a wild child who becomes penniless overnight. She has to face the real world when she becomes the nanny to Ray (Dakota Fanning), a little girl who grew up too fast. Their opposite attitudes lead to plenty of bickering and humorous moments. However, Molly realizes that Ray is running to adulthood to avoid the hurt caused by her mother's absence, and that's when Molly figures out that she ignores her responsibilities in order to avoid the grief surrounding the death of her parents. 

Avoidance is a key part of Cher's story as she ignores what's going on in the world in order to bypass adult responsibilities. That avoidance just makes her appear shallow and unconcerned about others. Molly is also labeled by her past actions, which felt better at the time than facing the unknown. But she has to find the confidence to try new things and encourage Ray to do the same. 

If you're looking for a movie to watch after "Clueless," 2004's "Mean Girls" is totally fetch (even when compared to newer takes on the story). Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) is the new girl at North Shore High School, and she is swept into drama when she meets Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese), who convince Cady to join the vapid popular girl group known as the Plastics and destroy their leader, Regina George (Rachel McAdams). 

Cady becomes Janis' project, much like how Tai becomes Cher's. While Cher transforms Tai in order to look like a good person, Janice uses Cady to heal wounds caused by Regina. Their motives are different, but Cher and Janice are similar because they use the new girl to advance their status. Both of their plans explode, but "Mean Girls" offers the bigger lesson due to how it handles the aftermath. Cher privately comes to terms with her actions, but Janis has to face the whole school, because this plot has a ripple effect that impacts the entire school. This is something that "Clueless" never fully explores, because Tai's story is just a small piece in Cher's big picture.

"She's All That" breaks the mold of the teen transformation story by focusing on Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook), who is not the new girl but rather the nerdy teen who is already a social outcast. That's why she questions Zack Siler's (Freddie Prinze Jr.) romantic interest in her. It's a reaction that is very different from how Tai responds to Cher's offer to make her popular, and that's because Tai's excitement is driven by her concern that she won't make friends at her new school. 

It should be no surprise that this movie is different from other teen comedies, since typically terrifying filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan worked on "She's All That." Laney does accept portions of her transformation, which is usually part of the formula for these movies, but she largely maintains her identity, which can be unusual in stories like this. It's really Zack who undergoes the transformation, however, both walk into this with preconceived notions about each other, and they soon learn that they are not that different after all. That's a realization that also leads Cher into her big finale as she finds a new appreciation and perspective for people in her life. 

"Legally Blonde" is what "Clueless" would look like if Cher and Josh (Paul Rudd) went to college together, and that college setting is why Elle Woods' (Reese Witherspoon) journey is so impactful. Cher makes minor decisions within the vacuum of her high school clique. Meanwhile, Elle is supported by her sorority sisters as she heads to law school to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner (Matthew Davis), but the decisions she makes impact her future career and remove her from her comfort zone. Her upbeat attitude and knowledge of non-academic facts is why some question her legal career, but a teaching assistant named Emmett (Luke Wilson) sees the bravery in her choices. Much like Josh, Emmett observes her wit and her unique problem-solving skills, which is why he trusts her as they take on a high-profile murder case. 

The stakes are much higher for Elle, since every decision affects the trajectory of her life, and the film meets those high stakes with big villains, including Professor Callahan (Victor Garber). Cher meets her own naysayers, but her villains don't follow her throughout the film like Elle's antagonists do. This places more pressure on her to prove them wrong, which is why the official ending for "Legally Blonde" is so much better than its alternate conclusion. 

Before writing and directing "Clueless," Amy Heckerling was at the helm of Cameron Crowe's "Fast Times at Ridgemont," which signaled a shake-up in studio filmmaking. The 1982 film follows Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) as she navigates romantic relationships ,while her classmates deal with their own growing pains. Its premise is meant for an ensemble cast, not unlike "Clueless," but "Fast Times" does a better job at tackling the more widespread story structure, simply because it's not truly focused on a single character driving the narrative. 

"Clueless" is narrated by Cher, providing invaluable insight into the thought process behind each decision she makes. This requires her to be in almost every scene, which doesn't means leave much room for the film to fully explore other storylines, like Dionne's relationship with Murray (Donald Faison). Forgoing the narration means that "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" is able to spend more time on side stories that may not directly impact Stacy. This includes the constant battle between the iconic Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) and history teacher Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), which Travis (Breckin Meyer) and Mr. Wendell Hall (Wallace Shawn) also deliver through their own minor battles in "Clueless."

While "Pretty in Pink" focuses on the high school hierarchy like "Clueless" does, it is not as subtle when it comes to discussing socio-economics. Cher and her wealthy friends don't understand what it's like to live paycheck-to-paycheck. This is a source of conflict when discussing their problems with people like Mr. Hall or even Josh, who find Cher's problems inconsequential when compared to their adult concerns. While there are eventually lessons learned that lead to self-reflection and a less selfish perspective, there isn't as deep of an examination of wealth and morals like there is in "Pretty in Pink."

The movie follows Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald), a high schooler who takes care of her dad while working at a record store. Like Cher, she has a strong sense of who she is, but her world view is turned upside down when her wealthy classmate Blane (Andrew McCarthy) falls for her. They believe they can make this relationship work, but Blane's rich friends and Andie's admirer Duckie try to pull them apart due to their differences. It's a story that deeply delves into the realities of wealth that "Clueless" doesn't tackle due to its focus elsewhere.

Cher wants to do good deeds in order to make herself feel good. Similarly, Olive (Emma Stone) seeks popularity through a good deed, but her actions lead to an examination of double standards and societal pressures that "Clueless" only skims the surface of. Olive's journey begins when she pretends to lose her virginity to Brandon (Dan Byrd), who is gay and severely bullied. While he receives cheers as he leaves the bedroom, Olive becomes the go-to person for fake hookups, which leads to social criticism fueled by the self-righteous Marianne (Amanda Bynes). 

To make a point about double standards, Olive decides to take on the negative persona that her classmates place upon her by wearing clothes reminiscent of Hester Prynne from "The Scarlet Letter." However, she uses this new persona to help fuel her revenge against the haters, turning her into someone she doesn't recognize. "Clueless" does try to point out double standards and societal pressures as Cher explains what a woman must do to get a man. She is also harshly dealt with when she makes a mistake while helping her father's legal team, who see her as dumb, blonde stereotype based on her appearance and behavior. These moments help you examine why Cher feels misunderstood, and "Easy A" also does the same with Olive's predicament. 

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is the Tai to Emily Charlton's (Emily Blunt) Cher in "The Devil Wears Prada." The 2006 film adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's acclaimed book follows Andy, a journalist who accidentally becomes an assistant to stone cold fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly, played by Meryl Streep (who saved the film). That's when she meets Emily, a fellow assistant who rescues Andy from her fashion crimes. Like Tai, Andy is uncomfortable with changing her image, and it leads to a new identity that almost makes her as cold as Miranda.

Andy's transformation and brief loss of integrity lasts a bit longer than Tai's mean turn, simply because she's engaged in a professional career and not just high school societal norms. Cher immediately accepts Tai back into her circle after an argument. Meanwhile, Andy finds support with her co-worker Nigel (Stanley Tucci) encouraging her being dedicated to her career, even as she becomes virtually nonexistent to her friends and boyfriend. While it's hard to watch Andy's downward spiral, it allows the film to fully open up a conversation about how identity stems from the choices you make and how you treat people, even when it doesn't benefit you, which is what Cher also learns in "Clueless."

As "Clueless" points out, trying to fit in is not always the best thing, and Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) learns that in "Crazy Rich Asians." The film based on Kevin Kwan's novel follows Rachel as she meets her boyfriend's rich family. His mother, Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh), is not impressed by her, stating that she will never fit into their lifestyle. So Rachel tries to transform herself into the future matriarch that Eleanor wants.

While Eleanor is the one setting the expectations, much like Cher does for Tai, these expectations were not created by her. They were invented by Eleanor's mother-in-law, who disapproved of her. Cher's expectations come from societal pressures that she applies to her own life, like the moment she tries to bake because society taught her that guys are impressed by that. Rachel, Tai, and Cher all try to stick to the status quo, but they realize that they don't have to fit into these molds. That conflict eventually leads to the discovery of common ground that "Crazy Rich Asians" showcases amid moments of pure joy. 

"13 Going on 30" is what would have happened to Cher if she realized the error of her ways after high school. In the 1980s, Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen) is a teen who wants to join the popular clique known as the Six Chicks. The group trashes her 13th birthday party, and Jenna wishes that she could be 30, flirty, and thriving. Her wish comes true, but she realizes that she paid for her popularity by betraying the people that loved her, including her best friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo).

Taking others for granted is a part of the emotional pull in "13 Going on 30," and it's a big part of "Clueless." Cher and Josh find each other annoying until they take a moment to understand each other. Meanwhile, Cher helps her father every day, and he never acknowledges it until they have a heart-to-heart. Because Jenna (played by Jennifer Garner as an adult) is making up for the hurt she caused over several years, she has to work very hard at repairing her relationships, but she gets some help from a bit of nostalgic, teenage-inspired, including one iconic "13 Going on 30" moment that almost led to Ruffalo's departure. 

"Clueless" focuses on how people can be overlooked based on their sex, appearance, and economic status. Cher feels misunderstood because she is viewed as just a rich blonde teen, even as she feeds into such stereotypes, but she also underestimates Tai's social pull because she doesn't look like the other cool kids. Being overlooked because of your appearance and where you live is what "Bring it On" is all about. 

Torrance Shipman (Kristen Dunst) is the new leader of the Toro cheerleading squad who finds out that their competition-winning cheers were stolen from the Clovers, a team of Black cheerleaders who feel that they're being overlooked due to their race and economic status. Now, the Clovers want to claim their rightful throne while the Toros try to change their reputation.

As the film examines the assumptions associated with money and race, it also focuses on the stereotypes associated with cheerleaders as being vapid and dumb. It's an element that allows this movie to bring up age-old questions regarding the legitimacy of cheerleading, which is something that both teams want to prove with each routine.

Cher is nothing without Dionne (Stacey Dash), her best friend who wants Cher to avoid the mistakes that she's made. She tries to be very mature, but she still has problems that she needs to face. The same could be said for Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore), a copy editor who goes undercover in a high school in "Never Been Kissed." She seems to have life figured out as an adult, albeit a slightly awkward one, but she is still reeling from insecurities that stem from bullying in her high school years. Her new assignment leads her to face those insecurities, as she goes from being an outcast to suddenly becoming one of the popular kids that hurt her so much.

As Josie battles her growing pains, her co-workers are watching via a hidden camera that allows them to react to every success and mishap. It allows the audience to be reminded of their own high school journey while also offering some comedic moments throughout. Like Cher, Josie is forced to deal with everyone's opinions about her decisions, but there's also a handsome guy in the background (much like Josh) who notices the positive qualities that she doesn't see in herself. It's all rather inappropriate, since it involves a teacher being attracted to their student (who they don't know is actually an older adult), but the movie isn't without its charms.

2003's "Freaky Friday" has a lot in common with "Clueless." Cher and her father have different opinions about the world and how Cher should spend her time. The same is true for Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan), who would rather fight than understand each other. This changes when they magically swap bodies, and the only way to switch back is to finally understand each others' perspective in life.

As Tess and Anna fight, they also face the grief associated with the death of Tess' husband and Anna's father. Cher mentions that her mother died, and though it's not a detail that we dwell on, the absence of her mother to influence her likely impacted how her identity was shaped. "Freaky Friday" does a better job at making loss a central part of the story by helping Tess and Anna realize that they've grown apart because they haven't come to terms with their loss. Every sacrifice they make for the other means that they're taking another step in the healing process, which helps to build the emotional weight of "Freaky Friday," which is even enjoyed by Quentin Tarantino. 

Like "Clueless," "10 Things I Hate About You" updates a classic and creates a contemporary hit, even though Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn't sold on it at first. This take on William Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" features Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) as a teen who has built walls to protect her following a romantic betrayal. Her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is the total opposite. She's super popular and catches the attention of many boys. While she wants to date, their father decides that she can't have a boyfriend until Kat does. That leads new kid Cameron James (Gordon-Levitt) and popular kid Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan) to devise their own schemes in order to be able to date Bianca.

Cher also guards herself from dating high school boys, mostly because of their perceived immaturity, which is likely why she's always trying to push along the romantic lives of others. She says that high school boys are lame, perhaps due to disappointing experiences that we don't hear about. This would make her even more relatable to Kat, who has some soul searching to do before she trusts someone to love her again.