Top 10 Greatest Teen Movie Rebels
#10: Tracy Freeland & Evie Zamora “Thirteen” (2003)
Catherine Hardwicke’s film about female teenage rebellion was a critical darling when it was released, debuting at the Sundance Film Festival. It tells the story of Tracy, a high school freshman who just wants to be popular. Her quest for the approval of her peers leads her down a dark path when she befriends Evie, her school’s cool bad girl. The two kick off their friendship with shoplifting and theft but they only get in further over their heads with sex, drugs and more serious crime.
#9: Wade Walker “Cry-Baby” (1990)
A movie made in the ‘90s by John Waters but poking fun at classic films from the ‘50s, this Johnny Depp musical is a fun satirical romp. Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, tough leader of the greaser gang the Drapes, who is only able to shed a single (endearing) tear at a time. His life gets turned upside down when he falls for a Square, Allison, and eventually ends up in jail. In fact, it was an instance of art imitating life because Depp actually took the role with the intention of shedding his Hollywood heartthrob image for something more subversive.
#8: Enid and Rebecca “Ghost World” (2001)
Enid and Rebecca have just graduated high school in “Ghost World” and don’t know what to do with themselves. This misanthropic cult classic, based on a graphic novel, created a perfect early aughts rebel aesthetic centered around these two teenage protagonists. While Enid and Becky’s stories diverge and Becky ends up taking a slightly more conventional path, the two best friends still share the angst of trying to figure out what kind of people they really are. It’s an interesting story about the expectations put on young women, and it resonates even two decades later.
#7: Riff and Tony “West Side Story” (1961)
The legendary “West Side Story” takes the basic structure of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and brings it to the streets of New York in the 1950s. Central to the tale are Tony and his best friend Riff, both of whom are members of the gang The Jets. This story is a tragic one, with the inspiring music and sets intertwined with serious drama. The themes of this story are timeless, and the topic of immigration is still a controversial one in this era, so it makes sense that Steven Spielberg is putting out a remake in 2020.
#6: Juno MacGuff “Juno” (2007)
One of the more modern rebels on our list is Juno, from the 2007 movie of the same name. After finding herself pregnant at 16, Juno MacGuff decides to get an abortion, but then backs out, opting for adoption instead. She is a classic example of a girl who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her, reveling in her own quirks rather than conforming to the norm. Even when the prospective adopters of her baby don’t turn out to be the people she thought they were, Juno takes matters into her own hands to try to carve out a happy ending for everyone.
#5: Jason Dean “Heathers” (1988)
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There are teen rebels, and then there’s J.D. Not satisfied with petty crime or looking cool, this guy is hell bent on murdering his fellow high school students, and brings former good girl Veronica down with him. In this satirical black comedy, J.D. arranges the deaths of the mean popular girls at Westerburg High School and makes them look like suicides. Veronica goes along with it because even though she used to be a member of the “Heathers,” she realizes she actually misses her less cool friends. J.D. certainly isn’t a character to idolize in any way, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t iconic.
#4: Ferris Bueller “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” (1986)
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On the complete opposite end of the spectrum of rebellion, there’s Ferris Bueller. He’s the definition of a good-natured rebel, wanting to play sick and cut class to have an adventure. This ‘80s John Hughes classic has gone down as one of the greatest teen movies of all time for a reason: Ferris is magnetic, and inspires us all to play hooky every once in a while in the interest of having a good time. Many teen rebels are outcasts but Ferris is actually popular and well-liked, making him stand out from his more disenfranchised peers.
#3: Ariel Moore “Footloose” (1984)
What’s more rebellious than dancing when you’re not supposed to? In the classic ‘80s movie “Footloose”, a high schooler moves to a town where dancing and rock n’ roll have been outlawed, leaving the teens wondering what to do with themselves. He finds himself infatuated with Ariel, the reverend's daughter who does not want to abide by his rules. Ariel has a troubled past and an abusive boyfriend, not to mention her teetotaling father, so she’s ready to kick off her Sunday shoes and act out. This may be some pretty tame rebellion, but we love it nonetheless.
#2: John Bender “The Breakfast Club” (1985)
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“The Breakfast Club” is all about high school stereotypes and taking the time to look past them, but John Bender is there to exemplify the trope of the teen rebel. He has a troubled home life where he is dealing with abuse and does all your typical bad boy things like smoking, drinking and looking up girls’ skirts. John’s role is to bring out the inner rebel in all the other kids in Saturday morning detention. But since this movie is meant to break down preconceptions, it all shows that each character is so much more than their stereotype. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. The Greasers “The Outsiders” (1983) Rusty James “Rumble Fish” (1983) Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme “Heavenly Creatures” (1994) Johnny Strabler “The Wild One” (1953) Mark Hunter “Pump Up The Volume” (1990)
#1: Jim Stark “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955)
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You could say this is the movie that invented teenage rebellion, so it should be no surprise that it’s our number one pick. Played by James Dean, Jim Stark is new to his Los Angeles high school and quickly finds himself in trouble. He embodies basic teenage outrage at the world around him, representing so many teens through the ages. This film resonates with surprising relevance even today, though some of the elements are decidedly dated, like the knife fights, "Chickie Runs” and use of terms like “dirty tramp.” But at its core this is a movie meant to relate to all young people and the inevitable feelings of isolation they experience.
