Not Another Teen Movie

At John Hughes High, star quarterback Jake Wyler makes a reckless bet: he can take plain, unassuming Janey Briggs and turn her into the prom's queen. What follows is a string of exaggerated schemes, makeover montages, and sitcom misunderstandings as Jake and his friends manipulate social circles to engineer Janey's rise. The movie riffs on familiar plot beats from 1980s and 1990s teen films, piling on parody, sight gags, and meta jokes while Janey reacts in ways that undermine the very plot the boys are trying to sell. Expect a fast pace, obvious sendups of specific teen-movie moments, and humor that trades on recognition rather than subtlety.

Directed by Joel Gallen and released in 2001, the film was created by Mike Bender, Adam Jay Epstein, and Buddy Johnson. It was conceived as a broad parody of teen classics, pulling together writers and performers with comedy backgrounds to lampoon a recognizable genre.

The movie left a mark on early 2000s pop culture by turning familiar scenes and character types into targets for satire. Its references to films like Pretty in Pink, She's All That, and 10 Things I Hate About You made it easy for audiences to spot the jokes. Some scenes, like the exaggerated makeover and prom-night set pieces, have been referenced or quoted in later sketches and comedy bits.

Critical response was mixed, and audiences were split on how well the humor landed. It holds a vote average of 5.8/10 from 2,212 votes, reflecting that some viewers enjoyed the irony and callbacks while others found the jokes hit-or-miss. The film plays with themes of popularity, image, and the absurdity of high school hierarchies, using satire to point out how flimsy many teen-movie tropes really are.