The 13 Best Prom Movies That Are Almost Better Than the Real Thing

Have yourself a virtual prom by watching one of these classic teen movies.

By Kelsey Klemme May 07, 2020 1:00 PMTags
Watch: Khloe Kardashian Is Clueless About First Prom

Thanks to these iconic teen movies, you can bring the spirit of prom into your own home.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, high school students all around the country are unfortunately seeing their proms and spring dances cancelled.

However, the good news is that there are plenty of films that can bring the rite of passage to the comfort of your own living room, and in some ways watching these flicks are just as fun as the real deal.

With classics like Pretty in Pink or 10 Things I Hate About You, you can cuddle up on the couch and indulge in some nostalgia, as well as relive some iconic fashion moments like Molly Ringwald's unforgettable pink dress.

There are also plenty of light-hearted flicks like Blockers and The Kissing Booth that are sure to boost your mood with hilarious characters or cheesy romance you can't help but smile at.

And hey, if you already bought a dress or tux, you can still dance along to movies like Footloose or to "Come On Eileen" in the iconic prom scene from The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

photos
All the Celebrities Stepping Up for the Class of 2020 With Virtual Proms and Commencement Speeches

After all, when you're celebrating prom from home, anyone can be your date, like dreamy Adrian Grenier from Drive Me Crazy or, for you Team Edward fans in the house, Robert Pattinson in Twilight.

So, take a look at all the feel-good prom movies below that you can watch tonight.

She's All That

The highly-choreographed prom scene inspired us to learn some moves of our own, just in case a dance-off broke out at our own proms.

The Girl Next Door

This raunchy romcom set the standard on how to make a grand entrance at prom where all eyes are on you.

Drive Me Crazy

We're suckers for the enemies become lovers trope, but it works so well in Drive Me Crazy when Melissa Joan Hart and Adrian Grenier's characters finally fall for one another and dance the night away.

10 Things I Hate About You

This take on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew has an unforgettable prom scene with Julia Stiles and the late Heath Ledger where hearts are broken and secrets are revealed.

Pretty in Pink

Wearing one of the most iconic prom dresses of all time, we still tear up watching Molly Ringwald's Andie hold her head up high as she attends her prom and has a great time no matter how hard the "richie' kids try to bring her down. 

Mean Girls

Technically, this is a Spring Fling, but we'll let it slide. After all, watching Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) break off pieces of her crown and throw it into the crowd and seeing Regina George rocking her full-body brace were both iconic moments.

Footloose

As the title suggests, Footloose promises plenty of great dancing, and the film's prom dance scenes are no exception.

American Pie

While the hilarious plot followed a group of guys pledging to lose their virginity by the end of graduation, it was Jim's monologue during prom that grounded the funny movie a bit and remains memorable.

Twilight

It was a lot harder to be Team Jacob after watching Edward and Bella slow-dance under a gazebo on her prom night.

Lady Bird

Lady Bird's journey to prom was rough—from fighting with her mom at the thrift store to realizing her boyfriend was a jerk—but the payoff was so sweet when we saw her have a fun-filled night with bestie Julie (Beanie Feldstein.)

The Kissing Booth

This Netflix romance film is cheesy, but we still love it, especially when Noah brings out a replica kissing booth at prom to declare his love for Elle.

Never Been Kissed

Josie Gellar's big speech about life being bigger than prom, and high school, is still as iconic today as it was in 1999.

Blockers

This hilarious movie centered all around three best friends trying to have the night of their lives...and their parents doing everything they can to stop them.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic and for tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, please visit The Center for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov. To plan your vaccine, head to NBC's Plan Your Vaccine site at PlanYourVaccine.com.