10 Hysterical Back-to-School Movies, Ranked According to IMDb

The phrase “back to school movies” sounds like a niche genre, but there’s actually a lot of ground to cover here. There are movies about both teachers and students, summer jobs, and university internships, including every level from kindergarten to college. Some back-to-school movies are about the quest to get into school in the first place, never mind finding a dorm or getting through the first day of exam season.

Few experiences are more confusing or shocking in life than what happens at school, no matter what side of the desk you’re on. Humans tend to laugh at the things that hurt us as a coping mechanism. That might be why there are so many movies in this genre that are hysterically, painfully funny. The many fans that love these films and use them to assuage the weird, scary word of school life have ranked some of their favorites on the IMDb.

10 Kindergarten Cop – 6.1

Forget grad school or that Bar Exam. When it’s time for a challenge, take on a kindergarten class. There aren’t as many movies about teaching compared to student-focused films, especially when it comes to the youngest learners. Kindergarten Cop doesn’t sugar-coat how intimidating a bunch of little kids can be. Not only that, but leading man Schwarzeneggar lampoons his own tough persona to become a believable herder of small children. The intrepid hero starts his first day with the famous last words, “How hard can it be?” His partner, who has teaching experience, responds by recommending he take his gun after all.

9 Legally Blond – 6.3

Elle is a girl that everyone, including herself, has classified as a shallow ditz. She follows a boy to law school after he jilts her for his former girlfriend, a brunette. In the process, she finds out she’s actually a decent lawyer and not so stupid after all. The movie breaks through some stereotypes and does it with laughs. It’s both a funny and inspiring story, which is why it still retains its popularity. Legally Blond was also the movie that gave Resse Witherspoon a breakout role, proving she could handle both comedy and drama.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Accepted – 6.4

Too lazy or stupid to get into school? The easy solution to that problem would be to just start your own school, and that’s exactly what this movie is about, hence the title. The problem isn’t that Bartleby keeps getting rejected, it’s that he doesn’t want to go to school in the first place.

His parents are insistent, however, and Bartleby and his equally lethargic friends create a fake university in order to fool them. It’s not like your own school can refuse you entry, right? What could go wrong? The response to this is that the main character and his friends discover they aren’t the only college rejects looking for somewhere to be, and hilarity ensues.

7 Back to School – 6.7

Back to School was one of those wacky 1980s comedies that wasn’t crass enough to get the same attention as some other movies of the era of the same genre, but this one has aged better than others. The crass jokes are still there, but they’re overshadowed by some smart comedy involving more subtle jokes about college administration and literary criticism. It’s also a nice example of Rodney Dangerfield’s brand of wacky comedy, and although he takes a major role in the plot it’s his college-bound son that enjoys most of the screen time.

6 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure – 7.0

Legend has it that they grow up to form a band that unites humanity with their musical talents and universal message of love and peace. Until then, however, they’re just two cheerfully dumb teenagers who need to finish a history project. Thankfully they have George Carlin to help them on their quest, which consists of traveling to various points in history using a phone booth. It’s a crazy premise that works because the comedy is solid, the pace is fast, the stakes are high, and the actors can pull it all off while being likable goofballs.

5 Better Off Dead – 7.1

Lane is devastated when Beth dumps him, so much so that his imagination starts to run wild. In fact, the audience might start to wonder what Lane is on, especially considering that his best and only friend is someone who thinks they can sell a mountain of snow to make a tidy street profit.

The main plot, which consists of Lane moving past his broken heart, is hilarious anyway, but it’s the characters he interacts with that are also great for laughs. There’s his younger brother, a quiet genius who builds a rocket while he fusses over high school life. There’s the French exchange student who loves baseball and lives to visit Dodger Stadium, who Lane eventually rescues. Then there’s the marauding gang of paperboys that will give Lane no peace until they get that two dollars.

4 Fast Times at Ridgemont High – 7.2

This movie is based on a true story, so be prepared to see some wacky stuff that just can’t be made up. The plot revolves around the rivalry of the notorious and perpetually stoned surfer-bro Jeff Spicoli and the authoritarian Mr. Hand, who lives to break up the kids’ good time. It’s a movie with a typical dynamic and several stock characters, but thanks to some talented acting it still works. Teen comedies like this would inspire later films such as American Pie and Superbad.

3 Caddyshack – 7.3

This is a movie that’s more about the quest for school than life at school itself. A closer look reveals a critical look at class difference if you can see through the barrage of comedy that never quits in this movie. Young Danny wants to go to college, but his already overburdened working parents can’t afford it. In an attempt to score some tuition money, he tries to shake down his rich employees at the local golf club. With big names like Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, and Bill Murray, this could be one of the funniest movies of all time.

2 Superbad – 7.6

It’s a story about a party, three friends, and the last year of high school. The premise is simple and it’s been done before, but the characters are brilliant and relatable, making this a uniquely funny comedy. McLovin is now a household name, enthroned in his place as one of the most lovable geeks of all time.

The plot follows the three main characters as they go on a quest for booze which consists not only of buying some despite their age but dodging the law and getting it to the party successfully. If they succeed, they’re set for college and life. Some of the jokes haven’t aged well, specifically the numerous and tiresome homophobic ones, but the story is still an endearing one overall.

1 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – 7.8

Everyone knows that the best thing about school is getting out, and that’s the plot of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Not just for one day, but forever, because if Ferris gets caught, creepy principle Mr. Rooney keeps him in high school an extra year. The horror of that gives this funny movie some seriously high stakes, but the audience is having so much fun they don’t notice. There’s a fan theory that soft-spoken Cameron is the real hero of this story, and he does have some of the film’s funniest and most endearing lines.

Next10 Ways X-Men (2000) Has Aged Remarkably Well

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *