Top Five High School Comedies of the 2000s: Juno

Not Another Teen Movie, Mean Girls, Napoleon Dynamite

Oct 19, 2008

The new millennium has triggered a variety of changes. And this couldn't be more evident than in high school comedies. High school comedies of our millennium have become

What was originally typecast as a genre pertaining only to randy high school boys, over-developed high school girls and wild unrated parties, high school comedies of the 2000’s have taken on a new face.

The spawn of ridiculous parodies on every genre of film every created, Not Another Teen Movie was actually quite hilarious. Unlike its successors, this film manages to combine the element of parody and stupidity perfectly. What results is a laugh-out-loud collection of the best and worst high school comedies of the 1990’s.

Juno (Ellen Page), a witty, smart and surprisingly levelheaded teenager becomes pregnant by her best friend, Paulie Bleeker, a high school track fiend (Michael Cera). In an attempt to do what’s best for her unborn child, Juno plans to give the baby to a yuppie couple with the best-laid plans (Jennifer Garner and Jason Batemen). Although not laugh-out-loud funny, the comedic elements come from the situation. The ironic role-reversals and the sheer pragmatic approach to the entire fiasco remind us that high school is never a smooth ride.

From the comedic duo Seth Rogan and Judd Apatow comes another spot-on representation of life. This time their comic ingenious is focused on the lives of three high schoolers, best friends Seth and Evan and their awkward pal Fogal (AKA McLovin) as they attempt to score alcohol for a high school party. Based on the real life antics of Seth Rogan, this high school film captures a day-in-the-life with unexpected accuracy. The outright insane events, hilarious one-liners-‘take off that vest, you look like Aladdin’- and witty banter between the characters makes this high school movie a comedic classic.

What do you get when you combine a dorky outsider, a llama named Tina, an internet-obsessed nerdy older brother, a foreign political-wannabe, and a quirky girl next door? Comedic genius for one. Jon Heder stars as Napoleon Dynamite, the oddest kid in school. Napoleon forms an unlikely friendship with Pedro, a new kid in school and Deb, his equally weird next-door neighbour. What ensues is a look at the hallways of high school through the eyes of possibly the most socially awkward character ever created.

This classic high school comedy features a pre-rehab Lindsey Lohen as Cady, a new girl in town who finds herself part of the popular clique, the ‘plastics’. Written by Tina Fey, this comedy captures, with spot-on accuracy, the trials and tribulations surrounding spoiled high school girls. Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey and Lacey Chabert co-star in this brilliant rendition of high school pettiness at its all-time high.

So what’s to come in the next decade of high school comedies? One can only wait and see.

The copyright of the article Top Five High School Comedies of the 2000s: Juno in Comic Films is owned by Jenna Galley. Permission to republish Top Five High School Comedies of the 2000s: Juno in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.