People Explain Which Teen Movies Made Them Think 'The Older I Get, The More I Agree With The Adult'
There's a fairly common formula in movies geared toward a teenage audience.
A group of teenagers face one central conflict, to varying degrees of importance and severity, but manage to solve it in a surprisingly short manner of time.
The heroes of these films are usually a hodgepodge of traditional high school archetypes (star athlete, math nerd, girl whose beauty is disguised by a pair of glasses), all of whom the intended audience can completely relate to and root for.
And then we have the adult characters, who are often buffoonish stereotypes, or the outright villain, whose sole mission is to ensure the protagonist will not achieve their ultimate goal.
As teenagers, we often find ourselves ready to boo these grown-ups from the minute they appear on the screen.
But when we revisit these movies as adults, we find ourselves noticing that their behavior isn't quite as bad as we remembered.
Or, more shockingly, we actually find ourselves rooting for them!
"What teen movie is the epitome of 'the older I get, the more I agree with the adult?'"
The Teacher Was Right All Along...
"Rewatching 'Scrubs', I realize I’m no longer a JD., I’ve become a Cox."- RenegadeRinker
They Were Just Being Protective!
"I watched 'Sixteen Candles' recently and I now do not approve of Samantha going anywhere near Jake Ryan."-goblininstigator
All It Takes Is A Little Perspective
"Sadly, 'The Wonder Years'."
"I always couldn’t believe the dad was real, with his pissed off attitude from work."
"Now I understand."- hashn
The Wonder Years Thumbs Down GIFGiphyNothing Wrong With A Little Precision And Order!
"The movie 'Juno'."
"Jennifer Garner's character is at first portrayed as a 'square', then you realize she's a mature adult and her husband is a man-baby."- DaveFarted
Add It Up, The Wedding Cost Nearly $150,00!
"Not a teen movie, but 'Father of the Bride'."
"Watching it as a kid, Steve Martin seemed like an old grump."
"Rewatching it as an adult, holy sh*t he is the only sane person in that movie."- DrOctopusMD
It Was Literally His Job To Protect Them!
"'The Lion King'."
"Oh I thought Zazu was just an old fun-killer."
"What do you mean, Simba can't be king?"
"Why would you prevent the kids from going where they want?"
"As an adult and father, I'm 100% Team Zazu."- Oneiric86
the lion king GIF by DisneyGiphySeriously, Would Your Dad Have Been So Cool About It?...
"'American Pie'."
"As a new father, I hope to be like Jim’s dad when my little one is a teenager."
"Caring, loving and a complete embarrassment to them."- BanjoPhatterson
It's A Parent's Job To Worry.
"The mom in 'Ice Princess'."
"So you have a daughter who has a talent for and seems to like physics and has a shot of getting into Harvard."
"This girl throws it away for ice skating where she has only been competing for less than a year, where if she gets injured she's done and when she reaches 30 she's pretty much done."
"There is no way she is at an olympic level at that point she would need years of training! "
"Hell yes I would advise against it to!"- testmonkey254
Always Be Respectful Of Your Roommate!
"Goob, 'Meet the Robinsons'."- beepboop232
Meet The Robinsons Google GIFGiphyPeople Are Complicated
"Dr Doofenschmirtz."
"He’s just trying to do something right and being a good dad."- LukeLJS123
Dancing
"In Dirty Dancing, Jerry Orbach just wanted a family summer vacation and instead learned entirely too much about his daughters’ sex lives." - User Deleted
Menace
"Mr. Wilson in Dennis the Menace. Seriously, f**k that little miscreant and his parents that turn a blind eye to his shenanigans." -HotTub_MKE
Wimpy
"Haven't watched the movies, but I assume that the movies are similar enough, Diary of a wimpy kid, bro, your mom just wants to stop being a housewife and have a job and you complain that she isn't in the house anymore to be your personal slave, when you get from school you don't even greet her, you just give her your back pack, you little sh*t, do one thing in your life, did you ever thank her for anything Gregory?" - Torture-Dancer
Wonka
"Gene Wilder in original Charlie and the Chocolate factory “stop, don’t... come back” - isaacmorton
Good Will
"Good Will Hunting."
"A great film to watch as a smug, witty underachiever, however genuinely smart & funny you might be (at least according to your friends)."
"But go back to it 15 or 20 years later, perhaps after losing your wife to cancer, and you'll freak out at this scene."
"Source: No idea how smart or funny I really used to be, but I was definitely smug. I married the person I'd been with since we were both 16. She died at 33." - cdeverett
Rugrats
"Rugrats. The parents were so young and just doing their best. I like it was a group of neighbors that were best friends too. I get really stressed out on their behalf now. Especially the one where didi just wants to make it home before her banana tree she bought died in the car but no one could get their sh*t together." - cunexttuesday12
Daria
"Way late to the party; but I’m gonna say “Daria”."
"I used to be a disaffected teen too. All my problems were SO HUGE! And Daria’s parents just DIDN’T UNDERSTAND!"
"I watch it now, and Jake Morgendorffer is who I identify best with. He’s supposed to seem silly and crazy and out of touch, but now I just see a guy who worries so much about providing for his family, dealing with insecurity about his masculinity, and trying to relate to his daughters any way he can in spite of being completely baffled by them, because his hypermasculine upbringing left him ill-equipped to relate to girls."
"Poor Jake. He just wants to be a better dad than his dad. And in spite of his goofiness, I think he does an okay job." - corran450
As teens we're inclined to revolt from our parents and teachers, or even be revolted by them.
But the older we get, the more we understand that nine times out of ten, they were just looking out for us.
Just as we realize that Mr. Hall of Clueless was being pretty generous giving a C to a student who didn't seem to know how to pronounce "Haitian"...
Those who peaked in high school are former students who've had the time of their lives while there – whether as the star of an athletic team, head of the cheerleading squad, or class valedictorian.
While those accomplishments are nothing to scoff at, many of these former students have not had a comparable sense of achievement after they've graduated.
Some of them haven't even left their hometown in pursuit of their dreams and there's nothing wrong with that.
But friends and family members might say those who never lived up to, or even beyond, their fullest potential are non-starters.
Curious to hear of more identifiers about the experience, Redditor Grogenhymer asked:
"What screams 'Peaked in High School?'"
Sadly for these students, the thought of life goals and achievements were never realized.
Gone Way Too Soon
"This is a sad twist to this topic. A few months ago I saw an obituary for a guy we all knew from a nearby town. We all played sports against him and we knew of him because he was a good athlete in high school. The sad part was his obituary mentioned his high school achievements as his best accomplishments in life. He wasn't a bully and a decent guy but it made me genuinely sad that the highlight of his life was high school."
Jealous Much?
"I have an older cousin that gets immediately defensive and talks negative whenever she hears about anyone who is doing well for themselves. Her mom always talked her up in high school about how much of a good student she was. Whenever anyone else is successful, she gets jealous instead of being happy for them. Example: When I got into nursing school, she talked down on the school I got into. Note, she didn’t make it into nursing school and went on a different career path. But damn, grow up and get over it. The world doesn’t center around you other people can be successful too."
Letterman Jackets are a high school rite of passage. Wearing your lettered jacket is a symbol of pride indicating a student has made it, or that they are born of wealthy parents.
For The Uninitiated
"Letterman jackets on college campuses."
"They are a particular style of jacket, usually with faux leather sleeves and a fabric body, typically bi-color using the school's colors. If a student completes certain achievements (for my school it was two years completed in the sport or vocation), they are able to purchase an appliqué letter - usually whatever letter the name of the school starts with - and sew it onto the breast of the jacket."
"If you want to see what it looks like, any movie depicting college kids in the 1950's will usually show them wearing something similar. That's where the tradition comes from, I think."
Worn Out Welcome
"40+ year old guys showing up to a high school homecoming football game in their letterman jackets that no longer fit. A number of them did not have kids at the school. It was also 90+ degrees out at night."
A Jacket's Second Life
"I had no idea what to do with my jacket after high school. On one hand, it was a really nice jacket. On the other, why would I want everyone to know I lettered in band in high school?"
"Mine lived in a closet for more than a decade before one of my younger cousins was at my high school. She lettered, but her parents couldn't afford to buy her one - they are outrageously expensive."
"So I gave her mine, they switched the letter (she lettered in a sport cause she's cooler than me) and it got worn for a few more years, which is cool."
Students look to the future after receiving that diploma and flip the tassel on their cap to the other side.
But some can't seem to move beyond their high school glories.
Reliving The Past
"People trying to relive their life experiences through their children. Like forcing a daughter to do pageants, or a son to play on the football team."
"My dad likes to tell the same high school stories non-stop, but never has anything to say about life after he graduated. He even has a wooden trunk full of high school relics that I'm not allowed to even look at, because he's afraid I'll destroy something."
Post-Graduate Visits
"Literally just going back to their high school on a regular basis."
The Drama
"Grown people who still try to create teen drama. Making an issue out of every non-issue that other people just ignore, because they've grown up and they know the world doesn't revolve around them. Especially if it happens at their place of work where they should remain professional, but they feel the need to be the 'diva' and / or the 'mean girl', or they're always the victim, refusing to take any accountability and relying on gossip and baseless rumors as 'evidence.'"
"Well, at least that's the kind of people I experienced in high school, and when I see people who still behave like that I think that they peaked when they were 16, and then got stuck there. I unfortunately have met some when I worked in retail."
Hard Pass
"Attending high school football games 10 years later and expecting the coach to invite you to the sidelines."
– -Blixx-
Holding On To Glory Days
"Or showing up to practices and telling a bunch of random kids about catching the game winning touchdown in a random game."
Still Spreading Gossip
"Grown women gossiping about minors. It’s pretty common in small towns, they want to know who’s sleeping with who, who does drugs, who drinks and parties. Constantly talking about teenagers and knowing all about High School drama screams 'peaked in High School.' It’s honestly kinda sad because they’re so miserable with themselves and life."
– hkpe_
Stuck In The Past
"Being 40 and constantly posting high school football pictures and tagging people in them with overly enthusiastic commentary on how everyone should come home and have a beer."
– jsad2016
Unfamiliar Face
"Getting annoyed when you run into people who don't know who the hell you are when you introduce yourself as 'Sarah who sat behind you in English.'"
I was miserable in high school. The bullying, the acne, confusion about my sexuality, girls, boys, my ethnicity and where I fit in – it's all a dizzying kaleidoscopic drama.
I knew then I would never look back once I got that diploma – which is why I never bothered getting a letterman jacket. My parents couldn't afford one anyway.
But I have nothing against those who peaked in high school and are content in their adult lives relishing in the memories of their alma mater.
I wonder if they have any regrets, though.
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Life seems endless from the perspective of a 16-year-old. Heck, at that age even high school itself seems like it'll never end. But adulthood surely does come, and not long after those years.
And with that adulthood comes a much clearer-eyed assessment of those time warped adolescent years.
The 20/20 hindsight does bring some anguish with it, though. Time spent incorrectly, wastefully, or problematically during those years adopts a sharper focus and greater significance.
In response to a post, some Redditors reveled in their angst, shared what they learned from those rotten feelings and regrets.
GetHyper66 asked, "What is one thing you regret about your teenage years?"
An Investment
"I didn't take care of my teeth very well. I had to pay a stupid amount of money to get them fixed." -- ZerenTheUnskilled
"Treat your teeth like they're worth a fortune or you'll end up paying a fortune." -- -digitalbath
"Everytime I see one of these posts I see someone saying the teeth thing. I literally saw it so much that I floss now lmao. Thank u internet" -- sosumo11
Passing By
"Not involving myself more. I never went on school trips, I didn't go to prom, I skipped anything extra and a lot of what was mandatory. It carried into my adult life and it seems obvious to say, but I guess I'd be a different person now if I had been then." -- swallowyoursadness
"I see this thread of people wishing they didn't miss out but say all they did is the same now and they are still missing out."
"Get out of your comfort zone. Its nice there but life isn't comfortable. Don't get me wrong, social anxiety fucks me up too, but when you realize people aren't even paying attention to you it'll subside." -- Bustertimes
It Will Not Just Happen
"I spent so much time 'waiting for something to happen.' "
"Like sitting on some steps outside of a house waiting for something to happen. Hanging out with people I did not really like waiting for something to happen."
"I feel like so much time was wasted waiting for something to happen, instead of doing something or 'making things happen.' "
Feeling On Stage
"The amount of time I spent caring about what others thought of me." -- ND_5913
"I am 46 and am just now learning that. Just had a relative curse me out and drop me from social media because of my BLM support. My number of f***s to give about people like that is at an all time low right now. I wish I had arrived there much sooner." -- Wilhelm_Amenbreak
A Heart Held In
"That I never confessed my feelings for this girl until our late twenties." -- LezWolfVet
"Exact same story here man! We both thought the other was out of our league for 10 damn years until one of us finally spoke up, and now she is moving in with me this week!" -- HaCo111
An Acknowledge Immature Response
"Man, my regret is just being so mean. It was not all the time though, it was just targeted to some people and only when I was feeling overwhelmed with social things."
"Instead of telling them that I wanted some alone time or something like that that is adult-sounding, I just yelled hurtful insults at them to make them go away."
"I know I made one girl cry. I felt bad immediately which just fueled my confused social emotions and made it harder for me to reconcile things with her later. I feel like I left a wake of destruction in my past."
-- SharonRobles
Cling to the things You Can't Help but Do
"Giving up something I loved - writing - so I could dedicate more time to studies. While I did manage to achieve excellent grades, I really wish it didn't come at the expense of putting a stop to writing and creating fictional worlds."
"I thought I'd always stay 'passionate' about writing, and that I could jump right back into it once I was done with school... but I realized too late that it isn't that easy. Because I hadn't been writing for so long, it just isn't the same anymore."
"No matter how much I try, that spark and magic just isn't there anymore. It's just sad to think about what I lost."
A Sudden Rerouting
"Getting pregnant. Bf was Catholic and couldn't break the birth control rule ... Apparently the premarital sex rule was ok to break. I should've insisted. But you know, young, dumb, 'won't happen to me' and all of that...." -- grammy1972
"You still together?" -- TobyGoRawr
"Nope. Got married, split 3 years later. That little surprise is now 30, with 2 of his own." -- grammy1972
Could Have Been Worse
"The day I turned 18 I was able to gamble at the local casinos. I won a jackpot playing poker and then lost $18000 (almost all of it) within 6 months. Pretty sure the only thing I actually bought was an Xbox One. Haven't gambled for 6 years. Still cringe when I think about it." -- 0000000f
"You got a really important lesson taught for essentially $0!" -- Enk1ndle
"Good on you, i have Friends and relatives that have put themselves in huge debts from gambling. My friend is getting back on track. My relative is rock bottom and there seems to be no way back for him. Also (Also alcohol and drug addict)."
"Gambling is one hell of a drug. Glad you made it." -- Wulterman
A Reactionary Tendency
"Most decisions were made from fear; I dated an a**hole because I was afraid no one else would like me, I let my 'friends' tease me because I was scared of not fitting in, I didn't audition for certain groups because I was scared of not getting in, etc."
"Sometimes I wish I could take a time machine back and slap myself in the face and yell, 'F***ING TRY ANYWAY.' Oh well." -- ayzayzar
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A school is a necessary institution with very strange side effects. Hundreds, even thousands, of teenagers run around an enclosed space day in an day out.
It's no wonder some weird stuff goes down every once in awhile.
And it's not always the students doing the bizarre and grotesque behaviors. Often, a teacher is the unnerving presence, dropping strange foreboding clues until some bombshell discovery comes out.
And then there are the outside agents, the people not affiliated with the school who drop in just long enough to put everyone on edge, or worse.
This Reddit thread reminds that for all of school's mundanity, occasionally something arises to put everyone on their heels.
twatomexus asked, "What is the most disturbing thing to happen at your school?"
"Calm, Sadistic"
"School dismissed one day and as the students were leaving one of the 8th grade English classes, one of the students stayed behind alone to meet privately with the teacher. Said he had a surprise for her, 'A good surprise,' he assured."
"She thought it was awkward how much he was struggling to get it out of his backpack. As soon as she looked up, she realizes that her 'surprise' was an 8 inch butcher knife. The student stabbed her in the chest and punctured her lung."
"Violence in our local schools of course was never unheard of, but the weapon of choice and the calm, sadistic nature of that attack took the cake."
-- ladyyyyyyy
What is it about 8th Grade?
"In 8th grade a boy who was known to be a trouble kid was sent to the principal's office. Before the principal could send him to in school suspension, the boy picked up a metal stool and bashed the principal over the head. The principal needed over 100 sutures to close the wound but came back to the school to finish the year before transferring to a different school system.
"The boy was arrested for murder our sophomore year. He's on death row now."
A Classic, Horrible Story
"Gym teacher would 'massage' girls' legs after class so they 'wouldn't get sore later.' That's gross alone, but he was recently fired for grooming them to date him."
"One victim apparently won't testify because she's 'in love' with him."
The "Adult in the Room"
"A boy decided to mess around near the glass display case, he bumped into it and the whole pane fell over his and lacerated his arm down to the bone. There was a sea of blood on the floor and glass everywhere."
"Our gym teacher, who was a gym bro dude, got squeamish and passed out."
-- Bison_Eyes
Impervious Frats
"Some frat got in trouble for pouring boiling water on their pledges. Just kidding, they didn't get in any trouble. A few guys were arrested but all charges were dropped, and the frat is still active today." -- golf43
"A fraternity was doing an annual event where they dive into a cold pond on campus and holler a lot. It was called off half-way through when one of the bros found a decaying corpse hidden in the murky water." -- vorpal_potato
It Stops Being Silly When Someone's Got a Sledgehammer
"Some pants-less lady walked into the school's quad area holding a sledgehammer during my lunch period and started screaming about how "GOD IS COMING" and proceeded to put said hammer through a couple windows. Eventually, the custodian managed to pin her down and she was arrested."
"I was in the library at the time and when the bell rang got to witness the chaos. At least no one got hurt."
-- LilMoi
A Complete Escalation
"The tennis coach at my high school was always kinda weird. He'd pay a little too much attention to the girls on the team, wink at them in the hallways, general creepy things like that."
"My sister was on the team during her sophomore year and one day he brought a chainsaw to practice and chased students around with it while it was running."
"Obviously it freaked everyone out and my mom called the athletic director to report it, along with several other parents.They investigated the incident and he "resigned" a week later."
"He died of cancer several years later, I've always wondered why he brought the chainsaw."
Like Clockwork
"USA: Every year around 9/11 an old man would circle the school (on foot) and shout Islamophobic things. We could hear/ see him from the windows and always had to be on soft lockdown bc of it." -- the_cumsquat
"America is so f***ed up man." -- fredbuddle
Would Never Pee Again
"One of my friends told me that his friend went to the bathroom at school one time and looked up and saw a man looking at him from an open spot in the ceiling. It turned out to be a homeless man that had been living in the school for a while." -- yeeb0p
"I shi**ed my pants and had to look up my ceiling wall." -- 80mebcdy_
Explosive Vandelism
"I don't know if this is disturbing but in the computer science room someone jammed metal pieces in the outlets under a few tables and every time someone bumped a cord plugged into the metal filled socket(which was often) sparks would shoot out everywhere.
"After a while the teacher found the outlets and when trying to unplug a cord to reach the metal pieces sparks shot all over the floor and almost hit people all around the spot. It was an interesting time."
-- sandworm45
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
People Imagine What Their 15-Year-Old Self Would Be Surprised To Discover About Their Life Now
We love to talk about how we are not exactly where we want to be now.
But we forget that our 15 year old selves would probably be amazed at the things we have accomplished. We have to be better about reminding ourselves that at 15, we never could have imagined the cool things we've done in our 20s.
u/VirusMaster3073 asked:
What would your 15 year old self be the most surprised about you now?
Here were some of the stories.