American Pie became one of the more iconic teen sex comedies of the late 1990s. The film followed a collective of dorky friends who aim to lose their virginity before the end of high school. With graduation soon upon them, the teens find themselves working fast to land a night with a girl, fearing they’ll have missed out on the best days of their lives. It’s silly picture of wild and untamed sexual gags, ranging from embarrassing sexual encounters to the raunchy misuse of an apple pie for pleasure. The characters and bits became so amusing among the youth crowd that American Pie continued on with the sequels of American Pie 2 and American Wedding. There were also numerous spin-off sequels with supporting and new characters but most are not as well known for being direct-to-video features that did not garner the same attention.
Though American Pie was a unique film of its time, mostly for its titular gag about the warmth of pies, there were plenty of other notable teen sex comedies that came before and after such a picture. While they don’t feature copulation of confectionaries, they do carry the same sensation of raunchy and rowdy antics of teens seeking a pleasurable time during their high school days. Here are ten films that come close to matching the comedic stylings of American Pie.
Superbad
The teenage geek trio of Seth (Jonah Hill), Evan (Michael Cera), and Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) are trying to find a way to hook up with some girls at the coolest party in suburbia. They plan to make a big impression by bringing alcohol to the party by means of acquiring a fake ID. But Fogell’s ridiculous fake driver’s license that titles him as McLovin in the least of their problems, as they all find themselves scurrying about town trying to make it to the party before the night is over. It won’t be an easy adventure as they run afoul of robbers, violent adults, and goofy police officers who are also looking for a good time. Directed by Greg Mottola (Adventureland), this ridiculous teen comedy loaded with penis jokes, vulgar commentary, and absurd bits about getting laid additionally features the talents of Seth Rogen and Bill Hader.
Not Another Teen Movie
Posed as an absurd satire of every teen movie from the late 1990s and early 2000s, Not Another Teen Movie takes aim at everything from American Pie to American Beauty to even retro examples of The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. The central plot is essentially a combination of both She’s All That and Varsity Blues, staging the humor and drama of high school by exaggerating everything from football to makeout sessions. Directed by MTV producer Joel Gallen, this hilarious parody picture features a cast that includes Chyler Leigh, Jaime Pressly, Mia Kirshner, Randy Quaid, and a young Chris Evans before he became better known as Captain America.
10 Things I Hate About You
Less of a sex comedy and more of a teen romance, 10 Things I Hate About You finds Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) struggling to find a boyfriend. Though she is both smart and beautiful, her behavior often pushes away her peers. This becomes a problem for her younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) who can’t date in their household unless Kat has a boyfriend first. Thus, Bianca attempts to hook up Kat with the newest student of Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), seeing if love can be possible for someone who struggles to get along in school. Directed by Gil Junger as his directorial debut, this coming-of-age romance additionally features a supporting cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larry Miller, Andrew Keegan, David Krumholtz, and Susan May Pratt.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Revered as one of the quintessential freewheeling high school comedies, Fast Times at Ridgemont High follows the exploits of various teenagers following their dreams while in and out of high school. Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) finds herself is as one of the pretty girls of school but also lacking in the dating scene. But after getting some advice on finding a guy, she soon finds herself entwined with a love triangle between the nice guy Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) and his brash friend Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). During all of this, the stoned slacker of Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) contends with his hot-headed teacher of Mr. Hand (Ray Walston). Directed by Amy Heckerling (National Lampoon’s European Vacation), Ridgemont High finds a balance of exaggerated humor and relatable drama when it comes to being a high schooler.
Weird Science
The nerdy duo of Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) are having a hard time trying to find a girlfriend. When they seek to create their ideal woman through a computer program, an electrical accident causes them to create the very woman the boys have been waiting for the entire lives. The superhuman Lisa (Kelly LeBrock) not only tantalizes the boys in their quest for lust but also helps them gain confidence by changing their attire and teaching them to stand up to the bullies in their life. Directed by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club), this classic coming-of-age teen sex comedy takes more of a science-fiction angle in its absurdity while also feature raunchy and sexy antics. The supporting cast includes Bill Paxton and Robert Downey Jr.
Wet Hot American Summer
It’s 1981 and the last day of camp. The many counselors, however, still feel as though there’s unfinished business. They’ve all still got a lot to get over in terms of both trauma and boiling sexual tension that has been brewing all summer. This leads them into some wild and ridiculous hijinks as the camp comes to a close with the big talent show. Directed by comedian David Wain (Role Models), this satirical take on summer fun features a notable ensemble cast that includes the comedic talents of Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, and Michael Showalter.
Clueless
Amy Heckerling strikes again in one of the quintessential 1990s coming-of-age comedies that is partially based on Jane Austin’s Emma. Set in the stuffy and stuck-up community of Beverly Hills, teenager Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) finds herself seeking more out of her rich lifestyle when she decides to give the new student in school a makeover. Heckerling tried to make her film apt than parody by studying how real Beverly Hills high school students acted. The film has gone onto have a heavy cult status and spawned a series of spin-offs and novels.
The New Guy
The nerdy teen Dizzy Harrison (D.J. Qualls) has always been a loser but has the perfect chance to make his final year of high school a memorable one. Having recently moved to a new school, he has the opportunity to reinvent himself as the new guy in school. He relies on the help of inmate Luther to recreate himself. Now known as Gil Harris, Dizzy’s mission becomes focused on crushing the social structure of the school and win the affection of the lovely Danielle (Eliza Dushku). Directed by Ed Decter (There’s Something About Mary), this high school comedy takes a comedic swing at just how teenagers attempt to reinvent themselves in the rocky world of high school.
Scary Movie
Similar to Not Another Teen Movie, Scary Movie starts as a goofy satire of the horror film Scream but ultimately turns into a parody of various teen films of the late 1990s. The premise remains the same as Scream, where a masked slasher is terrorizing suburbia. Only the killer is sillier, the kills are more slapstick based, and everything involving the teen sex romp is ridiculously overblown to the point of the most raunchy physical gags. Bursting with weed, sex, and pop culture references, this ridiculous parody was directed by comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans (In Living Color) and written by the comedic duo of Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans. Scary Movie became a big enough success that it led to four more films in the series that continued to parody different horror films.
Mean Girls
As one of the most notable cult-hit films of the 2000s, Mean Girls is based on the novel Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. The film tells the tale of the new girl Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) coming back to an American high school after having been educated in Africa. Having not been used to public school, Cady quickly comes to discover just how vicious the social scene can be in such an environment. Though she is apparently welcomed by one of the more popular social circles within the school, she comes to realize how the most dominant force in the high school may also be the most shallow, especially since they are dubbed as The Plastics. Directed by Mark Waters (Freaky Friday) and written by Tina Fey (30 Rock, Saturday Night Live), the film additionally stars the talents of Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey.
