Movies About Back To School

From Gus Van Sant, starring Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Rated R

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Robin Williams. Will Hunting (Damon) is a troubled math genius from working-class South Boston who is struggling with the pressures of his extraordinary intellect and his inner demons. With the help of his therapist (Williams) and an unlikely mentor (Affleck), Will learns to confront his past and make peace with his future. The film explores issues of love, loss, faith, friendship and identity as Will learns to open himself up to the world and find his true potential.

From Peter Weir, starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles
Rated PG

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative Vermont boarding school Welton Academy, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. The film received critical acclaim and was a box office success. The film follows the story of John Keating, an English teacher at Welton Academy, who inspires his students through his unconventional teaching methods. He encourages them to “seize the day” and make their lives meaningful. Through Keating’s teaching, the students form a "Dead Poets Society" where they read and discuss poetry. The students face pressures from their parents and the school administrators to conform to traditional ideals, but Keating helps them to stand up for themselves and make their own choices. The film culminates with the students standing on their desks as a sign of respect for Keating, who is ultimately fired for his unconventional teaching methods. The film was a success with both audiences and critics. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Robin Williams.

From John Hughes, starring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Rated R

The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy as five high school students from different social groups who spend a Saturday in detention together. The film is set on a Saturday morning in March 1984, and follows each character as they explore their innermost thoughts and feelings. At the end of the day, the students come to understand and accept one another, regardless of their individual cliques. The film also features Paul Gleason as the strict principal Richard Vernon, and John Kapelos as Carl, the school's janitor. The Breakfast Club was a major critical and commercial success, grossing $51.5 million against its $1 million budget. It has since become a cult classic and is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1980s. It is frequently listed among the best films of all time on various critics' lists.

From Richard LaGravenese, starring Hilary Swank, Imelda Staunton, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn
Rated PG-13

Freedom Writers is a 2007 drama film directed by Richard LaGravenese and starring Hilary Swank. It is based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary by teacher Erin Gruwell who wrote the story based on Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Eastside, Long Beach, California. The film follows a young, idealistic teacher, Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank), who is assigned to teach a freshman English class in a tough, multi-ethnic inner-city school in Long Beach, California. She is determined to make a difference in her students' lives, and to help them succeed in spite of the many obstacles they face. Through creative writing, Gruwell helps her students find their individual voices, and together, they write a book about their lives and experiences. In the end, the students learn to value one another and work together to overcome their differences and create a better future for themselves.

From Wes Anderson, starring Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Seymour Cassel
Rated R

Rushmore is a 1998 comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson and co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson. The film stars Jason Schwartzman as Max Fischer, a precocious 10th-grader at Rushmore Academy. Max is determined to make his mark at the school, despite his poor grades and lack of money. He becomes infatuated with rich, widowed first grade teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams) and finds himself in competition with Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a rich industrialist and Rushmore's benefactor. The film follows Max's efforts to win Rosemary's affections and his rivalry with Blume, as well as his friendships with others at the school. In addition to its comedic elements, the film explores themes of ambition, loneliness, and friendship.

From Nicholas Ray, starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus
Rated PG-13

Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 drama film directed by Nicholas Ray. It stars James Dean in his iconic role as Jim Stark, a disillusioned teen who moves to a new town with his parents. He quickly falls in with a group of rebellious teens, including Judy (Natalie Wood) and Plato (Sal Mineo). The trio becomes involved in a series of dangerous activities, including gang fights and drag racing. As the story progresses, Jim learns the value of loyalty and courage as he stands up against his parents, the police, and the gang. The film ultimately explores themes of teenage angst and alienation, and is seen as a landmark in its depiction of the struggles of the 1950s adolescent.

From Alfonso Cuarón, starring Liesel Matthews, Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Rusty Schwimmer
Rated G

A Little Princess is a 1995 family drama directed by Alfonso Cuarón and based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The film follows the story of Sara Crewe, a wealthy little girl, who is sent to a boarding school in New York after her father’s death in India. At the school, Sara must endure the tyrannical headmistress Miss Minchin and her jealous classmates. During her stay, Sara’s inner strength and courage help her to endure the hardships of life at the boarding school, and she eventually discovers that her father is still alive and that she is still a princess. The film is a classic tale of determination, courage, friendship and the power of imagination.

From Richard Eyre, starring Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Andrew Simpson, Tom Georgeson
Rated R

From Lexi Alexander, starring Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren
Rated R

From Doug Atchison, starring Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Keke Palmer, Curtis Armstrong
Rated PG

From Alexander Payne, starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell
Rated R

From Gil Junger, starring Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik
Rated PG-13

From Gus Van Sant, starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham, Anna Paquin
Rated PG-13

From Richard Linklater, starring Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack, Adam Pascal
Rated PG-13

From Mimi Leder, starring Kevin Spacey, Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt, Jay Mohr
Rated PG-13

From Mark Waters, starring Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey
Rated PG-13

From Will Gluck, starring Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley, Dan Byrd
Rated PG-13

From John Hughes, starring Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling
Rated PG

From Todd Phillips, starring Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Jeremy Piven
Rated R

From Michael Hoffman, starring Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Joel Gretsch, Embeth Davidtz
Rated PG-13

From Amy Heckerling, starring Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
Rated PG-13

From Jared Hess, starring Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell
Rated PG

From Robert Mandel, starring Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell, Randall Batinkoff
Rated PG-13

From Nicholas Hytner, starring Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, Clive Merrison, Samuel Anderson
Rated R

From Daniel Petrie Jr., starring Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Keith Coogan, Andrew Divoff
Rated R