This is one of the most profitable film sub-genres. Far more people than are willing to admit it enjoy the stories in which beardless young men dream of conquering the world. Teen romantic movies appeal to audiences. And they like them very much.
This theme is also quite flexible and reaches a wide variety of styles. From horror movies but also comedies, to existential dramas. Without leaving aside the "classics "impossible loves and even the tireless tapes of superheroes.
From James Dean to River Phoenix
Inside the iconography of teenage romantic films there are two actors whose lives were prematurely cut short. These are James Dean y River Phoenix. Two actors who, despite the short time they worked in front of the cameras, showed enormous versatility.
Dean starred in the 1944 classic Rebel Without a Cause by Nicholas Ray. Since then it has become the reference for stories with immature young people as protagonists.
For its part, the last film that Phoenix made before he died is perhaps the least intellectual of his filmography. It is a musical called That thing they call love by Peter Bogdanovich (1993), where he shared the screen with Samantha Mathis and Sandra Bullock.
Vampires, werewolves and teenage zombies
Loved and hated in equal parts by the public, the saga Twilight (both literary and cinematographic) has the merit of refreshing a universe that was stagnant. Not even the most staunch critics of these stories will be able to deny that the idea of presenting some teenage vampires, vegetarians and that glow in the sunlight, it is at least, original.
But the peculiarity of the four installments that make up this franchise - one of the highest grossing in film history - is its love triangle. A human adolescent, as boring as it is disheveled, that ends up in love with a vampire with the body of an 18-year-old and the mentality of an old man.
The trident is completed by a werewolf (also beardless), of enviable physical build and that ends up confined to the "friend zone" by the protagonist. The resolution to the love conflict was too bizarre for many.
Meanwhile in Memories of a teenage zombie (2013), Nicholas Hoult plays a romantic young man who was trapped in the body of an undead. But the love he will feel for Teresa Palmer will be the antidote that will make his heart beat again.
Misunderstood teens
It is something that goes with age. Adolescence is the period of contradictions, self-discovery and feeling misunderstood. And this is a factor very exploited by the directors of teenage romantic films.
The list is quite extensive. On The edge of seventeen by Kelly Fremin Craig (2016), Nadine Byrd (Hailee Steinfeld) is a sad and depressed girl, whose world collapses after the death of her father. To move on, she takes refuge in Krista, her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson). But everything falters again when his brother (Blake Jenner) begins a love affair with his "soul sister."
However when it comes to misunderstood teenagers, Johnny Depp had his "dark days." He first played some kind of young Frankenstein in Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton (1990). After an attractive and unleash passions without too much time to fall in love with ¿A quién ama Gilbert Grape? by Lasse Hallström (1993).
Other movies with misunderstood teens consist of Paper cities by Jake Schreier (2015) and The advantages of being an outcast by Steven Chbosky, adapting his own novel of the same name (2012)
Teen romantic movies with superheroes
Peter Parker (Spiderman's alter ego) is one of those eternally young characters. And since it first appeared in the comics in 1962, he's been as awkward as he is successful with the girls he falls in love with.
Within his film forays, this has been one of the most exploited points. First Sam Raimi between 2002 and 2007, he put the arachnid hero (played by Tobey Maguire) to debate between love or not your neighbor Mary Jane Watson (Kristen Dunst). Eventually he must watch as his best friend Harry Osborne (James Franco) ends up conquering "his girl."
With The amazing Spiderman (2012), the first reboot of the franchise by Marc Webb, Peter (Andrew Garfield) was reunited on the big screen with another of his recurring love interests. It's about Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).
While with the second reboot, Spider-man: Homecoming Jon Watts's "friendly neighbor" (Tom Holland) ended up winning over Liz (Laura Harrier). Girl who came with the unpleasant addition of being the daughter of the villain on duty: The Vulture (Michael Keaton).
Tragic lovers
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is the ultimate representation of forbidden love. Also of how cruel fate can be when it leaves no escape. The drama of the teenagers Capulet and Montague in turbulent Verona It has been brought to the big screen countless times. But none with the spirit of teen romance movies like Romeo + Juliet by Baz Luhrman (1996).
Other stories with not very happy endings are My first kiss by Howard Zieff (1991), with Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky. As well as Bajo la misma estrella by Josh Bone (2014) starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
All for the sex
Sex is one of humanity's obsessions. And during adolescence, it is much more present. Cinema, in its attempt to be a reflection of everything inherent to the human being, has exploited this component to the fullest extent in adolescent romantic films.
He has done it in the form of a comedy. The four installments of American Pie they are the best example. The advice of Mr. Levenstein (Eugene Levy) to his son Jim (Jason Biggs) generates a whole series of crazy and unusual situations.
Also in the form of a thriller. On Cruel intentions by Roger Kumble (1999) some idle millionaire brothers, high school students, end up taking a bet on sex too far. They star Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair.
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