It’s time to join Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke on a revenge mission. The new Netflix movie Do Revenge finds the stars back in high school and taking down their enemies together.
The plot of the movie was inspired by the 1951 film Strangers on a Train, which was directed by the prolific Alfred Hitchcock. In Strangers on a Train, a pair of strangers meet and plot to “exchange murders” in an effort to skate past getting caught — not unlike Drea and Eleanor’s own revenge plan.
Even though the Hitchcock film was a major jumping off point for the narrative, in execution, Do Revenge pulls additional inspiration from a number of super-popular teen movies from the past. Modern classics like Cruel Intentions, Clueless, and Mean Girls are among those honored.
Teen movies like Do Revenge
If you simply can’t get enough of the Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke movie, here are some similar teen movies worth adding to your watch list!
Cruel Intentions (1999)
One of the most obvious cinematic references Do Revenge makes is to the 1999 psychosexual teen film Cruel Intentions. Sarah Michelle Gellar (who makes a stunning cameo appearance in the Netflix movie) and Ryan Phillippe play twisted step-siblings Kathryn and Sebastian, who use innocent newcomer Annette (Reese Witherspoon) as a bet in their game of sexual conquest.
Do Revenge nods to so many aspects to the themes and visuals of Cruel Intentions, as well as maintaining the same level of campy humor. The Netflix movie also uses the song “Praise You” by Fatboy Slim, which is featured on the 1999 movie’s soundtrack, and honors the iconic ending of Cruel Intentions with its own ending. The ’90s classic is a must-watch for fans of this generation’s own campy teen flick.
Heathers (1988)
Perhaps the most famous film about teenage girls and revenge, Heathers stars Winona Ryder, presently of Stranger Things fandom, and Christian Slater as teens who team up to kill the popular clique at their school. Even though Drea teases killing Max, which takes Eleanor aback, she doesn’t have an interest in actually going full Heathers on her enemies.
Beyond the striking connections between the two films, the most obvious one is the Stranger Things connection. Winona Ryder and Maya Hawke both star in the hit Netflix original series, and now they both have a campy teen revenge movie under their belts. It’s something of a passing the torch moment. Heathers is available to stream for free on Tubi and Roku Channel.
Clueless (1995)
For some viewers, Do Revenge will give Cruel Intentions meets Clueless. While the movie has the morally questionable thrills of the former, it also has the tongue-in-cheek sense of humor (and unexpected heart) of the latter. Clueless, which is currently available to stream on Netflix as of September 2022, modernizes Jane Austen’s Emma and centers on rich girl giving a new girl a makeover.
The green and lavender pastels of the Rosehill school uniform skirts and sweaters recall the preppy style featured in Clueless, and Drea’s self-serving need to give Eleanor a makeover calls back to Cher taking Tai under her wing for a glow up. Similarly to Cher in Clueless, Drea has a crisis of conscience that ultimately leads to her character development. Oh, and yes, you’ll hear a “Kids in America” remix, too!
Mean Girls (2004)
There isn’t a millennial out there who hasn’t seen Mean Girls a million times and will probably watch the teen comedy a million times more. The Lindsay Lohan-led movie follows a new student in school infiltrating the popular Plastics clique to take them down from the inside. Unfortunately, she winds up misunderstanding the assignment and starts to turn into one of them.
Do Revenge borrows from that theme as Drea sends Eleanor into the lion’s den to befriend her former group of popular friends to get dirt. In a twist Drea didn’t see coming, Eleanor finds community with and a sweet spot for the enemy. The Netflix movie also has its own Mean Girls moment when Drea exposes Max and relishes in the mess Regina George style. Watch the 2000s classic on Netflix until the end of September!
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
Although this mid-aughts isn’t directly referenced by Do Revenge, it’s another great addition to the canon of teenage girls getting revenge on a guy who wronged them. This time around, Brittany Snow calls on Sophia Bush, Ashanti, and Arielle Kebbell to take down Jesse Metcalf’s titular John Tucker after they discover the high school heartthrob dated them at the same time.
John Tucker Must Die definitely shares some DNA with Do Revenge, though the 2006 cult hit has more traditional romantic comedy leanings than the Netflix cult hit in-the-making. If the new take on teen revenge was your cup of tea, this blast from the not-so-distant past will be just your speed, too. The movie is available to stream on Hulu with a Starz add-on.
Thoroughbreds (2017)
For a more recent take on a Hitchcockian teen film, 2017’s Thoroughbreds stars Netflix favorite Anya Taylor-Joy and House of the Dragon star Olivia Cooke as teens Lily and Amanda plotting to kill Lily’s stepfather. The film was compared to Heathers, among other thriller films, and received critical acclaim upon its release.
Thoroughbreds is one of the more recent additions to the teen black comedy genre and seems to be another, more subtle inspiration for Do Revenge. The film is currently available to stream on HBO Max, and it’s a can’t-miss movie for fans of the leading stars and movies of the genre.
What teen movies will you be watching after Do Revenge? Share your picks in the comments!
