- 3 months ago
Grab your flip phone and low-rise jeans, because we're taking a nostalgic trip back to the 2000s! Join MsMojo as we revisit those beloved teen flicks from the aughts and highlight scenes that would definitely raise eyebrows if they were released today. From questionable relationships, predatory behavior, and problematic jokes to outdated social norms, body shaming, and outright cringe-worthy scenarios, prepare to see how much times have changed (and for the better!) in just a couple of decades.
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00:00Is Vanessa, like, mad at you because of me or something?
00:02It's got nothing to do with it. Vanessa and I aren't in love anymore.
00:05Well, you were in love when you married her!
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the scenes in teen movies from the aughts
00:12that would definitely not fly today in the late 2020s.
00:16No, it's not even doing this!
00:17Hey, calm down, calm down. Let me get a picture of that real quick.
00:20No, you can't have a picture!
00:22Number 20, Not Eating, A Cinderella Story.
00:25Why do I have the feeling I won't be able to get a zone meal here?
00:28I already ate.
00:30Madison, laxatives don't qualify as a food group.
00:33Who doesn't love a young Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray in this adorable modern-day fairy tale?
00:38While most of this film has held up over the years, it does have a few flaws.
00:42And no, we're not talking about the fact that Austin couldn't recognize Sam
00:46even though she wore the tiniest mask known to man.
00:49We're talking about Shelby making a cringeworthy order at Sam's family's diner.
00:53She requests food that's basically nothing, and then she and her friends shame Sam for not knowing
00:58about water from Norway.
01:00What can I get here that has no sugar, no carbs, and is fat-free?
01:05Water.
01:05Water?
01:06Spicy.
01:07Was that supposed to be a joke?
01:09It was funny.
01:10The implication is that they don't eat carbs, sugar, or fat, and opt for water as a meal.
01:16And it's not a good look through today's lens.
01:18Sorry, we only have water from the valley.
01:22Oh, well, then I'll have an iced tea.
01:24Number 19.
01:25Mike and Maggie.
01:2617 again.
01:27You wanna play games?
01:29I can play games.
01:30No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
01:31I'm a hungry lioness, and you're a baby gazelle.
01:35This comedy from the late aughts featured some of our favorite actors and some seriously
01:38hilarious moments.
01:40Even still, we don't think the storyline between Mike, aka Mark, and his daughter Maggie would
01:45fly today.
01:45When Mike becomes 17 again, he's known as Mark, and his daughter Maggie unknowingly
01:50falls for him.
01:51It sounds Back to the Future-esque, but really, it's a hard storyline to stomach.
01:56Oh my god.
01:58What are you saying?
01:59Are you confused?
02:02I'm very confused, yes.
02:04I'm extremely confused.
02:05Maggie becomes flirty and then fairly explicit in what she wants to do to him, and the fact
02:09that we know it's her dad the whole time makes these scenes awkward to watch.
02:13Wow.
02:14You?
02:14Oh.
02:15Yeah.
02:17Anyways, I, uh...
02:19Number 18.
02:20Viola the Womanizer.
02:22She's the Man.
02:23Hey, girls.
02:24How you doing, baby?
02:25I'm not the same without you.
02:26I know.
02:27I'm sorry.
02:28New school, new baby.
02:29Yeah.
02:29Amanda Bynes absolutely slayed her role as Viola Hastings, or Sebastian if you prefer.
02:35She plays a very convincing teenage boy, which comes with some less than tasteful moments
02:39throughout the film.
02:40It's a bit uncomfortable when she starts to talk about women with the other guys in a
02:44derogatory manner.
02:45But things get real weird when her friends pose as Sebastian's girlfriends.
02:49I'll never forget you, Sebastian.
02:51Mm-hmm.
02:51Ever.
02:52Ever.
02:52Never.
02:57He dismisses them and treats them terribly in front of the guys to impress them, and it
03:02is not cool.
03:03Also, we can't see the scene where Sebastian and Viola flash the entire school going over
03:08well today, either.
03:10Just because you wear a wig doesn't prove you're a girl.
03:14Okay, then.
03:15Number 17.
03:16Coach Carr.
03:17Mean Girls.
03:17Don't have sex, because you will get pregnant and die.
03:21Tina Fey created an endlessly quotable and relatable masterpiece in Mean Girls.
03:26However, there are a few storylines that would never see the light of day today.
03:30One that comes to mind immediately is the relationship between Coach Carr and a student
03:35named Trang Pak.
03:36When KD tries to get Aaron to catch Regina cheating on him, Carr and Pak are caught in
03:40the act instead.
03:42Coach Carr?
03:45Trang Pak?
03:46It's a horribly inappropriate moment and aspect of this movie, and we can only hope Principal
03:51Duvall can't Coach Carr because of it.
03:53I pulled these two off each other.
03:56Coach Carr, step away from the underage girls.
04:00Are there any more aspects of the film that didn't age well?
04:04Stay tuned.
04:05Number 16.
04:07Noah and Ali's Relationship.
04:08The Notebook.
04:09Do you remember me?
04:11Yeah, sure.
04:12Mr. Underwear, was it?
04:14Oh, yeah.
04:15How could I forget?
04:16This movie has often been admired for its charming and romantic depiction of young love, and
04:20we seriously cannot get enough of the older versions of Noah and Ali.
04:24However, their relationship was just a touch problematic in retrospect.
04:28Noah's immediate and intense obsession with Ali is off-putting to say the least.
04:32As he hangs from a Ferris wheel until she agrees to go out with him, and borderline stalks
04:37her until she eventually falls for him.
04:39Hi.
04:40Hi.
04:41It's nice to see you again.
04:42Good to see you.
04:43You look great.
04:45Oh, thanks.
04:46Their relationship never truly balances out, with Noah pining for her for years afterwards
04:50and never really moving on.
04:52In the end, it all works out, but they sure got off to a messy and potentially toxic start.
04:57And what happens if a car comes?
04:59You die.
05:00What?
05:00Just relax.
05:02Just trust.
05:03You need to learn how to trust.
05:04This movie is basically flawless, and we are still wishing we had all of Pendergast's
05:20parents as our very own.
05:21But the relationship between Mrs. Griffith, the school counselor, and senior student Micah
05:26is seriously troublesome.
05:28Not only does she cheat on her husband, who also works at the school, she does so with a
05:32student, who she ends up giving a disease to.
05:35Well, it's just what I thought.
05:36Chlamydia.
05:39Who have you been screwing?
05:41Tell me!
05:42We don't feel bad for Mrs. Griffith or Micah, and the fact that they try to blame this all
05:46on Olive solidifies them as being bad people.
05:48We know that Olive feels bad for playing a part in ruining her favorite teacher's marriage,
05:53but his wife is the one who put the final nail in the coffin.
05:56First of all, he is of age, okay?
05:58It's perfectly legal in the state of California.
06:01I checked.
06:01He is 21 in 8 months.
06:03Number 14.
06:04The period scene.
06:05Super bad.
06:06When the plot of a movie revolves around teens trying to get drunk, laid, or away with anything,
06:11some crazy stories are inevitable.
06:13Craziest one from this film that would probably not land well with audiences these days is
06:18when Seth is dancing with a girl and afterwards finds blood on his pants.
06:22Oh my god.
06:25While that is an awkward moment, the way it's handled is definitely not cool.
06:29Seth is embarrassed.
06:31The other guys make fun of him, and the girl herself is upset at him.
06:34Can we make menstruation less taboo?
06:36Thanks so much.
06:38Hey, do you need a tampon?
06:39Grandma, I have one.
06:40I have one.
06:41I have one.
06:43Number 13.
06:45The makeover.
06:45The princess diaries.
06:47Where is the beautiful girl?
06:48My granddaughter, Amelia.
06:50No!
06:51We know, we know, the makeover montage and reveal scene are iconic.
06:56But the entire idea that Mia needs thinner eyebrows, sleeker hair, and no glasses to be worthy of
07:01being a royal is degrading.
07:03You want to know a big secret?
07:05Tell me.
07:06The cucumber does nothing.
07:09This is something we make up.
07:14It'd be one thing if Mia herself wanted to change her appearance, but the fact that it's
07:17essentially forced on her is not okay.
07:19On top of that, while she grapples with her new look, she receives mixed and confusing
07:24reactions from her friends, compounding how troubling this whole situation is.
07:28When it comes to Mia Thermopolis, I give you a princess no matter what she looks like.
07:33I'm gonna take this, and this, and give you a princess.
07:42Number 12.
07:43William and Penny.
07:44Almost Famous.
07:45Well, now that I have your attention.
07:50Uh.
07:51We'll always belt out Tiny Dancer right alongside this eclectic bunch, but that doesn't mean
07:56we can ignore some glaring problems in this movie.
07:58While it's questionable in general that high schooler William joins this group as they tour
08:02the country, what's even more concerning is his relationship and infatuation with Penny.
08:06He loves and would do anything for her, which comes to a head when she's on lots of drugs
08:11and William rescues her.
08:13Things go from weird to flat-out wrong when William kisses the nearly unconscious Penny.
08:19And we hardly think modern-day audiences would approve.
08:24As much as it can be for somebody...
08:26Who sold you to humble pie for 50 bucks in a case of beer?
08:31I was there.
08:33I was there.
08:35Number 11.
08:36Mark and Juno's Relationship.
08:38Juno.
08:38And this, of course, is Juno.
08:40Like the city in Alaska.
08:43No.
08:44Juno's story is as unique as the witty one-liners in this film, and her path through pregnancy
08:49is an interesting and unusual one.
08:51She's a teenager, impregnated by her best friend, who decides to give up the baby to a
08:55nice suburban couple named Mark and Vanessa, who are eager to adopt.
08:59But as she gets to know them, she and Mark form a strangely close bond, which culminates
09:04in him implying he has grown feelings for her.
09:07I'm leaving, Vanessa.
09:12What?
09:12In the end, Vanessa and Mark split up, throwing a wrench in everything.
09:17And we feel about as uncomfortable about this situation as Juno feels by the end of her
09:21pregnancy.
09:22What would be a good time for you, Mark?
09:26There's just some things that I still want to do.
09:28Number 10.
09:29Disordered Eating.
09:31Mean Girls.
09:31While Mean Girls still feels incredibly current, it was actually released all the way back in
09:372004, if you can believe it.
09:39It's one of the most beloved and revered teen movies of all time, and in many ways feels
09:44timeless.
09:45But one of the major plot lines is one that we don't think would be included if the story
09:49were written today instead.
09:50There are these weird nutrition bars my mom uses to lose weight.
09:53Give me it.
09:58It's all in, like, Swedish or something.
10:00Yeah, you know, there's some weird ingredient in them that's not legal in the U.S. yet.
10:05Regina George, the film's villain, is obsessed with losing weight even though she's already
10:09thin.
10:10In a plot line that's supposed to be played for laughs, Katie gives her nutrition bars
10:14that actually make her gain weight, though she lies and tells her they're for weight loss.
10:19As Regina gains weight, she becomes ostracized and even mocked for being fat.
10:24Gina, you're wearing sweatpants.
10:27It's Monday.
10:29So?
10:30So that's against the rules, and you can't sit with us.
10:33Number 9.
10:34Gay stereotype, legally blonde.
10:37Just like Mean Girls, we can't get enough of legally blonde.
10:40And in most ways, it stands up to re-watchings today with its message of female empowerment
10:45and plenty of fun girl power moments.
10:47But there's one part that doesn't sit as well with us nearly two decades after it was
10:51released.
10:52In the final court case, Elle encountered one of the witnesses, Enrique the pool boy,
10:56in the hall, and he mocks her footwear in a very specific way.
11:00Don't stomp your little last season Prada shoes at me, honey.
11:04Based on his knowledge of fashion, she surmises he's gay, which thwarts one of the prosecutor's
11:10lines of inquiry.
11:11He's gay.
11:12Enrique is gay.
11:13What?
11:14Warner, what kind of shoes are these?
11:16Uh, uh, black ones.
11:19See?
11:19While the scene is a triumphant one, it does use a pretty basic gay stereotype.
11:24Gay men know designers.
11:26Straight men don't.
11:27Know what?
11:28He did leave a shared tape in the pool house one time.
11:32Number 8.
11:33Jenna hanging out with kids, 13 going on 30.
11:37In 2004's 13 going on 30, 13-year-old Jenna Rink finds herself magically transformed into
11:42a 30-year-old version of herself.
11:44As though time has sped up after she makes a wish to be 30, flirty, and thriving.
11:49I want to be 30!
11:50Just let me play you this song, okay?
11:52It'll make you feel better.
11:53I want to be 30.
11:5530 and flirty and thriving!
11:5930 and flirty and thriving.
12:01She's living her dream life, but finds that in a lot of ways, she's not actually ready
12:07to be grown up.
12:08She ends up spending time hanging out with kids her own age, i.e. actual 13-year-olds.
12:13While this kind of makes sense considering the movie's plot, it's still pretty weird
12:17that she spends her time with young teens when to everyone else in the movie, she's a full-on
12:22adult.
12:22Yes, Alex is on lane one, Ms. Rink.
12:25Oh, gag me.
12:27Can you please tell him I'm busy?
12:29Uh, okay, but he wants to know what time would be good for dinner.
12:33How about in 10 zillion years?
12:36Ask him how that works.
12:37Number 7.
12:38Dennis outing his friend.
12:40I Love You, Beth Cooper.
12:41While the films we've discussed so far have become modern classics, this one is more likely
12:46to be forgotten in the history of teen movies.
12:49I Love You, Beth Cooper wasn't well-received when it came out.
12:51But today, it fares even worse.
12:54The movie starts with the main character, Dennis, making a confession in his graduation speech
12:58that he's in love with cheerleader, Beth Cooper.
13:00The one thing I wish I had said, the one thing I know I will regret if I never say, I love
13:13you, Beth Cooper.
13:14But he also outs his best friend as being gay in front of the whole school, which is deeply
13:19not cool.
13:20Let us not regret that we never told our own best friend.
13:31I'm gay, dude.
13:33For the rest of the movie, the friend's sexuality is played for laughs, which makes it all even
13:37worse.
13:39Rich told me...
13:39Rich Munch?
13:40Yeah.
13:41Uh, I wouldn't take heterosexual advice from Rich Munch.
13:46In the Lizzie McGuire movie, Lizzie has just graduated from junior high and goes on a class
13:55trip to Rome.
13:56Uh, I'm sorry, it's just, you look an awful lot like a friend of mine.
14:02Paolo, you have to get your photo shoot.
14:04While she's there, she ends up meeting an Italian pop star and sneaking away from her group to
14:09go off on adventures with him.
14:10I just thought you should see Rome the way Romans do.
14:12So you knew that I would come?
14:14I hoped you would.
14:15The thing is, though, Lizzie was about 14 years old in this movie, and Paolo is allegedly
14:2817, though he looks like a certified adult and acts like one too.
14:33If this movie were ever to be remade, which we hope it will be, we have a feeling they'd
14:37make Lizzie a little older, so it wasn't so questionable that she was going off with
14:41a total stranger in a foreign country.
14:43Paolo, where are we?
14:45The vehicle dog.
14:46It is one of the most expensive shopping districts in the whole world.
14:49We must find you the perfect outfit for the awards.
14:52Number 5.
14:53Sexism, Racism, Transphobia.
14:56The Hot Chick.
14:57While some movies from this time period have aged well, this is certainly not one of them.
15:02It's pretty much impossible to pick just one moment from the hot chick that wouldn't
15:06make it into a movie today, because the reality is, the entire thing would just be scrapped.
15:11Ah!
15:13Jessica, honey, is everything alright?
15:15Yes, mother.
15:17It's just a spider.
15:18The whole premise lends itself easily to rampant sexism, considering it's about a girl who finds
15:23herself trapped in a man's body.
15:25Rob Schneider performs femininity in an exaggerated and offensive way throughout, but that's not
15:30the end of it.
15:30There's also racism and transphobia to boot.
15:33Hi.
15:34That was an experience.
15:35Here's your drink.
15:37Number 4.
15:38Edward Watching Bella Sleep.
15:40Twilight.
15:41The Twilight movies were a massive success upon their release, beginning in 2008.
15:46I just want to try one thing.
15:49Just stay very still.
15:50From the outset, the first film had a seemingly equal share of fans and detractors.
16:05Many things about the movie were criticized, and we admit, a decade on, there are a lot
16:10of cringey moments.
16:11Uh, Mama, can I talk to you later?
16:15Come on, we gotta talk boys.
16:16Are you being safe?
16:23How did you get in here?
16:24But the one we think is next-level creepy is Edward sneaking into Bella's house and watching
16:30her sleep.
16:31Not only is this troubling behavior, it's portrayed as being romantic, which makes it even worse.
16:37In the Me Too era, romantic leads definitely do not behave like this.
16:44Number 3.
16:45Bridget and her coach, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
16:49The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was adapted from a book of the same name, and features
16:53the stories of four friends who find themselves separated for the summer, but have a pair of
16:57pants that magically fits them all to keep them together.
17:00It's Anna and Carmen.
17:01Come over here and look at yourself.
17:02They look amazing on you.
17:04Call me crazy, but it's scientifically impossible that a pair of pants could fit me.
17:11And me.
17:12And me.
17:13And me.
17:14In Bridget's story, she attends a soccer camp and becomes infatuated with her older coach.
17:19While at first he pushes off her advances, he eventually gives in, despite his position
17:24of authority.
17:25He apologizes for his actions after Bridget is devastated, but in a modern-day film, we have
17:30a feeling the story would have gone a different way, and he wouldn't be seen as a
17:34good guy.
17:35I just want to say that what happened between us, was my fault.
17:41Your fault?
17:42Not fault.
17:43My responsibility.
17:45I should have known better.
17:46Well, I didn't exactly tell you to slow down.
17:49Number 2.
17:50John Taking Feminine Hormones.
17:52John Tucker Must Die.
17:54John Tucker Must Die is your classic revenge movie, with a teen twist.
18:00A group of girls wants to get back at a guy who's played them all, and they try a variety
18:03of tactics to give him his just desserts.
18:05To get even with a guy like that, you make him undateable.
18:10Yes.
18:11Undateable.
18:13A systematic destruction of all that is John Tucker.
18:17One of their attempts involves sneaking estrogen into his protein powder, in an effort to make
18:21him understand what it's like to be a woman, which is totally misguided.
18:25And the results are pretty offensive.
18:27The estrogen makes him act in an exaggeratedly feminine way, crying and complaining about
18:43his thighs being fat.
18:44Just describing it makes us cringe.
18:46So, we good?
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19:11Number 1.
19:12Harassment.
19:13Bring it on.
19:14When Jan's straight, well, I'm...controversial.
19:18Are you trying to tell me you speak ******?
19:20Oh, fluently.
19:22While there's a lot to like about 2000's fun cheerleading flick Bring It On, there's one
19:26part that's unsettling all these years later.
19:28After being asked if he's gay, the character Jan asserts that one of the other cheerleaders,
19:33Courtney, doesn't wear underwear with her uniform, and that he takes advantage of that fact
19:38during their routines.
19:39Courtney doesn't wear anything under her spankies.
19:41There's no excuse, Jan.
19:42I can't help it if my digits slip occasionally.
19:45Everyone seems to think it's hilarious, and we eventually get to see him do it, and Courtney
19:49slaps him afterwards.
19:55Jan!
19:57Jan doesn't have any negative consequences, and the entire thing is played as comedic.
20:02Yuck.
20:03Which 2000's teen movie moment made you cringe?
20:06Let us know in the comments.
20:07Let us know in the comments.
20:10Let us know in the comments.
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