“Good habits formed at a young age make all the difference”; therefore, in our teenage life, we should train our brains to be more logical and full of motivation.
And as we know, visuals hit our brains fast; therefore, we have got you 10 inspirational movies every teenager should watch so you can learn some life lessons to make your life more joyful and righteous. These teen movies will show you the true colours of life and will make you think differently.
10 of the Inspirational Movies Every Teenager Should Watch
1. Dead Poets Society (1989)

- Director: Peter Weir
- Caste: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Gale Hansen, Josh Charles, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggiero
- Runtime: 2 hours 9 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%
- Where to watch: Hotstar and Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
This Robin Williams starer movie is among the best inspirational movies. The movie shows an English teacher named John Keating, who is very liberal and always encourages his students to live guilt-free lives. He also inspires them through his written work, as he fonds poetry.
And as the school in which he used to teach is strict; therefore he used to get backlashed by his colleagues sometimes. But he never gave up and always became one of the students’ favourite teachers.
Why Watch?
Every teenager should watch this movie as this movie depicts society’s pressure in a true way and how our society doesn’t want us to follow our passion. This movie also shows that don’t follow the crowd; instead, make your identity.
This movie has received excellent critics as well as audience reviews. And therefore, it must be on your bucket list. It will surely be going to teach you some life lessons that you might need.
2. Forrest Gump (1994)

- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Caste: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, Mykelti Williamson, Hanna R. Hall, Haley Joel Osment
- Runtime: 2 hours 22 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 8.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
This great movie is an American drama with comedy and is loosely based on a novel of the same name, which Winston Groom wrote. The film shows the story of Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks, a kind-hearted man with a low IQ.
And how he remembers his past life, where he did some of the best things, which no one has ever thought a low IQ person would do. And now, after all this adventurous journey, he wants his childhood love Jenny played by Robin Wright.
Why Watch?
This wonderful movie will take out all your emotions through tears and laughter as it contains everything from sad scenes to comedy and action. And will teach you that no matter what your present mind state is, you can do whatever you want if you have strong willpower.
The movie has done its best to give you some valuable lessons you will surely take. Till now, it is one of the most highly rated and recommended movies. And has received Oscar also.
3. Soul Surfer (2011)
- Director: Sean McNamara
- Caste: Bethany Hamilton, Anna Sophia Robb, Jeremy Sumpter, Dennis Quaid, Lorraine Nicholson, Carrie Underwood
- Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 46%
- Where to watch: Netflix
About The Movie:
This biographical movie revolves around a teenage girl named Bethany Hamilton, a surf champion who loses one of her arms while surfing as she gets attacked by a shark.
And she lost all hope of surfing again. But her faith in God, her family’s support, and other people’s support helped her to surf again, and she successfully passed all her problems.
Why Watch?
This real-life story will make you think that no problem is big if you are alive from the inside and want to recover from your past incident.
As it is a biographical film, there are true emotions and real-life depictions. If you have lost all your hopes in life or are figuring out the purpose of life, then this movie will surely help you out.
4. The Hunger Games (2012)
- Director: Gary Ross
- Caste: Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci
- Runtime: 2 hours 22 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
This movie has several parts, but its first is amazing as it contains adventure, sci-fi, and a unique plot. The movie revolves around a dystopian future where a televised fighting competition is called the hunger games.
And in that fight, Katniss Everdeen takes her younger sister’s place to fight against another teen. And this competition is dangerous as they have to fight till one of the opponents dies.
Why Watch?
Every teenager loves science fiction; therefore, this movie is best as it is thrilling, full of entertainment, and science fiction. The action quality and virtual effects will shock you, and the emotions portrayed in this movie are also amazing and realistic.
Overall it is a fully-packed movie you must watch because you’ll love it. The lesson this movie reflects is to respect every relationship bond you go through your whole life.
5. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

- Director: Gabriele Muccino
- Caste: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandiwe Newton, Brian Howe, Dan Castellaneta, Takayo Fischer
- Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime and Netflix
About The Movie:
This is a truly inspirational movie starring Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith. The movie is based on the real story of a homeless person who is also a father and his failures. He goes through many struggles, like job failure and separation from his wife, which all make him mentally broke.
But he never gave up because of his son’s faith in him, and one day he succeeded in his life and became a successful businessman.
Why Watch?
Everyone should watch this inspirational movie as it taught us a valuable lesson: never to lose faith in ourselves and find hope in everyone who loves us. The movie gained an excellent response from critics and audiences because of its inspiring story, excellent acting and real-life depictions.
And the father-child bond will amaze you because it is depicted so truly. This movie is a must-watch, and I assure you that you will not get bored.
6. Cowgirls ‘n Angels (2012)

- Director: Timothy Armstrong
- Caste: Bailee Madison, James Cromwell, Jackson Rathbone, Haley Ganzel
- Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 79%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
Cowgirls ‘n Angels is a family movie that shows a girl named Ida Clayton, who is twelve years old and is in search of her father gets an opportunity to travel America because of her natural rodeo riding talent. Where she meets several other young girls of her age.
Why Watch?
This adventurous cowgirls tale will engage you throughout. The little girl’s acting and her talent will amaze you. The movie also shows the bond between father and daughter, which is attractive.
And will show you the real meaning of the relationship between older and younger generations. This movie contains everything you need to understand in your teenage years, so go for it.
7. The Karate Kid (2010)
- Director: Harald Zwart
- Caste: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Wenwen Han, Zhenwei Wang
- Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 6.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 66%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime and Netflix
About The Movie:
The Karate Kid is a well-known movie because of its excellent direction and good teaching. It contains lots of martial arts, emotions, and actions. The movie shows a young boy named Dre Parker, who got relocated from his country to another with his mom. And there, he finds himself very different from others and sometimes gets bullied for that in school.
It is a story of his hustle, hard work, and support from his kung fu teacher Mr Han that led him to win the prominent kung fu match at his school.
Why Watch?
This movie gained much popularity because of its realistic portrayal and good acting. The emotions and hustle are truly captured in this movie.
The characters in the movie are so engaging and will motivate you. It also reflects an inspirational quote “find your passion and work hard to excel in it”. Because no one but only you can understand yourself.
8. October Baby (2011)
- Director: Andrew Erwin and John Erwin
- Caste: Rachel Hendrix, Jason Burkey, Shari Wiedmann, Jasmine Guy, Chris Sligh
- Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 30%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
This is one of the best inspirational movies every teenager should watch out there. It is a Christianity-themed drama that tells the story of a young woman seeking the truth of her existence.
The story of the movie revolves around a young college student who plans a road trip with her friends to unveil the truth that she has been hiding since her birth. And everything told to her was just a bundle of lies. But she later discovers herself and starts accepting those facts.
Why Watch?
This movie is good as it teaches us that we must accept the truth and move on. Because forgiveness and moving on is the only key to freedom. This movie also tells us that we should not keep burdens in our hearts for long because they can affect our mental health.
Therefore keep yourself and your heart free. The film is full of genuine emotions and heartwarming scenes that will surely make you cry. Everyone should once watch this movie in their life.
9. Good Will Hunting (1997)

- Director: Gus Van Sant
- Caste: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, Cole Hauser, Stellan Skarsgard
- Runtime: 2 hours 6 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 8.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime
About The Movie:
Good Will Hunting is a psychological drama film which is written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. This inspirational movie every teenager should watch shows the story of a young man named Will Hunting, who used to solve difficult math problems. But fails in handling his real-life situations because of his deteriorating mental health.
And when things become out of his hands, he goes to Dr Sean Maguireto a psychiatrist for help. And then gets to know about handling life situations.
Why Watch?
The film received a great response from critics and audiences because of its good direction and heartwarming scenes. The film teaches us that there are two ways of leaving a life one is bad, another is good, and everyone should choose a good way to live a life. It is a must-watch movie involving teaching, romance, and drama.
10. The Breakfast Club (1985)

- Director: John Hughes
- Caste: Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason
- Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime and Netflix
About The Movie:
This is among the best inspirational movies every teenager should watch with a touch of comedy. The movie will get you back to the 90s high school era and get you an amazing experience. This movie tells the story of five high school students from different backgrounds and thought processes.
And one day, all these young boys face a strict punishment from the school authority in which they must be in the library together for long hours. And during that detainment, they get to know a lot about each other which turns them into best friends.
Why Watch?
This movie has everything we all go through in high school; therefore, everyone can relate to this movie. The movie teaches us not to judge someone because of their looks, background, and status.
This movie breaks all the preconceived notations and prejudgments and will take you on the sweet journey of a teenage mind.