There’s something so familiar about watching a film that shows you situations that are familiar to us, which is part of the reason why we keep coming back to movies that revolve around students or take place at a college campus. For many of us, our school years are the time of our life when we find out who we are, and we grow into the person we want to be. It’s at college that we make friendships that’ll stay with us for a long time, and that we build foundations for our future career. And even though college can also be extremely stressful and demanding – one of the reasons why students sometimes look for an essay writer to do their assignments – it’s also a rewarding and formative experience. So whether you’re a student or an adult looking to reminisce, we’ve put together a list of movies that take place at a college campus, from popular teen rom-coms to all-time classics and recent releases! Find them all below in alphabetical order: enjoy!
1. Animal House (1978)
Let’s start with a classic! Before The Blues Brothers, director John Landis made another film that would achieve cult status, and that film is Animal House – or, to use its original title, National Lampoon’s Animal House. This 1962 comedy-drama owes most of its success to the one and only John Belushi, who delivers one hilarious, bonkers scene after the other in a movie that keeps getting more insane as it unfolds. Animal House is about two freshmen, Larry (Tom Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst), who fail to get into the coolest fraternity on campus, the Omega Theta Pi house, and end up at the definitely less popular Delta Tau Chi.
To say that Delta isn’t as prestigious would be an understatement, and the moment we meet its members, we understand why. And so, we meet John “Bluto” Blutarsky (Belushi), Donald “Boon” Schoenstein (Peter Riegert), Eric “Otter” Stratton (Tim Matheson), Robert Hoover (James Widdoes), and Daniel “D-Day” Simpson Day (Bruce McGill), who are all intent on doing one thing, and one thing only: being the school’s Dean’s (John Vernon) worst nightmare.
The premise is simple, but the charm of the film’s protagonists and the authenticity of its script (Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller) make Animal House such an effortless watch, and one that you’ll definitely want to add to your go-to feel-good movies. Among the film’s funniest scenes, look out for the most iconic toga party you’ll ever see and the perfect John McClane (Die Hard) cameo.
2. The Kissing Booth (2018)
This might be the obvious choice, but it doesn’t make it any less fun. This beloved teen rom-com and its sequels, based on a popular book series by Beth Reekles, are guaranteed to make for a fantastic time at the movies, distracting you from whatever’s on your mind and fully immersing you into the life of its likable protagonist. Not that Elle Evans (Joey King) doesn’t have any preoccupations; on the contrary, when we meet her, she’s currently facing a dilemma. Elle and Lee Flynn (Joel Courtney) have been best friends for a lifetime, so much so that they have a set of rules they abide to. One of them is that they can’t fall for their respective siblings, and that complicates things for Ellie, who has had the biggest crush on Lee’s brother Noah (Jacob Elordi) ever since she can remember.
It’s a simple premise, which is exactly what you need in a teen rom-com, but The Kissing Booth still manages to give us believable world-building and well-rounded characters, including not only our protagonists but also their families and friends. Still, the most fun to be had with the movie is with Ellie herself, as most viewers will be able to relate to her predicament, and watching her make mistakes, grow from them, and become this self-assured young woman is just so uplifting and empowering. If you don’t expect a complex plot and are just looking for a fun, relaxed evening, this should be your choice!
3. The Holdovers
If you’re a fan of movies about students, chances are this is the only film on this list that you haven’t heard about. Despite it earning Da’Vine Joy Randolph an Oscar and Paul Giamatti a Golden Globe last year, The Holdovers is still not as popular as it should be, given how fantastic it is. The movie, from director Alexander Payne, takes place during the Christmas holidays, when all the students of New England prep school Barton Academy get to go home, except for one. Sadly, Angus (Dominic Sessa) hasn’t been able to contact his mom and get her permission to leave, so he’s not allowed to leave the premises. Which means that a teacher has to stay and “babysit”, and who should Angus get if not the most universally hated teacher at Barton?
Joined by head cook Mary (Randolph), Angus and Mr. Hunham (Giamatti) are the only people left at Barton Academy, and at first, it all feels a bit grim for all three protagonists. Soon, things change, as Angus makes an unexpected choice that leads them all on a journey, and our student and teacher in particular start to realize that there’s more to them than what meets the surface. It’s best to leave it at that to avoid spoilers, but the parallels to Dead Poets’ Society are absolutely on point, and you’ll be surprised by how much this film will make you laugh and cry, alongside its characters.
4. The Social Network (2010)
The Social Network quite simply cannot be left out of this list, or any list of recommended college-set watches, for that matter. David Fincher‘s 2010 film about the creator of Facebook was incredibly successful upon release, and it continues to captivate viewers to this day with the perfect combination of ingredients: an unbelievable true story, well-rounded characters you’ll either root for or despise, fantastic acting, and a clever narrative structure that will keep you hooked till the credits roll.
Our narrator is Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), who first meet future Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) – you guessed it – at college. In fact, it’s at Harvard that Zuckerberg, still an undergraduate, created the titular social network, initially conceived as a way to get back at his ex-girlfriend (Rooney Mara) for dumping him. Initially, co-creator Eduardo keeps Mark grounded, but a series of circumstances – both of which would lead to lawsuits – turn Facebook into a completely different beast. The Social Network only takes place at a college campus for its first thirty minutes or so, but that first part is so crucial to its success that those are the scenes you’ll remember the most. On top of this, the film is an enthralling watch throughout, with fantastic performances and the right twists to keep you hooked till the very end.
5. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
The last movie on our list is another popular Netflix rom-com with multiple sequels, and, like The Kissing Booth, it all begins with a crush. Lara Jean (Lana Condor), our protagonist, has actually had multiple crushes in her life, but she found the perfect way to get over them: she’d simply write letters to “all the boys” and lock them all in her closet. One night, her little sister stumbles upon her letters and delivers them to Lara’s crushes, turning her life inside out.
It’s a pretty embarrassing scenario for anyone to find themselves in, and watching Lara find ways to live with the truth being out into the world is both empowering and oddly therapeutic. What’s so special about To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, and the franchise as a whole, is that the big secret is revealed at the start, making for a completely different kind of story where both Lara and her current crush – her childhood friend Josh (Israel Broussard) – already knows everything there is to know. Of course, Lara further complicates things when she suddenly kisses another former crush, Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), just to avoid having a conversation with Josh, but that’s another story. If you’re looking for a new college rom-com, give To All the Boys a chance! You won’t be disappointed.
The 5 movies listed above all take place at a college campus, and they’ll make for different watches depending on what you’re looking for. Whether you’re in the mood for a fun, lighthearted film or an old or recent classic to discover, you’ll find someone here, and if you still need more recommendations, why not check out 10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, or Sing Street? Happy watching!
