30 Best Movies Like Thirteen You Need to Watch

Thirteen is one pretty controversial teen drama from 2003. Still, if you like the movie and are looking for more similar movies like Thirteen we have you covered. In this article, we are bringing you the best movies like Thirteen every fan needs to see.

Thirteen is loosely based on Reed’s life from ages 12 to 13, the film’s plot follows Tracy, a seventh-grade student in Los Angeles who begins dabbling in substance abuse, sex and crime after being befriended by a troubled classmate. It features Brady Corbet, Deborah Kara Unger, Kip Pardue and Vanessa Hudgens (in her film debut) in supporting roles.

So let’s check more movies like Thirteen and choose your next watch.

Christiane F. (1981)

Christiane (N. Brunckhorst) is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her mother and sister in one of the concrete skyscrapers of Berlin’s Gropiusstadt district, a district where people with serious social problems live, after being abandoned by their violent father. Having no moral support from her family, she starts hanging out with young people from school who all consume alcohol and soft drugs and go out to a nearby popular disco.

Here he meets a young man, Detlev (T. Haustein), with whom he immediately becomes close. He, also not hiding his feelings for her, introduces her to his society where everyone is addicted to heroin. Little by little, Christiane will become part of that world.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

In 1967, seventeen-year-old Susanna Kaysen (Winona Ryder) behaves like most teenagers: confused and unsure as she struggles to make sense of the rapidly changing world around her. Thanks to her parents, she visits psychiatrists who diagnose her illness and place her in Claymoore Hospital, were surrounded by eccentric young women, nurse Valerie (Whoopi Goldberg) and head psychiatrist Dr. Wick (Vanessa Redgrave), and the wildest and most dangerous companion Lisa (Angelina Jolie ) must decide between the shadow world he belongs to in a psychiatric hospital and the difficult, unfair and incomprehensible outside.

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Nic (Chalamet) is a young man from San Francisco who has a promising future ahead of him in the form of studies and his own family, which is completed by his journalist father David (Carell) who loves him very much and his stepmother Karen (Tierney) who gives him full support. On the surface, he’s happy, but inside he’s emotionally distraught and in pain, which he tries to relieve by taking drugs. What starts out as casual weed with his father turns into experimenting with much harder forms of drugs, but it’s methamphetamine that sends Nice down a path from which there may be no return.

Blue Valentine (2010)

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams star in the romantic drama about two people who fall passionately in love in their early twenties and then, six years later, have to deal with problems in their marriage.
A story about found and lost love shown through moments from the past and present. This honest and emotional testimony follows Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as Dean and Cindy, a married couple who spend the night away from their daughter in an attempt to save their failing marriage. In this film, Gosling and Williams recall the romantic beginnings of their relationship six years ago but also face the pain that comes when love fades and promises remain unfulfilled.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) and Krista (Hayley Lu Richardson) are inseparable best friends trying to get through high school together until Nadine discovers that her brother and Krista have been secretly dating her behind her back. They soon realize that there is a fine line between best friends and worst enemies.

Rounding out the film’s cast are Kyra Sedgwick, who plays Nadine’s well-intentioned but completely ineffective mother, and Woody Harrelson, who plays Mr. Bruner, Nadine’s English teacher and mentor, who is unusually wise about the girls’ conflicts.

Booksmart (2019)

Two academic superstars and best friends on the eve of high school graduation realize that they should have done less nerding out and more fun. Therefore, in order to finally experience the life of ordinary high school students, they decide to make up for four years of missed parties in one night.

The Glass Castle (2017)

A chronicle of the adventures of an eccentric, tight-knit family, the movie The Glass Castle is an incredible story about unconditional love. Oscar winner Brie Larson brings us Jeannette Walls’ best-selling memoir in which a young girl, influenced by the wild nature of her dysfunctional father (Woody Harrelson), finds a fiery determination to carve out a successful life by her own rules.

Thoroughbreds (2017)

Lily and Amanda, two wealthy girls from the suburbs of Connecticut, meet again after years of separation. While Lily grew up into a cocky and popular teenager, Amanda became a sharp-tongued social outcast. Although these two completely different girls can’t stand each other at first, they will be united by one thing – hatred for Lily’s strict stepfather.

Four Good Days (2020)

Bruised, abused, and on the verge of collapse, heroin-addled Molly shows up at the house of her heartbroken, long-suffering mother, Deb, seeking help. But ten painful years of estrangement, drug use, and addiction have taken a toll on the already fragile mother-and-daughter relationship. Because, so far, Molly has been through detox more than a dozen times, yet she still shows no signs of recovering.

Now, a doctor offers Molly a shred of hope a monthly shot of an opioid antagonist, a potent agent that prevents toxic substances from binding to the central nervous system. However, there’s a catch: Molly must stay clean for four long, excruciating, faith-challenging days to receive the promising treatment. The question is, can Molly respond to Deb’s tough love?

The Art of Getting By (2011)

In the movie “The Art of Letting Go”, Freddie Highmore plays George, a lonely teenager with a fatalistic view of the world, who has reached the last year of high school without a single day of study and who befriends Sally, a beautiful and complicated girl who recognizes a good soul in him.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

When Kym returns to the Buchman family home for her sister Rachel’s wedding, her arrival disrupts the shaky family dynamic and brings long-standing tensions to the surface in a hilarious and poignant fashion.

When Kym (Anne Hathaway) returns to the Buchman family home for her sister Rachel’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding, she brings with her a long history of personal crisis, family conflict and tragedy. A crowd of friends and relatives of the newlyweds have gathered for a joyous weekend of feasting, music and love, but Kym – with biting gags and a penchant for drama – is the catalyst for hidden tensions in this family dynamic.

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)

Trying to get his mind off the girl he lost, a young man decides to help an unknown girl who takes him on a romantic adventure through the Manhattan club scene late at night. Two people are thrust into a hilarious, sleepless night full of adventures in the world of music mixes, nightlife and loud music. Their chance meeting leads to an all-night search for a secret performance by the legendary band, and ends up as the first date in a love affair that could change their lives.

American Beauty (1999)

“Whirlwind of Life” could be called “Handbook for men who have turned forty”. Step One: Fall in love with a high school cheerleader; second: resign and blackmail the boss; third – buy a classic sports car. Of course, no fate can match that of Lester Burnham, an American who dreamed the American dream in a completely different way.
Lester Burnham’s (Kevin Spacey) life is a complete failure. His perfectly dressed, well-dressed wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), reproaches him for every little thing, his daughter Jane (Thora Birch) does not communicate with him, and work is hell.

Nevertheless, the inconsolable Lester experiences a real small renaissance one seemingly ordinary day: noticing his daughter’s colleague from the cheer team, Angela (Mena Suvari), awakens his forgotten passions. Shaken by strong feelings for Angela, Lester embarks on a journey of no return and quits his job, blackmailing his boss along the way, and starts lifting weights in the garage and reminiscing about the things that made him happy in his youth.

At the same time, Carolyn cheats on Lester with the realtor, “King” (Peter Gallagher), and daughter Jane begins an unusual relationship with the peer next door, the withdrawn Ricky (Wes Bentley). And while the beautiful Angela surprises Lester with a return of affection, his shocking fate will surprise and shock the family.

Lady Bird (2017)

Adolescence is a difficult period. We all have to go through it, but not everyone survives it equally successfully. We deal with changes and challenges as best we know how, as we learn about ourselves, life and the people around us, and search for what we want to become. The film’s main character is a seventeen-year-old high school student at a Catholic high school in Sacramento, California. Her parents gave her the name Christine McPherson at birth, but she rejects that name and introduces herself under the pseudonym Lady Bird.

Between first loves, taking part in the school play and applying to college, she is an artistic soul who yearns for adventure, sophistication and opportunity. She doesn’t find any of that in her surroundings, so she tends to go astray. Lady Bird and her mom are constantly on the edge of their relationship between sharing joyful moments and raging conflicts. Christine’s dad is very supportive and does his best to help them both, even as he battles his own depression.

Flipped (2010)

When Bryce and Juli first meet in second grade, Juli knows it’s love. But Bryce isn’t sure about that. Timid around girls and shy, young Bryce does everything he can to keep his would-be girlfriend at bay for the next six years, which isn’t easy since they attend the same school and they are neighbors. When they start high school, Bryce discovers girls and things start to change. But will Juli be interested after being turned down so many times by Bryce?

Boyhood (2014)

The film presents twelve years in the life of Mason Jr., his sister Samantha and their mother, Olivia. Then there’s Mason Sr., a father and husband, still chasing the dreams of his youth while trying to be a role model father to his estranged children.

Short Term 12 (2013)

Passionate and tough, Grace takes very good care of the children entrusted to her. She has been in a long-term relationship with Mason, a work colleague. But Grace’s troubled past and the surprising future that suddenly opens up in front of her throw her into unprecedented confusion, which is only intensified by the arrival of a new ward, the gifted but troubled teenager Jayden.

Grace establishes an intense relationship with her. In addition, Grace and Mason try to help Marcus, a hard-working and silent boy who is about to turn 18 and is facing the fact that he has to leave home. At work and with a newly arrived girlfriend, Grace finds surprising sources of redemption.

Georgia Rule (2007)

When Lilly (Felicity Huffman) can no longer fight the teenage rebel, she decides to take her to the place she swore she would never return to, her mother’s house. So Rachel (Lindsay Lohan) comes to spend the summer with her grandmother Georgia (Jane Fonda) leaving the obvious problems at home. In her grandmother’s town, Rachel disturbs the spirits and makes a new friend.

Trainspotting (1996)

A wild, unconventional journey on the trail of Rabelais through the darkest corners of Edinburgh’s underworld leads us to Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), who is trying to wean himself off heroin. We see how the drug has affected Mark Renton and his relationship with his family and friends: Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) possessed by Sean Connery, goofball Spud (Ewen Bremner), psycho Begbie (Robert Carlyle), 14-year-old Diane (Kelly McDonald), and athlete and purist Tommy (Kevin McKidd), who has never tried drugs, but still feels for her curiosity.

Towelhead (2007)

Jasira wants something she cannot define; attention, love, acceptance or a normal life. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know the right way to get there. When her mother whisks her off to live in Houston with her strict, temperamental Lebanese father, she quickly learns what to suppress in front of him. But she falls for all the false confidence that pop culture and magazines provide. The result is a dark, bold and sad look at the confusion and misguided exploration of America’s youth in row houses, public schools and suburban edifices.

You & Me Forever (2012)

16-year-old friends Laura and Christine have been best friends for as long as they can remember, until the mysterious and exciting Maria appears. Fascinated by Maria, Laura suddenly finds herself drawn into her world of parties, sex and lies. Laura must decide – will she stay with her best friend or continue her association with Maria?

Manic (2001)

Lyle (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is committed to a juvenile psychiatric facility after beating a boy with a baseball bat. At the psychiatric hospital, he is cared for by Dr. David Monroe (Don Cheadle), who treats his patients as normal people whose lives should have meaning. At the psychiatric hospital, Lyle meets other patients such as Tracey (Zooey Deschanel), a rape victim who wakes up screaming every night, with whom he falls in love.

The Basketball Diaries (1995)

Kids think it can’t happen to them, but they’re wrong. Jim (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the most important link in a successful high school basketball team. His whole life revolves around basketball and he dreams of becoming a big basketball star one day. From time to time, together with his friends, Jim indulges in the enjoyment of drugs, until, step by step, carefree existence and a sports life turn into an addictive one.

His mother (Lorraine Bracco) kicks him out of the house, and he sinks deeper and deeper into the world of crime and drugs. On the streets of New York, together with his friends, Jim engages in increasingly dangerous criminal activities – robberies and prostitution, and it seems that there is no escape for him.

Foxfire (1996)

Teenage girls learn to fight the system in this drama based on the popular novel. Maddy, Rita, Goldie and Violet are four high school girls who allow themselves to be humiliated by both teachers and other students. Then they fall under the influence of a beautiful, mysterious rebel who awakens a hidden strength in them and changes their lives forever.

Havoc (2005)

Although she comes from a well-to-do family, attractive teenager Alison Lang (A. Hathaway) is an unhappy and lonely girl dissatisfied with the empty life and coldness of her parents, father Stuart (M. Biehn) and mother Joanna (L. San Giacomo).

Having completely broken away from parental supervision, Alison spends all her free time in the company of her peers, including her boyfriend Tobi (M. Vogel), her best friend Emily (B. Phillips) and video-camera-equipped Erik (M. O’Leary ), with whom he unrestrainedly experiments with alcohol and drugs.

One evening, eager for excitement and discovering the dark side of life on the street, three young people set off by car to the dangerous districts of the eastern part of the city. Wanting to buy some heroin from a dealer, Tobi soon clashes with the violent Hektor (F. Rodrígez), the leader of a group of young Hispanic Americans steeped in lawlessness and crime. Although Hector pounces on Tobi and threatens him with a gun, Alison realizes that she is strangely attracted to the striking bully. Soon, Alison and several friends, including the withdrawn Amanda (S. Applebej), set off in search of Hector.

Augusta, Gone (2006)

A troubled teenager’s mother tries everything she can think of to control her bad behavior, even if it means sending her away to a hokey but strict nature camp.

Speak (2004) 

Melinda Sordino (K. Stewart) is an extremely quiet and withdrawn girl, a student in the first grade of the high school from the provincial American town of Merryweather, who already causes ridicule with her silence and sullen expression on her first day. As her former best friend Rachel Bruin (H. Hirsh) drifts away from Melinda, the only girl who wants to hang out with her is the kind-hearted Heather (A. Siko) from Ohio.

Her parents, ambitious mother Joyce (E. Perkins) and temporarily unemployed father Jack (D. B. Sweeney), as well as physical education teacher Neck (R. John Burke), who took the girl, cannot be surprised by the unexpected change in the behavior of the once temperamental and cheerful Melinda. on the tooth. None of them know that Melinda has been hiding a terrible secret for a year, the truth about a traumatic event that completely changed her life. Melinda was raped a year ago at Rachel’s party, and the rapist was Andy Evans (E. Lively), the most popular boy in the class.

Fish Tank (2009)

Capricious Mia (K. Jarvis) is a lonely, trouble-prone 15-year-old, misfit from suburban London who has been kicked out of school, shunned by her peers, and faces another summer of wandering without parental supervision. Her mother Joanne (K. Wareing) is a rude, irresponsible and promiscuous woman constantly eager for fun, who does not care at all for Mia or her ill-mannered younger sister Tyler (R. Griffiths).

Mia is not at all surprised when Joanne brings home a new boyfriend one day, the handsome and enigmatic Connor (M. Fassbender). She notices that Connor tries to always be there for her and help her in different situations. She will soon realize that Connor is developing a relationship with her that is not exactly parental. At the same time, she begins to care for a white horse tied up in a nearby dump, which she would like to save.

Kids (1995)

A day in the life of a group of teens as they travel around New York City skating, drinking, smoking and deflowering virgins.

White Oleander (2002)

The uncompromising and seductive Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) kills her boyfriend because he left her, and her fifteen-year-old daughter Astrid (Alison Lohman) witnesses her arrest. That event will change her life. Suddenly Astrid is left to her own devices. She passes through many foster families and homes, and is forced to master the techniques necessary to survive in the cruel world in which she is forced to live.

Astrid desperately tries to build her own identity, while Ingrid’s powerful influence, albeit behind bars, is the only constant in Astrid’s life.