Saagar Kote
Directed by Marty Schousboe, Hulu’s ‘Never Change!’ is a comedy film that follows a former graduating class of North Meadows High as they are unexpectedly forced to return to school nearly two decades after leaving. In 2008, a tornado severely damaged the school, leading administrators to allow the senior class to graduate without finishing the course. Eighteen years later, a bureaucratic loophole challenges this decision. This forces the former students, now in their 30s, to return and complete their education to preserve their diplomas. Among those heading back to the classroom are TV news anchor Katie Cartwright, entrepreneur Sunny Football, bar owner Tedi Mayo, unemployed advertising professional Curtis Eldgridge, and Amelia Nadler, who is recovering from a recent breakup.
As the former classmates reunite in the halls of North Meadows High, old relationships resurface, secrets emerge, and their return to teenage life leads to a series of chaotic and comical situations. Driven by compelling performances from Sofia Black-D’Elia, John Reynolds, Carmen Christopher, Gary Richardson, Jo Firestone, and others, these films, similar to ‘Never Change!’, are chaotic and engaging, featuring quirky characters who land in unlikely situations and experience the funnier side of life in intricate detail.
12. The DUFF (2015)
Based on Kody Keplinger’s eponymous novel, ‘The DUFF’ centers on Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman), a high school senior whose self-image is shaken after she discovers that her classmates consider her the “Designated Ugly Fat Friend” among her social circle. Determined to change how she is perceived, Bianca turns to Wesley Rush (Robbie Amell), a popular classmate, for help navigating the social pressures of high school. As she works to reinvent herself, she also deals with her growing feelings for Toby Tucker (Nick Eversman) and the impressions that other students leave on her.
Through these experiences, Bianca begins questioning the labels people place on others and strives to build her confidence. Ari Sandel is at the creative helm of this comedy movie, which, akin to ‘Never Change!,’ is a poignant commentary on school life, friendships, loyalty, and the challenges of accepting each other’s truths amid the chaos of youth.
11. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Crafted by the vision of the legendary Francis Ford Coppola, ‘Peggy Sue Got Married’ is the story of Peggy Sue Bodell (Kathleen Turner). Her marriage to her high-school sweetheart, Charlie Bodell (Nicolas Cage), is on the verge of collapse after years of financial difficulties and infidelity. While attending a high-school reunion, Peggy Sue suddenly finds herself transported back to her senior year, decades before the problems that now define her life. Initially confused by the experience, she gradually sees it as a chance to change the choices that shape her future.
Armed with knowledge of what lies ahead, Peggy Sue considers altering the course of her life while gaining a new perspective on her relationship with Charlie. The fantasy comedy-drama film captures the essence of ‘Never Change!’ through its focus on a character getting a second chance to relive her younger days at an unlikely stage in her life. Both movies explore the intertwining of adulthood and youth in rib-tickling moments.
10. Accepted (2006)
‘Accepted’ is a comedy film that follows Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long), a high-school graduate who finds himself rejected by every college to which he applies. Unwilling to admit failure to his parents, Bartleby devises an elaborate scheme with his friends to create a fictional university called the South Harmon Institute of Technology. Using an abandoned property and a convincing website, the group successfully brings their fake institution to life. However, their plan quickly spirals out of control when other students rejected by traditional colleges begin applying to the school in large numbers.
Faced with an unexpected influx of applicants, Bartleby and his friends decide to operate South Harmon as a real institution while navigating the challenges of providing opportunities for their fellow students and maintaining the deception. Steve Pink steers this hilarious and engaging movie. While ‘Never Change!’ is about the challenges of older characters trying to fit into an academic environment in unexpected ways, ‘Accepted’ offers a twist on this idea and puts younger characters in a situation where they have to manage the administration of an institution, like adults usually do.
9. Old School (2003)
Directed by Todd Phillips, ‘Old School’ is a comedy film that revolves around longtime friends dissatisfied with their adult lives. After discovering his girlfriend’s infidelity, Mitch Martin (Luke Wilson) moves into a house near a college campus to start over. At the same time, Frank Ricard (Will Ferrell) struggles to leave behind his partying lifestyle after marriage, while Beanie Campbell (Vince Vaughn) longs to feel the excitement of his younger years. The trio establishes an unconventional fraternity at Mitch’s new home, attracting a mix of students and outcasts.
As their fraternity grows in popularity, they find themselves clashing with the dean of students, Pritchard (Jeremy Piven), who already has a feud with them and seeks ways to shut down their operation. The misadventures, age-mismatch, and the wild spirit of rebellion connect the movie to the world and characters of ‘Never Change!.’ The movies also feature comparable visual elements and a sense of chaos that appears when younger and older characters treat each other as students.
8. Class Reunion (1982)
‘Class Reunion’ or ‘National Lampoon’s: Class Reunion’ takes place during the ten-year reunion of Lizzie Borden High School’s class of 1972. Among the attendees is Walter Baylor (Blackie Dammett), a former student whose life is left in ruins by a cruel senior prank. After escaping from a mental institution, he returns to the reunion seeking revenge against those he blames for his suffering. As the celebration unfolds, guests begin dying under mysterious circumstances, forcing the remaining alumni to question who among them is responsible.
With fear spreading through the reunion, classmates, including Bunny Packard (Miriam Flynn) and Gary Nash (Fred McCarren) join forces to uncover the identity of the killer. With Michael Miller in the director’s chair, the black comedy film is a twisted murder mystery with a touch of fun. Wild and unpredictable characters, older characters reliving younger days, memories of the past, secrets, the magic of school life, and the meaning of friendship are some of the many commonalities between ‘Class Reunion’ and ‘Never Change!.’
7. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)
‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ centers on lifelong friends Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow). A decade after graduating from high school, the two realize that their lives have not been successful. When an invitation to their ten-year reunion arrives, Romy and Michele become determined to impress the classmates who once looked down on them. Rather than revealing the truth about their personal and professional struggles, they create an elaborate story about their success and arrive at the reunion with carefully crafted new identities. As their deception grows increasingly complicated, the two friends must navigate the consequences of the image they have created while reconnecting with people from their past.
The comedy film is brought to life by David Mirkin and is based on characters created by Robin Schiff in the play ‘Ladies Room.’ The raw and relentless humor of the movie complements the unpredictability and chaos of ‘Never Change!.’ Both movies are spiritually connected due to their focus on high-school resentments, unfulfilled desires, and commentary on the meaning of life itself.
6. Never Been Kissed (1999)
‘Never Been Kissed’ is a rom-com that follows Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore), a talented young copy editor at the Chicago Sun-Times who finally gets an opportunity to pursue her dream of becoming a reporter. Her assignment requires her to go undercover as a high-school student and investigate contemporary teenage life. Returning to the classroom proves more difficult than expected, as Josie quickly finds herself reliving awkward experiences. Determined to succeed, she seeks help from her brother, Rob Geller (David Arquette), and navigates the complicated social hierarchy of high school.
As her investigation continues, Josie becomes invested in her new life and develops feelings for teacher Sam Coulson (Michael Vartan), creating a conflict between her professional and personal lives. With Raja Gosnell holding the reins, the movie is a heartwarming tale of insecurities and love. Much like the adult students in ‘Never Change!,’ Josie deals with an unusual scenario where she must somehow survive high school as an adult, fix things that have bothered her, and gain the capacity to live like an adult again while experiencing complex emotions.
5. Billy Madison (1995)
‘Billy Madison’ revolves around the trials of a 27-year-old man named Billy Madison (Adam Sandler), the heir to a massive hotel empire. His immaturity and lack of direction lead his retiring father, Brian, to consider Eric Gordon (Bradley Whitford) as his successor. To demonstrate his worthiness and secure his inheritance, Billy agrees to successfully complete all twelve grades of school in just twenty-four weeks. As he revisits the classroom, Billy’s journey is marked by his juvenile antics, including attempts to impress his third-grade teacher, Veronica Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson), while Eric desperately tries to sabotage his progress.
Tamra Davis is at the creative helm of this adventurous comedy film. Much like ‘Never Change!,’ the narrative sheds light on the absurdity of an adult re-entering an academic environment, age-mismatch humor, a sense of chaos and rebellion, and explores a character’s unconventional path toward maturity and responsibility in hilarious ways.
4. 21 Jump Street (2012)
Helmed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, ‘21 Jump Street’ is an action comedy film based on the TV series of the same name. It explores the lives of Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum), two former high-school classmates. Years later, they reunite as rookie police officers and are assigned to work together. After a mistake on duty, the two are transferred to a special undercover unit and tasked with investigating the source of a dangerous synthetic drug circulating through a local high school.
Posing as students, Schmidt and Jenko return to the teenage world they thought they had left behind. However, unexpected elements and a mix-up in their undercover identities complicate the mission. While ‘Never Change!’ is about the attempts of adults to keep diplomas intact by returning to high school for a short while, ‘21 Jump Street’ expands on the idea of reliving your teenage years by introducing crime and chaotic investigations into the mix.
3. Back to School (1986)
‘Back to School’ chronicles the journey of Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield), a wealthy businessman who never had the opportunity to earn a college degree. When his son, Jason Melon (Keith Gordon), begins questioning whether he should remain in college because of his struggles as a student, Thornton decides to intervene. Determined to convince Jason of the value of higher education, Thornton enrolls at the same college as a freshman. His personality quickly makes him a popular figure on campus, where he becomes known for extravagant parties.
However, college life challenges Thornton to prove that he belongs in the classroom while encouraging his son to continue pursuing his education. Shaped by the ideas of Alan Metter, the comedy film features similar visual elements, thematic concepts, and a rib-tickling premise similar to that of ‘Never Change!.’ The movies are commentaries on second chances, placing responsible adults in a different environment than the ones they are used to, while also delving into their ambitions and secrets.
2. Night School (2018)
‘Night School’ depicts the life of Teddy Walker (Kevin Hart), a charismatic salesman whose successful life is built on carefully maintained appearances. Years earlier, Teddy dropped out of high school after struggling through an important exam, leaving him without a diploma. He is now dating Lisa King (Megalyn Echikunwoke), all while concealing his educational background. However, his situation unravels when an accident destroys his workplace and costs him his job. In need of a fresh start, Teddy accepts an opportunity that requires him to earn his GED and enrolls in a night school program where Carrie Carter (Tiffany Haddish) is a teacher.
There, he joins a group of unconventional students while facing the challenge of returning to the classroom and overcoming obstacles that have followed him since his school days. Malcolm D. Lee steers this chaotic and engrossing comedy film. A confused adult, an academic environment, the exploration of life’s purpose and meaning, unexpected experiences, the chance to relive youth, and the chaos caused by the intertwining of adult ambitions with youth energy are themes that both ‘Never Change!’ and ‘Night School’ navigate.
1. Senior Year (2022)
Netflix’s ‘Senior Year’ is a comedy film that follows Stephanie Conway (Rebel Wilson), a former high-school cheerleading star whose life takes an unexpected turn just as she is about to have everything she wants. In 2002, Stephanie was the most popular student at her school and focused on becoming prom queen. Her plans come to an abrupt halt when a cheerleading accident leaves her in a coma for twenty years. When Stephanie finally awakens as a 37-year-old woman, she struggles to come to terms with the time she has lost. Determined to pick up where she left off, she returns to high school with the goal of reclaiming her former status and finally achieving the prom-queen status that slipped away from her.
What follows is an adventurous and humorous ride as Stephanie struggles to fit into the school environment. With Alex Hardcastle behind the lens, the movie is an engaging navigation of an adult woman’s quest to experience the spirit of youth and academics. This theme and the visual styles of the movie connect it on a deeper level to ‘Never Change!.’ Both movies focus on the tribulations of the adult characters as they try to fit into the school environment at any cost, even amid chaos.
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