Saagar Kote
Directed by Chandler Levack, Netflix’s ‘Roommates’ is a comedy movie about a college freshman at Walton University whose search for friendship takes a turn. Devon Weisz (Sadie Sandler), a shy and isolated girl, arrives at college hoping for a fresh start. When she meets Celeste Durand (Chloe East), a confident and popular girl, she quickly forms a close bond and asks her to be her roommate. Celeste starts behaving oddly, having sex in Devon’s bed, filming her while she takes a shower, and stealing her clothes.
What begins as an exciting new friendship soon becomes strained, as their dynamic shifts and tensions arise in unlikely spaces. Celeste begins to take advantage of Devon’s trusting nature, and their relationship gradually becomes an uncomfortable living situation marked by conflicts. As Celeste continues to target Devon’s vulnerabilities and demands complete loyalty, the latter is forced to stand up for herself and deal with unexpected challenges. In this list, we bring you movies similar to ‘Roommates’ that explore themes of youth insecurities, friendships, and more.
10. Shiva Baby (2020)
‘Shiva Baby,’ directed by Emma Seligman and based on her short film of the same name, follows the trials and tribulations of a young Jewish woman named Danielle (Rachel Sennott). She attends a Shiva mourning gathering, where she unexpectedly runs into people from her personal life, including her former partner Maya (Molly Gordon), which creates tension. The situation becomes more complicated when Max (Danny Deferrari), a man she is romantically involved with for money, arrives at the event with his wife. Surrounded by family members who question her choices and ambitions, Danielle finds herself increasingly overwhelmed. As the gathering unfolds, she struggles to manage the pressure and awkward encounters, trying to leave without making her situation worse. Danielle faces increasingly harrowing situations in claustrophobic spaces as she attempts to survive social awkwardness, much as Devon does in ‘Roommates.’
9. Eighth Grade (2018)
‘Eighth Grade’ follows the ups and downs in the life of Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher), an introverted eighth grader nearing the end of middle school. Although she struggles socially and is seen by her schoolmates as an extremely quiet girl, she regularly posts online videos about confidence that receive little attention. At home, her father Mark Day (Josh Hamilton) tries to connect with her as she remains absorbed in social media. During her final week of middle school, Kayla attends a classmate’s pool party, where she faces awkward interactions.
As she navigates these experiences, she begins to recognize the gap between how she presents herself online and who she really is, while preparing to move on to high school and become more independent. Written and directed by Bo Burnham, the comedy-drama film is connected to ‘Roommates’ in that it delves into the mind of a young girl who seeks validation and acceptance from her peers while dealing with personal issues.
8. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Helmed by Sammi Cohen, ‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ is a Netflix comedy-drama based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s eponymous novel. It follows the struggles of Stacy Friedman (Sunny Sandler), a young girl who dreams of having the perfect bat mitzvah, believing it will shape her future. She develops a crush on Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman), but her plans are disrupted when she sees her best friend, Lydia Rodriguez Katz (Samantha Lorraine), kissing him. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Stacy distances herself from Lydia, even though they have always imagined celebrating the bat mitzvah together. As tensions grow, their friendship is tested as Stacy navigates her emotions and desires. Akin to ‘Roommates,’ the narrative intricately examines a complex friendship between two young girls, who run into funny misunderstandings and chaos.
7. Banana Split (2018)
‘Banana Split,’ directed by Benjamin Kasulke, follows the life of April (Hannah Marks), who ends her relationship with Nick (Dylan Sprouse). Soon after, she learns that Nick is now seeing Clara (Liana Liberato). Unexpectedly, April discovers that she has a lot in common with Clara, and the two begin spending time together. Drawn to their shared interests, they form a close friendship and set rules to avoid discussing Nick or revealing their bond to him. However, their arrangement becomes difficult to maintain, as Nick still seems to be part of the equation. With insecurities developing, the two girls must save their friendship at any cost. The comedy film is similar to ‘Roommates’ in that it focuses on the costs of misunderstandings, school life, and the tenderness of female friendships at a young age.
6. Lady Bird (2017)
‘Lady Bird’ revolves around the wild life experiences of Christine McPherson AKA Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan), a teenager growing up in Sacramento, a place she finds unexciting. As she navigates her final year of school, she faces friendships, romantic experiences, and moments of self-doubt. A key part of her life is her complicated relationship with her mother, Marion McPherson (Laurie Metcalf), marked by frequent disagreements.
Wanting a different future, Christine dreams of leaving her hometown to study in NYC. However, as she moves closer to that goal, family struggles ensue, and she begins to question what independence and change truly mean for her. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the comedy-drama film is a nuanced take on the psychological battles faced by a young girl and her quest for freedom from circumstances, making it complementary to ‘Roommates.’
5. The DUFF (2015)
‘The DUFF’ is the story of Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman), a high school senior whose life changes when she learns she is labeled “The DUFF” (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by her classmates. Upset by this, she asks her friend Wesley Rush (Robbie Amell) to help her improve her image and somehow handle the difficulties of school. As Bianca tries to change how others see her, she struggles with her complex feelings for Toby Tucker (Nick Eversman).
She also faces the influence of Madison Morgan (Bella Thorne), a girl who labels her schoolmates with insults. Throughout this experience, Bianca works to build confidence and challenge the way people define others based on appearance. Directed by Ari Sandel, the comedy movie is based on the novel of the same name by Kody Keplinger. Similar to ‘Roommates,’ the film is an entertaining commentary on friendships, young people’s insecurities, and standing up for oneself.
4. Easy A (2010)
Directed by Will Gluck, ‘Easy A’ deals with the experiences of Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), a high school student whose life changes after she lies to her best friend Rhiannon Abernathy (Alyson Michalka) about losing her virginity. When another student overhears the conversation, the rumor quickly spreads across the school. Instead of denying it, Olive begins to use the attention to her advantage, even helping classmates by pretending to have relationships with them.
However, as the rumors grow, her reputation begins to spiral out of control. With pressure building, Olive must find a way to manage the situation before it affects her future. Partially inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel ‘The Scarlet Letter’, the romantic comedy film is an engrossing tale that shares similarities with ‘Roommates’ due to its examination of the complex emotional dynamics between two female characters, the chaos of academic life, and moments of doubt and self-discovery.
3. Booksmart (2019)
‘Booksmart’ chronicles the trials and tribulations of best friends Molly Davidson (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy Antsler (Kaitlyn Dever), who are about to graduate after dedicating their high school years to academics over social life. Having secured admission to top colleges, they realize that many of their classmates have also succeeded despite a more relaxed approach. Feeling they missed out, Molly convinces Amy to experience everything in one night before graduation by attending a party hosted by Nick Howland (Mason Gooding).
As they try to reach the party, they face a series of obstacles that bring up personal insecurities and tensions in their friendship. Over the course of the night, both are forced to confront their choices and expectations for the future as wild situations emerge. Directed by Olivia Wilde, the comedy film, akin to ‘Roommates,’ is a meaningful exploration of female friendship in all its complexities, the challenges of academic settings, and chaotic situations.
2. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ follows Nadine Franklin (Hailee Steinfeld), a high school junior who feels out of place. Her situation worsens when her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) begins dating her popular older brother Darian Franklin (Blake Jenner), leaving her feeling isolated. Nadine already has a difficult relationship with her mother, Mona Franklin (Kyra Sedgwick), and her father was the only person she felt close to before his death.
As she faces these challenges, she confides in her teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson). Amid everything, she forms a connection with Erwin Kim (Hayden Szeto), which offers her some hope as she navigates growing up in a world of uncertainty. In ways similar to ‘Roommates,’ the narrative sheds light on teenage female angst, isolation, and the desire for external validation and liberation.
1. Do Revenge (2022)
Netflix’s ‘Do Revenge’ is a comedy movie that revolves around the ups and downs in the life of Drea Torres (Camila Mendes), a popular student at Rosehill Country Day High School. Her perfect and comfortable life changes after her private video is leaked, allegedly by her boyfriend, Max Broussard (Austin Abrams). At the same time, Eleanor Levetan (Maya Hawke), a new student, is forced to confront her former bully, Carissa Jones (Ava Capri), who spread a damaging rumor about her. After meeting at tennis camp, Drea and Eleanor form a secret agreement to take revenge on each other’s enemies.
As they work together, their plan begins to unfold, revealing unexpected challenges that may redefine their perception of revenge. Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the film is closely related to ‘Roommates’ as it features young female characters standing up for themselves in troubling times, dealing with bullies, and facing other challenges that an academic setting throws at them. The visuals, character dynamics, and unpredictability of the two movies connect them on a deeper level.
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