Clueless is taken into account the most effective ’90s movies, however when it hit theaters in 1995, I used to be solely seven—positively not the target market. I didn’t actually develop into conscious of Alicia Silverstone as an actress till Batman & Robin, and by the point I used to be sufficiently old to truly watch Clueless, the cultural second had already handed. I knew the highlights—the well-known outfits, the enduring quotes, the final vibe—however I’d by no means truly sat down and watched the film from begin to end.
Then, years later, my Gen Z daughter requested for a Clueless poster. My first response was: “Wait, have you ever even seen it?” Not solely had she seen it—she beloved it. And when she made me sit down and watch it for the primary time along with her, I used to be stunned by how a lot I preferred it too. What struck me most wasn’t simply how nicely the cult-favorite coming-of-age movie holds up after 30 years, however how completely it performs for her era. No surprise critics like Roger Ebert praised it again within the day, even when it wasn’t made for them.
Cher Horowitz Walked So TikTok Influencers May Run
Watching Clueless by means of a 2025 film schedule lens, I couldn’t assist however discover how a lot Cher Horowitz would completely thrive as a way of life creator in the present day. Earlier than there have been way of life vloggers with “prepare with me” movies and curated morning routines, there was Cher Horowitz—with a computerized closet, a rigorously crafted private model, and a ardour for self-improvement (even when it meant turning her mates into initiatives). She’s a strolling prototype for in the present day’s influencer: image-conscious, well-meaning, and armed with a hoop light-level sense of presentation lengthy earlier than ring lights existed.
My daughter was aware of lots of the film’s style references from social media earlier than she ever watched the movie, which I discovered was primarily based on basic literature. The plaid, the knee socks, the platform Mary Janes—Gen Z has revived this aesthetic in some ways. However what they’ve additionally embraced is the film’s tone: sarcastic, assured, and all the time self-aware. Clueless talks just like the web. Take this second, for instance:
- Amber: “Ms. Stoeger, my plastic surgeon doesn’t need me doing any exercise the place balls fly at my nostril.”
- Dionne: “Properly, there goes your social life.”
That’s meme-tier dialogue. Clueless principally invented influencer vitality, and Gen Z utterly will get the project.
It’s Surprisingly Queer-Pleasant
Amy Heckerling’s beloved rom-com is rightly praised for its portrayal of feminine friendship, nevertheless it’s additionally a surprisingly queer-friendly movie—particularly for a 1995 studio comedy. Take Christian, for instance. I bear in mind sufficient in regards to the ’90s to know the way uncommon it was to see an brazenly homosexual character who wasn’t diminished to a punchline. However Clueless doesn’t mock him, it celebrates him. Christian is fashionable, witty, into outdated motion pictures and jazz information, and when Cher realizes he’s not into her, she doesn’t spiral or make it bizarre. She strikes on, and their friendship stays intact. That form of informal acceptance feels quietly groundbreaking for the time—and deeply in tune with the values Gen Z embraces in the present day.
However to my daughter? None of it learn as revolutionary. It simply learn as regular. Which is possibly the largest signal of how far issues have come. Gen Z has grown up with extra queer visibility in mainstream media (not almost sufficient, however far more than we had), and so Christian’s subplot simply matches. It doesn’t should be “a second.” It simply is. And that, in itself, appears like progress.
Class Satire Hits More durable in 2025
Once I was a child, I didn’t assume a lot about wealth gaps or social inequality—and I’m undecided I might’ve picked up on how sharply the highschool basic skewers Beverly Hills privilege. However Gen Z? They discover. They’ve grown up in a world of wealth inequality, influencer flex tradition, and billionaires tweeting by means of societal collapse. So when Cher debates grades along with her academics, or provides speeches about “the Haitians,” or floats by means of life in a bubble of luxurious, it hits otherwise.
My daughter wasn’t judging Cher, however she was totally conscious of how out of contact she is at occasions. And that’s a part of the genius of the film. It lets Cher be a bit clueless (sorry), nevertheless it additionally provides her area to develop. That stability of satirical chunk and precise coronary heart makes it greater than only a teen comedy. It’s a time capsule and a mirror.
The Film Is Mainly Meme Tradition in Movement
Each different line of dialogue feels prefer it was made for screenshots and gifs. “As if!” is virtually a proto-meme. The hand gestures, the hair flips, the response photographs—positive, it helped outline Era X, nevertheless it’s additionally visible language that lives simply on Tumblr dashboards and TikTok remark sections.
My daughter and her mates had been quoting strains from the film, earlier than figuring out the place they had been from. However after seeing the flick, there’s this sense of discovery—like she simply discovered the Rosetta Stone for Nineteen Nineties style and sass. And truthfully? She’s proper. Clueless walked so meme tradition may run.
It’s a Cozy Basic
On the finish of the day, Clueless is simply… cozy. There’s drama, however no actual hazard. Issues are actual, however not traumatic. It’s the form of film you’ll be able to throw on throughout a wet day or within the background whilst you do homework. It is rewatchable with out demanding your full consideration—till, abruptly, it’s. You end up laughing at a line you missed the primary time or admiring a shot you didn’t discover earlier than.
For Gen Z, a era raised on overstimulation, it really works as a result of it’s stylized and chill. It is aware of what it’s, it doesn’t attempt to be the rest, and there’s consolation in that. I believe it’s why the film nonetheless resonates, and why teenagers nonetheless need posters of it on their partitions 30 years later.
I Perceive The Film’s Longevity Now
I used to assume I’d aged out of Clueless, prefer it was a film I had missed and possibly would by no means get round to seeing. It was a reference I’d simply missed. However watching it with my daughter made me understand I hadn’t missed it—I’d simply been ready for the best context. Gen Z, of all teams, may truly be the proper viewers for this film. They get the jokes, perceive the subtext, and are available to it with contemporary eyes and cultural fluency.
Plus, let’s be sincere—Paul Rudd nonetheless seems precisely the identical. The person doesn’t age. So the film doesn’t even really feel that outdated. It’s the most effective free motion pictures streaming on-line, so in case you haven’t seen it, test it out on Tubi or along with your Hulu subscription. You received’t be dissatisfied.