Best Drama Movies on Netflix Right Now (2020)

No. 49 – Heathers  (1988)

Written by: Daniel Waters

Directed by Michael Lehmann

Starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannon Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker

What if I told you there was a movie that existed in which, at some point, Christian Slater attempted to blow up a high school as part of a scheme to get back at a clique of high school girls that he was trying to blackmail? Would that be something of interest to you? What if I told you that Christian Slater was dressed like Chris Kattan in the Night at the Roxbury the whole time? Sold? I thought so.

Heathers is a movie about a battle between a trio of popular girls (Doherty, Falk, Walker), a less popular good girl who is invited to their clique (Ryder), and a menacing outsider (Slater) as they play an extended game of cat and mouse through the backdrop of high school pranks and gossip. As a black comedy with dramatic elements, it touches on a myriad of relevant topics still present in schools today and turns up the notches of sexism, homophobia, and young adult self-esteem issues to 500 percent.

Heathers is like if Quentin Tarantino wrote The Breakfast Club, and it’s truly glorious. Lehmann manages to direct an extremely pulpy film, and with as much over-the-top material as he has, still puts together a well-rounded, memorable film.