Clueless

Story

Cher Horowitz lives in a Beverly Hills mansion with her father, a wealthy lawyer. Josh, her socially conscious ex-stepbrother visits during a college break.

Popular and attractive, Cher enjoys doing good deeds and playing matchmaker. With her best friend, Dionne, she adopts Tai, a new girl at school, and gives her a makeover. She also plays matchmaker for two teachers at her school.

When Tai becomes more popular than she is, Cher feels "totally clueless" and reflects on her priorities and her repeated failures to understand or appreciate the people in her life.

Why we chose it

The film is considered to be one of the best teen films of all time and has developed a strong cult following.

Where it came from

Clueless is loosely based on Emma by Jane Austen, and many of its characters have counterparts in the novel.

Where it went next

Since its release, Clueless has never been out of circulation. The film was followed by a spin-off television sitcom, a series of books and a podcast. A remake is also in the works.

Associated stories

The success of Clueless breathed new life into the high school movie genre, resulting in a flood of teen movies in the late 90s and early 00’s, including She’s All That (based on Pygmalion) and Cruel Intentions (based on Les Liaisons Dangereuses).