A classic that culturally shaped and reflected an entire generation of viewers has landed on Netflix.
What would later inspire countless Halloween costumes, endless quotes and a permanent place in pop culture memory first started life as a television pilot in 1993.
“Twentieth Century Fox said they wanted a show about teenagers – but not the nerds. They wanted it to be about the cool kids,” explained writer and director Amy Heckerling in a DVD-exclusive special feature.
Heckerling, who had studied Jane Austen’s Emma in college, decided to create a modern spin on the character. “I started to think, ‘What’s the larger context for that kind of a ‘nothing can go wrong, always looks through rose‑coloured glasses’ kind of girl? So I tried to take all the things that were in this sort of pretty 1800s world and see what that would be like if it was in Beverly Hills.”
Thus was born Clueless – the 1995 teen comedy about Cher Horowitz, a wealthy, stylish and endlessly optimistic high school student in Beverly Hills, who sets out to help others while navigating friendships, relationships and her own personal growth.
Alongside her best friend Dionne (both named after famous singers), Cher decides to give new transfer student Tai a makeover and guide her through the school’s social hierarchy – only to find herself undergoing a transformation of her own.
Nearly 30 years on, the film’s charm hasn’t faded. One viewer praised, “Alicia Silverstone is pure gold”.
Another said: “It might be 30 years old now, but it still stands the test of time. An enjoyable movie that doesn’t feel old and is as relevant now as it was then.”
Another described it as “by far the best movie ever made about rich teenagers. It’s so funny you’ll watch it over and over again. This movie is a solid classic for life.”
For many who grew up with it, Clueless is more than just a comedy. “As a kid of the 90s, I always enjoy watching it. The fashion, the dialogues… it’s a feel‑good film. It’s a shame (teen) films are not like that anymore,” said another fan.
Smart, stylish and endlessly quotable, Clueless is seen by many as the ultimate teen movie of its era – and as one reviewer put it: “If you haven’t seen this film, then you’re missing out on what it felt like to be a teenager in the 90s. A+.”
Clueless is now available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+ and more.