Family Time Movie Theater: Teenage Boys and Dating

In The Blog by Dr James Wellborn

Finding good movie role models for teenage boys in dating relationships is not easy.  There is so much emphasis on the strict adherence to guy rules (which are bad for emotionally intimate relationships), the overly romanticized characterizations of boys and girls who don’t expect much from their boyfriends.  Here are some movies with better guy role models.

Pretty in Pink (PG-13)

A poor teenage girl struggles with issues of social class when asked out by a wealthy, well-meaning boy.  What to do?  What to do?  All the characters struggle with the ways in which social expectations make it hard for them to see the real person inside.  This movie presents several examples of decent and jerk guys.  No Sex

 

 

Beastly (PG)

In this modern take on the beauty and beast story a rich, handsome arrogant guy living in New York City is cursed by a witch to be ugly until he finds a girl who loves him for himself.  He has to learn how to be a decent, considerate person and think about others first.  Good message.  Nice lessons on how to treat a dating partner.  No sex.  Might model getting weird tattoos.

   

Other possibilities include:

Hunger Games, Circle of Friends, A Walk to Remember, Here on Earth, Say Anything, The Art of Getting By, All the Right Moves, Flirting, Juno, Riding in Cars With Boys, Swimming Upstream (2002), Strictly Ballroom, You’ve Got Mail, Pride and Prejudice, Angus, The Spectacular Now

 

And gay and lesbian teens also need to know about healthy relationships:  Get Real, Beautiful Things, The Incredible True Adventures of Two Girls In Love

You can find all kinds of resources including an extensive list of movies that have a point by visiting the resource pages over on my website. The links in the right margin of this newsletter will take you right to them.

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