14 Great Movies Like The Girl Next Door You Won't Want To Miss

Rising in popularity in the '90s and '00s, teen sex comedies consistently deliver outrageous moments and hilariously awkward situations. There is no denying that they're a great form of escapism, but let's face it, experiencing the second-hand embarrassment of characters on-screen is much more enjoyable than facing those same situations ourselves.

Released in 2004, "The Girl Next Door" saw Canadian actress, Elisha Cuthbert — following her breakout role in the television series "24" – playing the titular character, who becomes the object of nerdy teenager Matthew Kidman's (Emile Hirsch) affections. However, things take a complicated turn when he discovers she is an adult film star. While the film had a disappointing theatrical turnout when it was released, it has amassed a surprising cult status over the years as a late-night cable favorite. In a retrospective piece for the Huffington Post, writer Christopher Rosen called it "a diamond in the rough people remember with some level of familiarity and fondness."

Perhaps one of the reasons the film is now more highly regarded is the cast, which includes the likes of Paul Dano, Olivia Wilde, and Timothy Olyphant alongside Cuthbert and Hirsch — actors who have gone on to have varied and successful careers. If you loved "The Girl Next Door's" mismatched relationship, raunchy antics, and often outrageous set-pieces, here are 14 equally great films that you will definitely want to check out.

Considered one of the benchmarks for the teen sex comedy resurgence in the '90s, "American Pie" focuses on four buddies who make a pact to try and lost their virginity before they go to college. Taking a familiar premise and dialing the awkwardness levels up as far as they'll go, the film combines crass and outrageous scenarios with a relatable coming-of-age story.

While the majority of people will remember the raunchier elements of this film, "American Pie" has more going for it than just a teenager trying to make love to an apple pie: the adorable romance between Jim (Jason Biggs) and the dorky band geek Michelle (Alyson Hannigan), for example. We can see the influence it had on films like "The Girl Next Door," particularly in its focus on horny teenage boys with seemingly only one thing on their minds. Both films prove that even with the outrageous and awkward situations providing much of the comedy, the main characters don't need to be entirely mean-spirited or unlikeable, and this makes them much more relatable.

"American Pie" was a huge box office success, making over $235.5 million off a budget of just $11 million. While it isn't without its problematic elements when viewed through a modern lens, "American Pie" nonetheless proved to be hugely influential to the genre, sparking a number of sequels and spin-offs.

While the initial premise of "The Girl Next Door" makes it seem like just another raunchy comedy, it ends on a surprising note about the importance of proper sex education that sets it apart from others in the same genre. Similarly, "Friends With Benefits" takes a very different approach to a romantic comedy, with sex spoken about in a refreshingly honest way.

Jamie (Mila Kunis) and Dylan (Justin Timberlake) have both recently broken up with their partners, and when Jamie headhunts Dylan for a new job in New York, the pair strike up a friendship. Missing the physical aspect of a relationship, they agree to help each other scratch that itch — with the stipulation that they won't form an emotional attachment. This being a romantic comedy, there is an element of predictability that these two friends might just end up falling in love, but the playful chemistry between Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake ensures they are a believable duo as both friends and more.

The strength of a rom-com is found in the central pairing, and just as Matthew and Danielle's relationship is based on flirtatious, friendly banter — beginning with Matthew being coerced into running naked down the street — Jamie and Dylan's relationship has an undeniable spark, born out of a fiery and often competitive friendship. "Friend With Benefits" was a commercial and critical success, with Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter calling it "a crisply contemporary, notably grown-up romantic comedy."

With comedic giants in front of and behind the camera, "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" has all the ingredients for a successful sex comedy. Directed by Kevin Smith, and starring Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks as the titular roommates/friends who decide to make an explicit film when they are struggling to pay their bills.

Hilariously lampooning the adult film industry with their parody movies, the two friends discover they might share more of a connection than they first realized. With both "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" and "The Girl Next Door" exploring the porn industry, it isn't hard to spot the similarities between the two. They both have undeniably crass and outrageous elements, but there is much more to them than that, and they become less about porn and more about the genuine warmth and love between the characters.

The film is undoubtedly bolstered by the strength of the performances, with Rogen and Banks having natural and fun chemistry. For fans of Kevin Smith, his script really shines here — it's biting and shocking at times, occasionally sentimental, but always outrageously funny. While it received a mixed reception from critics, many agreed that the performances sold it, with Peter Travers for Rolling Stone saying, "Rogen and Banks, both terrific, bring out the sweet and spicy best in each other."

When valedictorian Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) makes an ill-advised declaration of love for head cheerleader Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere) during their high school graduation, things take a surprising turn when she and her friends show up at his house for a party. Having had a long-term crush on Beth, Denis shocks everyone with his emboldened announcement and uses the opportunity to divulge some more bold statements about their classmates.

Like Matthew and Danielle in "The Girl Next Door," Denis and Beth are certainly a mismatched pairing. Still, both Matthew and Denis have a charming willingness to shoot their shot with girls who are seemingly out of their league. Both films also have fun, madcap energy to them, and a youthful exuberance that propels them through some of their more predictable elements.

Directed by Chris Columbus – best known for his family-friendly films like "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" — "I Love You, Beth Cooper" is a distinctly more grown-up affair from the acclaimed filmmaker. While not all of the film works — something that was reflected in the largely negative critical reception – there is still fun to be had, and few people play a perky cheerleader with a bit of an edge as well as Hayden Panettiere.

With its reputation only growing over time, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" delivered a warts-and-all account of teenage life. While flitting between a number of different stories and subplots, the key one involves 15-year-old Stacy's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) introduction to sex. The film has a bold approach and doesn't shy away from the complexities of the subject, favoring a realistic exploration of the messiness of life over a romanticized version.

It's a common trope for a teen comedy to focus on this rite of passage moment, and it is something that is similarly handled in "The Girl Next Door." Both films acknowledge the awkwardness of being a teenager and how losing your virginity is seen as such a key step into adulthood, and, crucially, neither talks down to their audience. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in particular, feels very much like a teen film made for teenagers, and films like these paved the way for the hugely successful sex comedies of the '90s and '00s.

Packed with recognizable archetypes — one of the highlights being Sean Penn's memorable stoner, Jeff Spicoli — this film offers a relatable experience, with themes and ideas relevant to today. While some critics at the time didn't see the charm of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," audiences loved it and it made $27 million worldwide off a budget of just $5 million.

In a similar vein to "10 Things I Hate About You," the relationship in "She's All That" begins with a slightly cruel wager between a group of friends, when the handsome jock, Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.), bets that he can turn any girl at school into a prom queen. Deliberately selecting awkward art student Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook), Zack's buddy Dean (Paul Walker) believes there is no chance he will succeed, but what he doesn't bet on is the pair forming a genuine connection.

A mismatched relationship between the attractive, popular kid and the nerdy, awkward one is a frequently used trope, and "She's All That" gives us the gender-swapped version of pairing in "The Girl Next Door." As is so often the case, opposites attract, and both films thrive on the differences between the characters and how they are able to bring out the best in each other.

While "She's All That" is painfully formulaic at times — there's even the oft-seen makeover moment for Laney when her beauty is revealed beneath her glasses — but it's a true guilty pleasure with a cast list that reads like a who's who of '90s teen movies. With a production budget of between $7-10 million, the film made over $103 million at the box office, and was remade in 2021 as the gender-swapped, "He's All That."

One of the quintessential sex comedies, "There's Something About Mary" is packed with so many memorable moments that you could say to someone "hair gel," and they would get the reference. Directed by the Farrelly brothers, this 1998 classic sees Cameron Diaz as Mary, with four men competing for her affections. Of these four, the main focus is on Ted (Ben Stiller), who had to cancel a date with Mary in high school following an unfortunate zipper-related incident but still holds a candle for her 13 years later.

The humor in this film is undeniably crass, and while it won't be to everybody's tastes, if you like the combination of lewd jokes and surprising heart in "The Girl Next Door," then you're guaranteed to love this. There are elements that haven't aged particularly well — a recurring theme for many '90s sex comedies, unfortunately — but the effervescent performance from Cameron Diaz rescues it every time.

The film was hugely successful when it came out, making more than $369 million worldwide, and was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1998, just behind blockbuster behemoths "Titanic," "Armageddon," and "Saving Private Ryan." Raunchy comedies can be a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to the critical response, but "There's Something About Mary" is one of the rare examples that was well-received. Critics including Kenneth Turan for the Los Angeles Times praised it, calling it, "A giddy symphony of rude and raucous low humor."