28 Best Movies About Bullying (for Teens, Kids, and Adults!) (2024)

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Movies About Bullying

Watching movies about bullying is a cathartic way to connect with and heal your inner child when you’ve been bullied.

As you watch, you’ll be able to picture how these films relate to your childhood (this includes teenage years!).

And you’ll also be able to see why being bullied was never okay and never your fault.

When you’re struggling with your inner child, it might be helpful to talk to an online therapist. I always recommend Online Therapy, because it’s a complete online counseling toolkit, and you can get incredible therapy from the comfort of your own home. Get 20% off your first month.

List of Bullying Movies:

You’ll mostly find coming-of-age movies with characters in middle school and high school featured on this list.

Some movies will be hard to watch, while others will be more lighthearted.

Others will be downright horrifying.

That being said, I’ve included trigger warnings for each movie with the help of DoesTheDogDie.com.

And now onto the movies based on bullying…

28 Best Films on Bullying

Speaking of bullying, have you downloaded your free inner child healing workbook yet? 👇

Movies About Bullying in High School:

1. A WALK TO REMEMBER

Based on the novel of the same name, A Walk to Remember is a tear-jerker filled with love, loss, and hope.

Synopsis:

Jamie Sullivan seems easy to make fun of for her conservative dress and religious values.

But everything changes when Landon Carter, the school’s delinquent, gets into trouble and is sentenced to perform in the school play.

Genre:

Coming-of-age romantic drama

Content:

Bullying, cancer, death

Rent or buy here: Amazon

2. MEAN GIRLS

No list about bullying would be complete without the cult classic Mean Girls.

Synopsis:

Cady Heron quickly becomes part of The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, with the help of her new friends Janis and Damien.

But everything starts to fall apart when she falls for Regina George’s ex-boyfriend.

Genre:

Teen comedy

Content:

Gaslighting, bullying, hate speech, underage sexual assault, body dysmorphia

Rent or buy here: Amazon

How to honor your inner child:

👉 33 Sentimental Toys for Your Inner Child (for 90s Babies)

3. SPEAK

When I found out that thebook Speak(one of my most reread books) was adapted intoa movie, I was intrigued.

Synopsis:

Melinda suffers unspeakable trauma the summer before high school, which has caused her to become a selective mute.

Now, struggling with school, friends, and family, she finally speaks on the dark experience that shaped her.

Genre:

Drama

Content:

Sexual assault, self-harm, bullying, gaslighting, PTSD

Rent or buy it here:Amazon

4. CYBERBULLY

Don’t let the fact that Cyberbully is a made-for-TV movie stop you from giving it a watch.

Synopsis:

Taylor Hillridge is a teenage girl who becomes a victim of ruthless online bullying.

Not only does this cause heartbreaking damage to her mental health, it negatively affects her friends and family as well.

Genre:

Drama

Content:

Cyberbullying, attempted suicide, self-harm

Rent or buy here: Amazon

5. PRECIOUS

Precious is an incredibly harrowing movie that can be downright painful to watch.

Synopsis:

Set in 1987 Harlem, Precious is a fat, abused, and illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child from her father.

She is invited to enroll in an alternative school, hoping she can change her life for the better.

Genre:

Drama

Content:

Drug abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, hate speech, child abuse

Rent or buy here: Amazon

If you experienced abuse, these songs might help:

👉 40 Child Abuse Songs (When You Had a Bad Childhood)

6. CARRIE

For a Steven King horror classic, put on Carrie to witness the ultimate bullying revenge.

Synopsis:

Carrie is a shy and friendless teenage girl who is relentlessly tormented by her classmates.

However, when she learns she has telekinetic powers, she unleashes them in a bloody campaign of vengeance after she is humiliated at her senior prom.

Genre:

Horror

Content:

Child abuse, animal abuse, gaslighting, bullying, torture, death

7. JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE

While there is bullying in John Tucker Must Die, it still falls into the category of pure early 2000s gold.

Synopsis:

Three ex-girlfriends of a serial cheater don’t believe in getting mad. They believe in getting even.

They soon set their former lover up to fall for the new girl in town, so they can watch him get his heart broken.

Genre:

Romantic comedy

Content:

Gaslighting, bullying

Rent or buy here: Amazon

8. A SILENT VOICE

A Silent Voice is bound to fill you up with hope, redemption, and plenty of tears.

Synopsis:

Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf.

But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion.

Years later, he sets off on a path for redemption.

Genre:

Anime

Content:

Bullying, hate speech, ableism, death, gaslighting, suicide attempt

Rent or buy here: Amazon

9. WISH UPON A STAR

Wish Upon a Star will remain one of my all-time favorites for probably the rest of my life.

Synopsis:

Younger nerdy sister, Hayley, makes a wish on a shooting star to switch places with her popular older sister, Alexia.

Forced to live each other’s lives, the two bickering sisters deliberately sabotage each other’s reputations.

Genre:

Coming-of-age romantic comedy

Content:

Bullying

Rent or buy here: Amazon

10. CAN’T BUY ME LOVE

For a movie oozing with 80s vibes, Can’t Buy Me Love is sure to make you laugh out loud.

Synopsis:

Nerdy high schooler Ronald Mille agrees to pay popular cheerleader $1,000 on one condition…

That she will act as though they’re boyfriend and girlfriend for an entire month.

Genre:

Coming-of-age romantic comedy

Content:

Bullying

Rent or buy here: Amazon

11. CHRISTINE

Christine is a silly horror gem that’s great for beginners.

Synopsis:

Geeky student Arnie falls for Christine, a rusty 1958 Plymouth Fury, and hequickly becomes obsessed with restoring the classic car to its former glory.

However, as the car changes, so does Arnie.

Genre:

Horror

Content:

Bullying, gaslighting, child abuse, death

Rent or buy here: Amazon

12. BULLY

One of the more difficult movies to watch on this list, Bully is sure to make a statement.

Synopsis:

Marty becomes fed up with the constant abuse he endures at the hands of his “best friend” Bobby.

Marty’s girlfriend couldn’t agree more (as she’s also a victim herself), and they strategize how to murder him.

Genre:

Crime drama

Content:

Domestic violence, child abuse, bullying, gaslighting, hate speech

Rent or buy here: Amazon

13. A GIRL LIKE HER

Even though A Girl Like Her coming out in 2015, the elements of bullying are still very much prevalent today.

Synopsis:

Sophom*ore year is a living hell for Jessica when she’s relentlessly harassed by her ex-friend, Avery.

Jessica enlists the help of her best friend, Brian, in order to document the constant abuse she’s received.

Genre:

Drama

Content:

Bullying, suicide attempt, self-harm, hate speech

Rent or buy here: Amazon

14. THE KARATE KID

For a true 80s cult-classic, load The Karate Kid up on your TV.

Synopsis:

Daniel is new to town, and he quickly becomes the target of the Cobras, a menacing group of karate students.

With the help of Miyagi, a martial arts master, Daniel gains not only the physical skills, but he also learns the importance of honor and confidence to compete in spite of the odds.

Genre:

Action drama

Content:

Bullying, gaslighting, sexual assault, child abuse

Rent or buy here: Amazon

Movies About Bullying for Middle School:

15. THIRTEEN

If you’re looking for a movie that can be incredibly uncomfortable to watch at times, try the movie Thirteen.

Synopsis:

Tracy’s relationship with her mother is tested when she becomes best friends with troubled Evie.

Together, they forge down the path of self-destruction of drugs, drinking, sex, and petty crimes.

Genre:

Coming-of-age drama

Content:

Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, addiction, self-harm, underage sex, eating disorder, violence, bullying

Rent or buy it here: Amazon

16.GIRL IN PROGRESS

Girl in Progressis one of those coming-of-age stories that touches a part of your soul.

Synopsis:

Grace is a single mom who’s too busy juggling work, bills, and her affair with a married man to give her daughter, Ansiedad, the attention she deserves (and needs).

Ansiedad then plots her “shortcut to adulthood” after finding inspiration in the classic coming-of-age stories she’s reading in school.

Genre:

Coming-of-age drama comedy

Content:

Emotional neglect, bullying

Rent or buy it here:Amazon

More about toxic parenting:

👉107 Toxic Parents Quotes (When Mother and Father Are Abusive AF)

17. 13 GOING ON 30

While there is bullying in 13 Going On 30, it’ll hit you with all those romantic comedy feels.

Synopsis:

With the help of some magic wishing dust on her 13th birthday, Jenna Rink becomes 30, flirty, and thriving.

Now as a grown woman, she must help the little girl inside find the true love she left behind.

Genre:

Romantic comedy

Content:

Body dysmorphia, bullying, questionable consent/coercion

Rent or buy here: Amazon

18. NOW AND THEN

Filled with nostalgia and mystery, Now and Then is one of my go-to comfort movies whenever I’m having a hard time.

Synopsis:

During the summer of 1970, four childhood friends make a pact to return to Shelby, Indiana whenever they need each other.

A promise is a promise, and now the four of them reunite to reminisce on the summer of a lifetime.

Genre:

Coming-of-age comedy

Content:

Fat shaming, bullying, death

Rent or buy here: Amazon

Use these to heal from your childhood:

👉 11 Ways to Heal Childhood Trauma Spiritually (and Awaken Your Inner Child)

19. STAND BY ME

Stand By Me is another coming-of-age adventure set around mystery and self-discovery.

Synopsis:

In a small woodsy Oregon town, a group of four friends decide to search for the body of a missing boy.

Wanting to be heroes, they set out on an unforgettable two-day trek that turns into a journey of introspection.

Genre:

Coming-of-age adventure

Content:

Domestic violence, child abuse, alcoholism, death, PTSD, hate speech, hom*ophobia

Rent or buy here: Amazon

More movies about childhood friendships:

👉 27 Movies About Childhood Friends (Filled with Nostalgia)

20. IT

For ahorror moviewith a theme of child abuse, themovie Itis a brutal choice.

Synopsis:

When children begin to disappear in the small town of Derry, Maine, a group of bullied kids is forced to face their biggest fears.

They find themselves captured by a shapeshifting clown named Pennywise.

Genre:

Horror

Content:

Abuse, sexual abuse, alcoholism, kidnapping, death, bullying

Rent or buy it here:Amazon

21. FLIPPED

I remember being so mesmerized by Flipped the first time I watched it.

Synopsis:

When Juli meets Bryce in the second grade, she instantly fell in love with him and his blue eyes.

She spends the next six years trying to convince him he’s in love with her too.

Genre:

Coming-of-age romance

Content:

Ableism, hate speech, bullying, child abuse

Rent or buy it here: Amazon

22. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is based on the best-selling book series.

Synopsis:

Greg is about to enter the most humiliating years of any kid’s life — middle school.

But this won’t be easy with the bullies seemingly around every corner.

Genre:

Coming-of-age comedy

Content:

Abuse, gaslighting, body dysmorphia, fat jokes

Rent or buy it here: Amazon

When you need to heal your inner child:

👉 101 Healing Inner Child Affirmations (to Reparent Yourself)

Movies for Kids About Bullying:

23. TARZAN

One of my favorite Disney movies, Tarzan is about standing out, learning to fit in, and falling in love.

Synopsis:

After Tarzan’s parents are killed by a leopard, he is raised by gorillas.

When he becomes grown, he discovers that there are creatures just like him — human.

Genre:

Children’s

Content:

Bullying, death, gun violence

Rent or buy here: Amazon or Disney+

24. SANDLOT

Despite depictions of bullying, Sandlot remains one of the greatest comedy classics.

Synopsis:

It’s the summer of 1962, and Smalls (the new kid in town) is looking for a place to belong.

He is quickly taken under the wing of a young baseball prodigy and his rowdy team, resulting in many hilarious misadventures.

Genre:

Coming-of-age comedy

Content:

Sexual assault, bullying, fatphobia

Rent or buy here: Amazon

25. A CHRISTMAS STORY

No Christmas season would be complete without an annual viewing of A Christmas Story.

Synopsis:

All Ralphie wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun.

Even though everyone disagrees, it’s his mission to prove why it’s the most perfect Christmas present.

Genre:

Comedy

Content:

Bullying, child abuse

Rent or buy here: Amazon

26. ZENON: GIRL OF THE 21ST CENTURY

I grew up watching Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century whenever it played on the Disney Channel.

Synopsis:

Zenon Kar is a trouble-prone 13-year-old girl who is banished to Earth when she snoops on her space station home.

With the help of her earthbound friends, she uncovers evidence of why Mr. Windom, the station’s owner, is up to no good.

Genre:

Children’s sci-fi

Content:

Bullying

Rent or buy here: Amazon or Disney+

More on nostalgia:

👉 13 Nostalgic Activities to Reconnect with Your Inner Child

27. THE PACIFIER

The Pacifier is a hilarious and heartwarming tale of life being full of surprises.

Synopsis:

After a failed mission, Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe is handed a new assignment: Protect the five Plummer kids from the enemies of their recently deceased father.

As he trades his combat gear for juice boxes and musicals, he learns that this mission is not just a babysitting job.

Genre:

Comedy

Content:

Death, bullying

Rent or buy here: Amazon

28. YOURS, MINE & OURS

The dad in Yours, Mine & Ours is definitely a hardass, and it can be hard to watch.

Still, there is a touch of lightheartedness that comes with the rest of the film.

Synopsis:

Helen and Frank are high school sweethearts who reconnect at a reunion, and it’s love at first re-sighting.

Their 18 kids (who couldn’t be more opposite) work together to try and sabotage their new marriage.

Genre:

Comedy

Content:

Hate speech, bullying, child abuse

Rent or buy here: Amazon

Bullying movies list:

Bullying, trauma, and abuse are never easy to witness.

But when you’ve experienced this pain throughout childhood, watching movies with this subject matter can be cathartic.

Movies with bullying recommendations recap:

🎬 A Walk to Remember
🎬 Mean Girls
🎬 Speak
🎬 Cyberbully
🎬 Precious
🎬 Carrie
🎬 John Tucker Must Die
🎬 A Silent Voice
🎬 Wish Upon a Star
🎬 Can’t Buy Me Love
🎬 Christine
🎬 Bully
🎬 A Girl Like Her
🎬 The Karate Kid
🎬 Thirteen
🎬 Girl in Progress
🎬 13 Going On 30
🎬 Now and Then
🎬 Stand By Me
🎬 It
🎬 Flipped
🎬 Diary of a Wimpy Kid
🎬 Tarzan
🎬 Sandlot
🎬 A Christmas Story
🎬 Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
🎬 The Pacifier
🎬 Yours, Mine & Ours

💾 Bookmark this page for when you need a movie recommendation about bullies to watch!

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