Sara Pequeño: ‘Clueless’ is finally being taken seriously by society | Opinion

On Thursday, timeless teen comedy “Clueless” was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry as part of the 2025 class of movies. I can’t lie, its inclusion surprised me.

Directed by Amy Heckerling (“Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Look Who’s Talking”), “Clueless” is among three films inducted this month that was directed by a woman, which, along with “Frida” and “The Loving Story,” brings the grand total of female-helmed films in the registry to nearly 100 out of 925.

“Clueless” is also one of a handful of movies catering to teen girls to have made the list since the registry was created in the late 1980s, joining the ranks of other adolescent favorites like “The Breakfast Club” and “Grease.”

Yet “Clueless” feels different – unlike the aforementioned films, it’s a movie that centers solely on a female main character. Sure, there’s a love story element – who are we to deny ourselves the romantic charisma of a young Paul Rudd – but the story is really about a teenage girl and the young women in her atmosphere.

Media for teenage girls is often thought of as unserious and lacking in artistic merit. This is not a problem for movies geared toward boys, as evidenced by the inclusion of “The Karate Kid” and “The Incredibles” in the latest additions. For “boy movies,” the artistic undertones are seen as inherent. That’s why it’s so important that “Clueless” was seen as important enough to preserve.

I don’t think I need to go too into the details of such a beloved movie, but in case you’re one of the holdouts, here’s what happens: Based on Jane Austen’s “Emma,” the film centers Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, a 15-year-old Beverly Hills socialite with a penchant for meddling in the lives of those around her. When a girl named Tai (Brittany Murphy) moves to her school, Cher sees it as her calling to make over her new friend and find her a boyfriend. Chaos ensues, as it is wont to do.

There’s not much I can say about “Clueless” that hasn’t been said in the three decades since its release. The movie cemented its status in the zeitgeist from the opening credits, where “Kids in America” plays over teenagers giggling and lounging by a pool.

The technicolor spectacle of ‘90s teendom in a wealthy Los Angeless enclave is heightened by the costuming and set design. The casting is nothing short of star-studded, launching the careers of Silverstone, Murphy and Rudd. It’s quotable as hell, and it’s one of the few movies whose lines I can recite from memory.

The film isn’t overtly political – save for the debate scene, in which Cher boldly declares that there is no “RSVP on the Statue of Liberty.” Yet the movie has a moral compass that can’t be denied, which is by design.

“I would get up, read the news and then just want to cry and be depressed,” Heckerling told the Library of Congress. “So, I thought, what if you really were always positive? How would that be? And what if you were doing things and you just knew that you were right?”

Cher’s character arc in the movie is a perfect example of the coming-of-age experiences that all teenage girls have, regardless of their class status. As she looks outside of herself and realizes the beauty of her friendships in the third act, we watch her go from being overtly self-centered person to someone who cares about the world around her.

Sure, it’s the result of her feelings for Josh, her former stepbrother who antagonizes her for most of the movie, but who among us hasn’t had a crush that transformed our understanding of the world?

Ironically, the textual basis for “Clueless” has also fought to be taken seriously for generations. Austen’s work is seldom revered – or taught – in the ways her male counterparts like Charles Dickens or Nathaniel Hawthorne are, even though her works have endured just the same.

Sure, there’s always a love interest in Austen’s works, and her stories always end in a wedding. But her musings on the social themes of her era and prowess for scene-setting are still captivating young women in the 21st century.

In the same way, “Clueless” does have moments that show its age – namely, the lack of social media playing a role in the social hierarchy at the high school – but the social dynamics still feel true in the modern era.

Of course, I’m biased. “Clueless” has been one of my favorite movies since I was a teenager, and I have firsthand experience with the way adolescent girlhood is not taken seriously by society. But with the inclusion of the Heckerling classic in the National Film Registry, maybe others are finally starting to see the lasting impact of media geared toward teenage girls, and the way it can shape culture for generations to come.