Say Anything... holds up remarkably well as a portrait of what teenage romance can look like when both people actually communicate and respect each other. Lloyd Dobler remains the platonic ideal of the sensitive boyfriend—earnest without being a pushover, romantic without being creepy.

The catch: this is a 1989 movie, and it looks and feels like one. If your teen can handle the slower pacing and 80s aesthetic, there's real value here. If they're used to the rapid-fire editing and ironic detachment of modern teen content, they might check out.

The content is mature but not gratuitous—implied sex, some drinking, one f-word, and a surprisingly heavy subplot about white-collar crime and parental betrayal. It's not a light watch, but it treats its teenage characters with intelligence and respect, which is rarer than it should be.

Bottom line: This is a genuinely good film that happens to be about teenagers, not a 'teen movie' in the disposable sense. But it's 36 years old, and that shows. Worth watching if your high schooler can appreciate classic cinema; skip it if they need constant stimulation.