7 Teen Movies That Would Be Very Different If They Had Bark

Parenting in 2024 is definitely challenging, but raising kids before cell phones and the internet presented its own set of obstacles. The biggest one? When your kid left the house, there was literally no way to get in touch with them unless they were near a landline you knew the number to or if your child had a quarter and felt like checking in. (Kids today probably can’t even fathom this kind of free-range existence.) 

Popular movies of the time reflected this analog reality, and it’s amazing how many plots revolve around missed communication, mistakes, and being in the dark about what’s happening in a character’s world. The Bark team — big fans of old movies — noticed this theme, and we got to thinking about how movies of our youth would be different if the characters (and parents) had Bark to help them out. 

7 Teen Movies That Would Be Very Different If They Had Bark

Clueless

When Cher gets left in a parking lot all alone late at night, she could use her Bark Phone to do one of two things: call 911 (which would instantly alert her father to her location) or ask her dad to download Uber so she can get home safely. This is probably one of the strongest arguments for a phone when kids start getting older — they’ll sometimes be far from home and may need help. 

Mean Girls

If Mean Girls took place today, the Burn Book — where the popular girls kept a list of all their insults of classmates — would most likely be created as a Google Doc so it could be easily shared. If Caty’s family had Bark, as soon as she got access to the digital Burn Book the cyberbullying alerts would start pinging her parents’ phones. This would have led to a very important conversation about the importance of respect and friendship, and she probably would have avoided falling in with the Plastics. 

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

There’s no denying that Ferris had a truly epic day off enjoying the sights and sounds of downtown Chicago in 1986 after pretending to be ill. But in 2024? His parents would have been able to keep tabs on his location — and his sickness! — if he had a Bark Phone. Location alerts would ping his mom’s phone if he left the house. And just a quick tap of the map on his dad’s phone would show his location at Wrigley Stadium, not the living room couch. 

The Breakfast Club

Let’s be real — if the Breakfast Club took place today, they’d probably just be in a big, five-person “demented and sad, but social” group chat. But that’s okay! Digital communication is still communication for today’s kids, and it’s a place where they feel comfortable opening up. With Bark, they’d be allowed the freedom to message each other in a safer environment. Serious issues would be flagged, of course, so the different parents would have a better idea of what their children may be struggling with. 

The Karate Kid

Moving to a new city can be hard for any teen in any time period, as Daniel LaRusso knows in The Karate Kid. He becomes a target for bullying at school, which leads him to learning karate from Mr. Miyagi. If it took place today, though, his mom would have gotten an alert from Bark so she could check in and make sure everything’s okay — including talking to the school and letting the administration know what’s up.

Home Alone

Kevin would have had a much shorter time at the McAllister residence all by himself if he had a Bark Phone. As an 8-year-old, he’d most likely be on the talk- and text-only plan, so his parents would have been able to instantly message him something like “Stay put — we’re calling the police. Answer the door when you see them! We’ll find a family friend to come get you.” No epic burglar battle, unfortunately, for the movie studio. 

Grease

Part of the central drama in Grease is that Danny has absolutely no idea that his summer crush, Sandy, is set to start at Rydell High that fall. If they both had Bark Phones, they’d have been able to keep in touch with safe, monitored texting so her arrival wouldn’t be so shocking. This way, Danny would have time to process his feelings and not pretend like she doesn’t exist.

Bark Parental Controls: Peace of Mind for Modern Parents

In today’s digital age, having the right parental control tools can make a world of difference. Bark offers modern parents peace of mind by bridging the gap between freedom and safety, providing a much-needed safety net for kids that use digital devices. 

Reflecting on these iconic teen movies shows just how impactful Bark could have been — from changing moments of missed communication and hidden struggles into opportunities for timely intervention and support from families. Get started with the Bark app (and a free, 7-day trial) or check out the Bark Phone, the best option for a more secure kid’s phone experience.