15 Times "Senior Year" Referenced The '90s And 2000s Flawlessly

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Netflix's newest comedy film, Senior Year, is an ode to teen movies and '90s/2000s culture. It's 100 minutes of perfect, nostalgic silliness, and possibly Rebel Wilson's best role ever.

Netflix

I don't think five minutes go by without some reference to something that was cool 20 years ago.

I'm a child of the era myself, so this nostalgia overload delighted me. Here's a list of all the references throughout the movie:

1.The film's soundtrack is FULL of early-2000s throwbacks, naturally.

Arista

Here are just a few of the songs:

"Hot in Herre" by Nelly

"Sk8r Boi" by Avril Lavigne

"She's So High" by Tal Bachman

"Candy" by Mandy Moore

"Come on Over" by Christina Aguilera

2.It also includes "A Moment Like This," which is a shoutout to when Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol in 2002.

Kelly singing into a microphone
Fox

3.Cheerleading and prom elections are a very big deal in Senior Year, something it shares with countless '90s and 2000s teen movies.

Cheerleaders cheerleading

The whole Bring It On franchise, She's All That, and Mean Girls immediately come to mind.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

4.The script has lots of references to miscellaneous things that were popular at the time, like MTV, VH1, Tamagotchi, and The Real World.

People playing with their Tamagotchi
David Lodge / Getty Images

5.Rebel's character Stephanie's dad works at Blockbuster during the scenes set in 2002.

Man in a Blockbuster uniform leading on a table
Netflix

6."Don't go chasing waterfalls" is used by both Stephanie and Tiffany (played by Zoë Chao) as a threat.

Cheerleaders standing together

I don't think a human teenager has ever used that phrase in that context, but it's a funny and specific thing to include anyway.

Netflix

7.Stephanie thinks that a magazine cover of Lady Gaga is actually a picture of Madonna, which is a reference to their very famous feud.

Lady Gaga and Madonna standing together
Patrick McMullan / Getty Images

8.Stephanie's room is like a '90s and 2000s time capsule, complete with era-appropriate posters.

Rebel as Stephanie sitting on her bed with posters on her bedroom wall

She's got posters of NSYNC, Pink, Robbie Williams, and Romeo + Juliet, among others.

Netflix

9.Stephanie's style is an ode to the early 2000s, and you'll be able to spot LOTS of items that were super popular at the time.

Rebel as Stephanie waving and smiling

Stephanie rocks layered tops, chain belts, low-rise bell bottoms, butterfly hair clips, a Juicy Couture tracksuit, and a Von Dutch hat.

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

10.Tiffany's daughter goes by Bri, but her full name is Britney Jean. This is, of course, in honor of Britney Spears.

Smiling young woman looking at a cellphone
Netflix

11.Stephanie teaches her friends a dance routine, and the movie uses the opportunity to have Rebel re-create Britney's "(You Drive Me) Crazy" video.

People leaning back in their chairs with a "Crazy" sign above them
Netflix

12.Stephanie herself is clearly based on Cher from Clueless, which, incidentally, is one of the posters she has hanging in her room.

Close-up of Stephanie blowing a kiss and close-up of Alicia Silverstone as Cher in Clueless applying lip liner
Netflix/Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

13.Alicia Silverstone appears as Deanna Russo, a former prom queen who gives Stephanie some much-needed advice at her lowest moment.

Stephanie and Deanna in a car
Netflix

14.Stephanie gets to perform her original cheerleading routine from 2002 at her 2022 graduation, which means that the film joins countless others that end with a triumphant, if unnecessary, dance number.

People standing in line and dancing

You've definitely seen this before.

Netflix

15.And finally, the credits feature the whole cast dancing and some bloopers, which all of the Bring It On movies also did.

Universal

16.Did you spot any other '90s and 2000s references in the movie? Please, do tell!