In 1997, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion charmed audiences with its quirky humor, bright fashion, and outsider perspective. Now, 28 years later, it holds up as a cult classic worth revisiting.

In 1987 Tucson, outsiders Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow) endure constant ridicule from their high school’s “A-Group,” led by the cutting Christie Masters (Julia Campbell). Romy harbors a crush on Christie’s boyfriend, Billy Christianson (Vincent Ventresca), while their sarcastic classmate Heather Mooney (Janeane Garofalo) floats on the social margins, secretly in love with geeky Sandy Frink (Alan Cumming), who instead likes Michele. At prom, Billy cruelly tricks Romy into believing he has chosen her over Christie, only to abandon her. Humiliated yet loyal, Michele steps in to dance with Romy instead, cementing the pair’s bond as they leave high school defined less by popularity than by their friendship.

A decade later, the two share a Los Angeles apartment. Romy works at a Jaguar dealership while Michele remains unemployed, and their carefree lives revolve around clubbing, junk food, and movies. When Romy unexpectedly runs into Heather, now a polished, successful businesswoman, she learns their ten-year reunion is approaching. Panic sets in as Romy realizes they have little conventional success to showcase, prompting the pair to scramble for a way to impress their former classmates and preserve their friendship.

After failed attempts at self-improvement, they decide to fabricate success instead. Borrowing a luxury car and dressing in sharp, homemade business attire, they claim to have invented Post-it notes. Tension over maintaining the lie sparks a fight, and they arrive at the reunion barely speaking. Michele briefly imagines a bleak future in which their rivalry stretches for decades. In reality, their deception quickly unravels when Heather unintentionally exposes the true inventor, and Christie seizes the chance to mock them, forcing Romy and Michele to confront their insecurities.

Choosing authenticity over approval, Romy and Michele return to the reunion in bold, colorful designs of their own making. Former classmate Lisa Luder (Elaine Hendrix) praises their originality, undercutting Christie’s authority. Sandy, once awkward but now wealthy and confident, professes his love for Michele and asks her to dance with him. The duo is celebrated by their classmates, while Billy, unhappy in his marriage to Christie, unsuccessfully hits on Romy. Romy and Michele leave the reunion together, having reclaimed their friendship and confidence.

When I first watched Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion in November 2008, I knew of Pretty Woman—the film they’re watching near the beginning—but had never actually seen it. My knowledge was limited to what had filtered through popular culture. By the time this review is published, I will have finally watched it. As of this rewatch, though, not quite. The other thing about that first viewing is that I was subconsciously yearning for female friendship while suppressing much of my identity. I obviously didn’t rush to see it in theaters with my family in the 1990s. The fact that I didn’t seek it out until I was living on my own is telling.

The many cable broadcasts helped turn the film into a cult classic. It grossed $29.2 million at the box office against a $20 million budget but grew its audience well beyond its theatrical run. Because of that, a prequel with a new cast followed. Years later, a stage musical made its Off-Broadway premiere, and Sorvino, Kudrow, and Cumming have discussed a sequel expected in 2027. It didn’t just become a cult classic—its legacy is visible today in other films and TV shows centered on female friendship, such as Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar.

When people attend their ten-year high school reunion, more often than not they want to show how much they’ve changed. I reluctantly went to mine. It came at the tail end of the Jewish holiday marathon, so I knew I would be exhausted and in no mood to attend. There were also the high school bullies I didn’t want to deal with—including those who sexually harassed and assaulted me. I didn’t have the exact language in high school. I have that language now. I was very closeted and still suppressing. That wasn’t the case by the time I skipped my twentieth reunion.

Romy and Michele haven’t changed much since leaving Arizona for Los Angeles after high school. So what happens? They decide to lie, claiming they invented Post-its, only for Heather to blow their cover. But had they simply chosen to be themselves rather than perform success, they likely would have been embraced from the start instead of remaining the loners they were in school. Their bright outfits turn out to be hits—especially with Lisa, now an assistant fashion editor at Vogue and no longer aligned with the A-group. Throw in Sandy’s wealth and his love for Michele, and the two are soon running a successful fashion boutique in Los Angeles.

Mira Sorvino plays Romy with a Philly-Jersey accent. To say it’s a choice would be an understatement. I’m not sure I would call it hilarious or iconic so much as a nuisance to my ears while watching Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion. I’m not denying the possibility that people speak this way, but this is, hands down, one of the more grating accents I’ve experienced in an otherwise charming film. Supposedly, it underscores how Romy domineers the relationship with Michele. Maybe it will grow on me in future viewings. For now, I remain unconvinced.

One of the best parts of watching Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is the music. The film contains no shortage of 1980s hits—many of which did not make it onto either official soundtrack due to rights issues. Several songs arrive during key moments, whether in the opening credits, the initial drive from Los Angeles to Tucson, or the dance number featuring Romy, Michele, and Sandy.

For all its exaggerated accents, bold fashion, and ‘90s sheen, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion remains a sharp and affectionate comedy about female friendship. Its cult status was earned through cable reruns and word of mouth, but its staying power comes from something deeper: the simple, radical idea that being yourself is enough. Not every creative choice lands, yet the film’s heart never wavers. That heart is what continues to connect with audiences decades later.

DIRECTOR: David Mirkin
SCREENWRITER: Robin Schiff
CAST: Mira Sorvino, Lisa Kudrow, Alan Cumming, Julia Campbell, and Janeane Garofalo, Vincent Ventresca, Camryn Manheim, Mia Cottet, Elaine Hendrix, Kristin Bauer, Jacob Vargas, Justin Theroux

Touchstone Pictures released Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion in theaters on April 25, 1997. Grade: 4/5

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