Forgotten ’90s crime comedy Jawbreaker is leaving Netflix this month
If you have a soft spot for dark ’90s teen comedies, there is still time to revisit one of the decade’s most distinctive cult films.
Jawbreaker, Darren Stein’s 1999 black comedy about popularity, murder and a very elaborate cover-up, is scheduled to leave Netflix at the end of September. The final day to watch is 30 September.
The film initially struggled at the box office, but its reputation has changed considerably over the years. Its deliberately outrageous humour, sharp take on high-school popularity and instantly recognisable candy-coloured fashion have helped Jawbreaker develop a devoted cult following. Netflix itself classifies the film as a cult favourite, satire and dark comedy.
At the centre of it all is Rose McGowan as Courtney Shayne, the ruthless leader of Reagan High School’s most powerful clique.
A birthday prank takes a deadly turn
The story begins with Courtney, Julie Freeman and Marcie Fox, three members of Reagan High’s elite social circle, preparing a surprise for their best friend, Liz Purr.
The girls stage a fake kidnapping on the morning of Liz’s 17th birthday. Their plan is to frighten her before taking her to a restaurant for breakfast.
Liz, known around school as the “Princess Di of Reagan High”, is gagged with a jawbreaker and placed in the trunk of a car. When the girls later open the boot, however, the joke has turned into something far more serious: Liz has choked to death on the candy.
The three girls are suddenly faced with a choice. They can confess, or they can attempt to make the death disappear.
They choose the latter.
Enter Fern Mayo
Their carefully constructed cover-up becomes much more complicated when Fern Mayo, an unpopular student at Reagan High, discovers what has happened.
Rather than risk Fern revealing the truth, Courtney, Julie and Marcie offer her a place in their exclusive circle in exchange for her silence.
Fern’s transformation becomes one of the film’s most memorable storylines. After a dramatic makeover, she is reinvented as Vylette, taking Liz’s place within the school’s social hierarchy.
The arrangement allows the girls to maintain the appearance that everything is under control. But the pressure of keeping their secret begins to expose the cracks within the group.
And there is another problem: the police are investigating.
Detective Vera Cruz arrives on the scene and begins looking into Liz’s death, putting the girls’ carefully maintained story under increasing pressure.
The film’s central tension comes from watching Courtney attempt to control everyone around her while Julie struggles with the guilt of what happened and Fern finds herself drawn deeper into the world she once watched from the outside.
Rose McGowan leads an unforgettable cast
Jawbreaker features a cast that would go on to become familiar faces across film and television.
Rose McGowan plays Courtney Alice Shayne, the calculating leader of the group. Rebecca Gayheart portrays Julie Freeman, while Julie Benz plays Marcie Fox.
Judy Greer appears as Fern Mayo, later transformed into Vylette, and Charlotte Ayanna plays Liz Purr.
The cast also includes Pam Grier as Detective Vera Cruz, alongside Chad Christ, Ethan Erickson, Carol Kane and others.
From box-office disappointment to cult favourite
When Jawbreaker arrived in 1999, it was hardly an immediate commercial success. The film grossed $3.1 million against a reported $3.5 million budget and received a mixed-to-negative critical response at the time.
Its standing has changed considerably since then.
The film’s combination of black comedy, high-school satire and exaggerated visual style has helped it find an audience well beyond its original theatrical run. Its fashion has become particularly memorable, with the costumes using bright, candy-like colours and retro influences to contrast the cheerful appearance of the characters with the increasingly sinister story underneath.
That contrast is a big part of what makes Jawbreaker so distinctive. The world of Reagan High looks glossy and glamorous, while beneath the surface the characters are dealing with murder, deception and a desperate struggle to protect their social status.
The movie has also continued to attract attention decades after its release. A 25th-anniversary reunion in 2024 brought Judy Greer, Julie Benz and Rebecca Gayheart together, highlighting just how strongly the film has stayed in the public imagination.
A very ’90s take on popularity and power
At its heart, Jawbreaker is a story about the social machinery of high school.
Courtney’s position at the top depends on appearances, loyalty and fear. When Liz dies, the girls’ biggest concern quickly becomes protecting the image they have built for themselves.
Fern’s makeover takes that idea even further. By turning an outsider into Vylette and effectively giving her Liz’s place, the film explores how easily popularity can become a performance.
That satirical edge is one reason Jawbreaker has continued to attract comparisons with other dark teen films. Its mix of ruthless teenage characters, heightened humour and social commentary has helped establish it as one of the more unusual cult movies of the late 1990s.
When does Jawbreaker leave Netflix?
For viewers with access to the relevant Netflix catalogue, 30 September 2026 is the last day to watch Jawbreaker on Netflix, according to the departure date reported for the title.
Netflix notes that availability and removal dates can vary by country, and its help centre says titles approaching removal display a “Last day to watch on Netflix” notice on their details page.
So if Jawbreaker has somehow escaped your ’90s movie watchlist, September is a good time to finally meet Courtney Shayne, Julie Freeman, Marcie Fox and Fern Mayo.
Just don’t expect a typical high-school comedy. This one starts with a birthday prank and ends up becoming a very dark battle over popularity, loyalty and who gets to control the story.