Top 20 Iconic Party Scenes in Movies

Sweaty dance floors, lukewarm beer and an unapologetic hedonism reigning in the DJ booth – this is one of the secret recipes for iconic movie party scenes. 

At the end of every movie, party scenes end up as the narratives that live in our heads rent-free for weeks, months and years. From their banging EDM beats to the sloppy, vodka-induced blackouts, these iconic party scenes will forever be crowd-pleasers. 

Here’s our list of must-see movie party scenes.

1. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

This party scene in 10 Things I Hate About You shows that the best parties are those that start off as improvised. The romantic comedy starring Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger follows Patrick’s mission to charm Kat. 

This scene displays how what was supposed to be an intimate house party goes out of hand, turning into a booze-fueled craze where youngsters engage in messy make-out sessions at every corner. 

2. The Great Gatsby (2013)

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic is more than another American Dream narrative filled with glitz and glam – it also displays the mix of exuberance and decadence that monopolized blue-blooded parties in the roaring 20s.

Through top-notch acting delivered by icons like Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, we are introduced to Jay Gatsby’s flamboyant lifestyle. His over-the-top house parties have everything from roulette tables and exquisite dancers to burlesque live shows and champagne towers.

3. 21 Jump Street (2012)

Every time you watch the house party scene from 21 Jump Street, you will relive your glory university days. Protagonists Schmidt (Jonah Hil) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are a pair of underachieving cops who find themselves in the middle of a party that goes out of hand.

Yes, this party scene happens during their undercover mission of finding drug dealers. Of course, the house party is filled with underage drinkers, bong smoking and people vomiting from one too many tequila shots.

4. Fun Size (2012)

This American teen comedy starring Victoria Justice and April Martin tells the story of a suburban highschooler stuck with one of the most tedious tasks – babysitting her younger brother. 

But the cherry on top of this disastrous scenario is that she is supposed to attend a Halloween party. This iconic party scene shows how the protagonist makes the best of both worlds by dragging her little brother to the senior highschool party.

5. The Lost Boys (1987)

After moving to a small town in California, two boys find themselves sucked into a mysterious world of vampires, vampire hunters, and bikers. 

This scene from the dark comedy horror film starring Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, and Jason Patric displays the teenage boys attending an odd outdoor party where an encounter captivates one of the brothers.

6. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Set in 1969 Los Angeles, this film follows the narrative of a washed-out actor played by Brad Pitt and his stunt double (Leonardo DiCaprio) who try to recapture their 15 minutes of fame.

This famous bit takes the characters to the iconic Playboy Mansion. Besides displaying a hedonistic party scene, it also showcases the carefree lifestyle that characterized A-list celebrities during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

7. Accepted (2006)

Accepted is a teen comedy starring Justin Long, Blake Lively, and Jonah Hill, where an idler gets rejected from all the colleges he applied to.

To the dismay of his overly expectant parents, Bartleby decides to take matters into his own hands by creating his own educational institution. 

This iconic party scene sees the protagonist get on stage and sing along with a band while the crowds are going crazy over his impromptu performance. 

8. Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

Geeks, outcasts, promising footballers and good-looking girls – that’s an eclectic mix difficult to bring in one place. But the iconic romantic comedy Can’t Hardly Wait seems to master this art. 

This movie revolves around a party scene. A graduating class attends a wild party at a rich colleague’s lavish house – one can imagine that shit will get down pretty fast, and jaw-dropping character development will be an integral part of the get-together.

9. Beerfest (2006)

One word, a lot of bubbles and tons of empty pints – can you guess what it is? You got it right. We’re talking about beer – the iconic Oktoberfest, to be more precise. Two brothers travel to Germany for the festival, but they get sucked into an aggressive beer competition. 

This party scene displays a small part of their drinking boot camp. While the partying session has a promising start, it ends up in utter chaos. Random boxing sessions, blackouts and self-destructive drinking are all included in the package.

10. TED (2012)

Nothing cures boredom more than a hard-partying, smutty teddy bear who is gifted with boundary-pushing humor. With this array of attributes, one should know that unforgettable parties are always guaranteed. 

This specific scene shows a house party at Teddy’s Flat where iconic lines (we’re not talking only about quotes here) and crazy drinking reign supreme. 

11. Mean Girls (2004)

We all know it. We’ve all watched it – multiple times. The iconic Mean Girls is set in a highschool where clan rivalry, secrets, and backstabbing take over the protagonist’s life, Cady, who had just moved there from South Africa. 

For the love of popularity, Cady throws a house party that – you guessed it – escalates into utter chaos faster than you can imagine. Although the protagonist wants a small get-together, word about the celebration passes through the entire highschool so much that her house ends up filled with a bunch of strangers.

12. Why Him? (2016)

Starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston, this comedy follows Laird’s quest to win the approval of his girlfriend’s parents. Caring but overprotective, her parents aren’t taking the situation well, fueling a father vs. boyfriend drama.

This funny party scene shows the main characters at a club (by the way, Steve Aoki is spinning the decks), letting loose and getting lost in the DJ’s ineffable beats.

13. Bad Moms (2016)

This raunchy comedy follows three overworked mothers as they decide to abandon their responsibilities for a little bit of freedom. This rebellion against the suburban mom norm triggers a series of iconic party scenes. 

But one of the most iconic ones is when the moms get together for a boozy session that ends up as one of the most hilarious on-screen drunk nights you have ever witnessed. 

Movie party scenes always go above and beyond by bringing hilarious events and glamorous nights, making them as memorable as ever.

14. American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006)

A prude virgin, a playboy joker, and a naked campus run – if that doesn’t sound like the secret recipe for some raunchy fun, we don’t know what would. In American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, this holy trinity is topped off with one of the craziest college parties. 

We mean it – if partying next to hundreds of half-naked teens demonstrating there are ten ways of doing shots won’t make your jaw drop, Stifler’s upside-down beer keg session definitely will.

15. Project X (2012)

Parties have the magical power to change your life forever – at least this is what Project X’s trio of unpopular school seniors shows us. The students decide to throw one of the most epic house parties, but it spirals out of control when news spread like wildfire.

In this party scene not only do we learn a valuable lesson about how to safeguard a party from some noisy cops, but we also witness a bona fide partying vibe. With its roof skateboarding, unapologetic excess and alcohol-fueled hysteria, this partying scene makes us want to immediately teleport to Thomas’ house.

16. Office Christmas Party (2016)

If Project X shows us that one epic party can change your life forever, Office Christmas Party demonstrates that it can save corporations, too. To stop the CEO (who is also his sister) from shutting down his branch, the manager throws a party that’s supposed to help him land on a major league client. 

Just like any other epic party, things go out of hand. A “Let’s go get a drink” is quickly followed by drifting on an ice slide, drinking from an ice statue (we really appreciate the on-point theme) and taking pics with a drunk Santa. Oh, the recipe of success.

17. Old School (2003)

In the aftermath of a tumultuous break-up, an attorney moves next to his old college campus. Because there isn’t a thing that tequila won’t heal, he persuades his married friends to re-cherish the good old days of frat parties all year long. 

During this party scene, we enter Mitch’s very first party, where none other than Snoop Dogg makes an appearance to hype up the crowds. Every element of this partying session – from the sweaty pleasure-seeking that best characterizes college days to streaking – makes us all want to relive the sheer euphoria of university life.

18. Bad Neighbors (2014)

Living next to a fraternity can be both heaven and hell – but when you’re married and have parental responsibilities, it is mostly hell. While the most insane parties take place next door, new parents Mac and Kelly do whatever they can to take them down. 

In this party scene, the couple buries the ax of war and attends one of the frat parties. Needless to say, a baby monitor, way too many mushrooms and a painting session seem to be the ultimate cure-all.

19. 21 & Over (2013)

There is nothing wrong with getting boozy on a weekday. But when you black out the night before a crucial med school interview, the situation can quickly morph into a catastrophic disaster. This post-teen comedy displays an ill-advised night where a trio goes out to celebrate Jeff’s 21st birthday bash. 

But the “one drink” mantra escalates into a night of pure excess and debauchery. Actually, debauchery is an understatement for taking shots out of someone’s belly button and climbing onto a bar to piss on the surroundings (which, by the way, include people).

20. 22 Jump Street (2014) 

Boasting a bromantic chemistry, 22 Jump Street stars the iconic hapless-but-hilarious undercover cops duo – but this time, the setting is a college. And we all know what colleges are best known for, right? 

This party scene perfectly embodies a beach party vibe, infused with some Spring Break hedonism. Diplo is spinning the decks, everybody seems to have the time of their lives and the party vibe is ineffable. 

Party movie scenes can lead to crucial plot development, character revelations or they are just purely awesome. Whether it’s a posh impromptu party or a craze-fuelled birthday bash, one thing is for sure – those movie scenes make you want to throw a party, head to the nearest bar or text your friends group chat “anyone’s house free tonight? x”.