High School Musical

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High School Musical

TV-G

2006

1h 36m

Kids & Family

Musical

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), the star athlete at a small-town high school, falls for nerdy beauty Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) at a holiday karaoke party. When they return to campus, Troy and Gabriella audition for the upcoming school musical. Meanwhile, the jealous Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) conspires to squelch their chances. The two must struggle to make it to auditions while also meeting their existing obligations to the basketball team and the academic decathlon.

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Critics Consensus

High School Musical is brazenly saccharine, but it makes up for it with its memorable show tunes, eye-popping choreography, and appealing cast.

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Laura Fries

Variety

09/10/2019

Although the plot's not particularly novel, writer Peter Barsocchini's script maintains the fantasy elements while incorporating topical and relevant themes into the story.

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Anita Gates

New York Times

09/09/2019

It would be unfair not to salute the movie's message about broadening one's horizons and not being limited by stereotypes or peer pressure. But when an admirable message is packaged in such treacle, it just makes the message seem treacly, too.

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Noel Murray

AV Club

09/09/2019

B

Mostly, High School Musical makes an appealing case for an idealized vision of high school, where individuality is celebrated and even the mean kids know everyone's name.

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Kate Halliwell

The Ringer

04/25/2023

School spirit is forever, though. May the legacy of the East High Wildcats never die.

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Kate Robertson

The Post NZ

08/10/2021

If a pre-teen in your life hasn't seen this coming-of-age classic, it's time to sit down and educate them.

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Nick Levine

Digital Spy

09/10/2019

High School Musical is kitsch, sexless and hopelessly clichéd, but it manages to offer a giddy sense of fun to a generation that's overdosing on seriousness.

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Joel H

@786Joel Apr 18

First and foremost, Sharpay and Ryan’s rendition of "What I've Been Looking For" is better than Troy and Gabriella’s. It just is. Secondly, I was well into adulthood when High School Musical was released, so I don’t have the nostalgia goggles on and can see all the cheesiness. And it is cheesy. There is a lot of overacting from the cast and the story is extremely predictable. That doesn’t stop it from being entertaining, though. There are some songs I really enjoy and the choreography is fun. It’s not a surprise that High School Musical stands out from other Disney Channel movies of that time.

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Jason B

@RT90795834 Apr 3

I think high school musical is a great movie. I watched this movie many times and every time that I watch it it just keeps getting better and better whatever my daughter‘s watch the movie after they they’ll just sing songs and dogs cause it’s a musical movie. I’m I’m a big fan of this movie and my favorite character is Sharpei. She is a person in the movie. A lot of people think she’s sassy but I personally think she’s like everybody else maybe even nicer this movie is about two people who have a crush on each other and they end up going to the same school. There is no scary parts, but in the middle there’s a there’s a little sad part this is an amazing movie. I really think you should watch it.

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Scorch T

@Scorch9 Mar 29

this just holds such a special place in my heart. love the plot, love the characters and love all the iconic sequences and great musical numbers. the story is just great and makes for a really entertaining and fun time. efron and hudgens are great together here too. love the message of following your dreams too.

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Lena M

@RT35221292 Mar 28

I LOVE THIS MUSICAL SO SO SO MUCH 😭❤️ it truly forged my whole childhood thank you so much Kenny Ortega

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Kurtis E

@RT90937435 Mar 27

I LOVEEE THIS COMEDY! It makes me giggle lots, like I'm a kid on something. Thank you Ryan for keeping me sane. DIVA 💔

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Sarah V

@RT36773576 Mar 23

An incredible film. It has one of the best musical soundtracks (We’re All In This Together) and an amazing production design. It’s worth to watch, and we should appreciate it by the art that reflects it in their scenes.

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Kenny Ortega

Director

Zac Efron

Troy Bolton

Vanessa Hudgens

Gabriella Montez

Ashley Tisdale

Sharpay Evans

Lucas Grabeel

Ryan Evans

Alyson Reed

Ms. Darbus

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Synopsis

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron), the star athlete at a small-town high school, falls for nerdy beauty Gabriella Montez (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) at a holiday karaoke party. When they return to campus, Troy and Gabriella audition for the upcoming school musical. Meanwhile, the jealous Sharpay Evans (Ashley Tisdale) conspires to squelch their chances. The two must struggle to make it to auditions while also meeting their existing obligations to the basketball team and the academic decathlon.

Director: Kenny Ortega
Producer: Don Schain
Screenwriter: Peter Barsocchini
Production Co: Walt Disney Pictures, First Street Films, Salty Pictures Inc.
Rating: TV-G
Genre: Kids & Family, Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 5, 2016
Runtime: 1h 36m