Geek Transformations in Movies

Clueless

The character: Tai Frasier

The transformation: When Cher and Dionne decide to take Tai under their wings, the Beverly Hills fashionistas give her a geek-to-chic makeover that improves both her confidence and her wardrobe. The happily-ever-after result? She feels strong enough to find her own way in LA and with the skater boy of her dreams, Travis.

1 / 10

The Breakfast Club

The character: Allison Reynolds

The transformation: The dandruff-shaking, wallet-stealing compulsive liar may be a bit strange, but after Allison gets a makeover from queen bee Claire, it's clear that she's more than just a wallflower. As soon as she shows her face, we take notice, and she finally starts to come out of her shell.

2 / 10

She's All That

The character: Laney Boggs

The transformation: After Zack's gorgeous girlfriend dumps him for a Real World star, he bets his buddies that he can turn Laney, an outcast, into the most popular girl in school. Zack falls for her in the process, and Laney gets a gorgeous makeover that boosts her self-esteem, though we loved her quirky artist "before" just as much.

3 / 10

Mean Girls

The character: Cady Heron

The transformation: When homeschooled Cady enrolls in a public high school, she's blissfully unaware of how catty girls can be toward one another. Thanks to the Plastics, though, she quickly learns all about the girl world. When her lighthearted attack on Regina George morphs into an obsession, Cady gets a makeup-heavy makeover that turns her into a truly mean girl — until losing geek cred causes her to lose it all.

4 / 10

Never Been Kissed

The character: Josie Geller

The transformation: A news assignment forces Josie, a journalist, to pose as a high-school student and relive her not-so-glory days. Determined to leave her "Josie Grossie" years behind, she joins the popular crowd and reinvents herself. Eventually, though, she realizes that she's fine as she is — especially since the heartthrob English teacher seems to think so, too.

5 / 10

Crazy, Stupid, Love

The character: Cal Weaver

The transformation: An unexpected divorce drives Cal to drinking regularly at the local bar. When smooth and sexy Jacob comes to the rescue, Cal learns how to dress, walk, and talk like a more confident version of himself. His newfound success with the ladies reminds Cal of just one thing, though — how much he misses his first lady, his ex-wife.

6 / 10

The Princess Diaries

The character: Mia Thermopolis

The transformation: Frizzy hair, thick-framed glasses, and a less-than-graceful demeanor make Mia feel like an Average Jane. But after Queen Clarisse teaches some etiquette lessons, and the hairstylist works his magic, Mia morphs into a beautiful, sophisticated (though still a bit klutzy) princess worthy of the crown.

7 / 10

Can't Buy Me Love

The character: Ronald Miller

The transformation: In an effort to shed his nerdy reputation and get into the cool crowd, Ronald hires Cindy, a pretty cheerleader, to be his girlfriend. She starts to have feelings for him, but Ronald's renewal causes him to lose touch with what's important and recognize that being himself wasn't so bad, after all.

8 / 10

Miss Congeniality

The character: Gracie Hart

The transformation: To investigate a bombing case, tough FBI agent Gracie has to join the Miss America Pageant and turn herself into Gracie Lou Freebush — a hair-twirling, makeup-wearing girlie girl who can strut with the best of them. She isn't happy about it, but the experience teaches her not to judge a book by its (airbrushed) cover.

9 / 10

Blank Check

The character: Preston Waters

The transformation: The 12-year-old Preston isn't exactly the cool kid on the block, but he certainly starts to gain confidence after finding a blank check for a million dollars. He creates the best dream world money can buy, eventually learning that it isn't enough. Being rich might make him more popular in some ways, but things get complicated, and he starts to miss his real life.

10 / 10