Ahhh growing up, what a time! Feelings that you don’t fully understand! Responsibilities you never asked for! Hair in places you never expected! The end of one’s adolescence is a turbulent event, just like high school Health class said it would be. It’s such a significant turning point in a person’s life that we’ve invented a whole genre about it! If you want to be pretentious, you could call that genre the “bildungsroman” – don’t ask me why, I’m not Google. If you want anyone besides English Lit majors to know what you’re talking about, just call it a “coming of age” – and then point them towards these 10 best coming of age films of all time.
Stand By Me
Adapted from what is arguably Stephen King’s best story The Body, Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me is the heartwarming story of four kids trying to steal a glimpse at a dead person. Set in Maine (like every other King story) the plot follows a group of four boys hear a rumor that a local kid was struck and killed by a passing train, and that his body is still lying dead along the tracks. Fascinated by the prospect of finding a bonafide corpse, the adolescent quartet sets out on a quest along the tracks with no parental supervision whatsoever. At its core, Stand By Me teaches a lesson that every kid must someday learn: the world is not a safe place, not even for children. Considering that kids are the leading casualties in Stephen King novels, you’d think they’d know this by now – better late than never.
Lady Bird
Directed by Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird is a coming of age drama about a titular Catholic school girl who, like many Catholic school goers, longs for a life beyond the plaid skirts. Despite her less than ideal financial circumstances, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson dreams of going to a secular college with “culture” on the East Coast. Her mother Marion isn’t thrilled by the idea of her daughter moving to the other side of the country and leaving Jesus behind, and spends the film attempting to convince her daughter to stay local – with emotional tumultuous results. The film is an exploration of the relationship between mothers and daughters everywhere – a relationship that buckles under the pressures of growing up, but ultimate refuses to break.
Moonlight
One of the most significant films of the 21st century, Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight is a coming of age portrait of a queer Black man throughout multiple stages of his life. Growing up in Liberty City, Miami at the height of the crack epidemic, the adolescent Chiron lives alongside his mother Paula – herself addicted to the drug. As Chiron struggles to find his place in the community, his efforts at fitting in are complicated by his growing attraction towards other men. The film is a harrowing depiction of the effects of poverty, addiction and violence – and how these factors exacerbate the difficulties that queer Americans face. It’s ultimately a portrait of resilience in the face of adversity. Chiron may struggle to find acceptance with those closest to him, including his own mother, but he can at least learn to accept himself – like all queer people must.
Superbad
A raunchy relic of the 00s, Greg Mottola’s Superbad broke the coming age mould by depicting the way that teenagers across generations actually behave – and it isn’t pretty. Foul mouthed, sex obsessed, riddled with angst – the teen trio at the heart of this film is a far cry from the sanitized depictions of youth from coming of age films past. The plot is simple: a group of boys are trying to score booze for a party and hopefully lose their virginities along the way. The themes of the film however are much deeper than the shallow subject matter suggests. It’s a story about teenage anxiety, the terror that comes with your life changing faster than you were ready for, and the threat of losing your closest relationships in the chaos.
City of God
Hailed (correctly) as one of the greatest films of all time, Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund’s City of God is a coming of age epic crime drama that takes place in the Cidade de Deus of Rio de Janeiro. Narrated by an aspiring adolescent photographer named Rocket, the film chronicles the rise of organized crime in the area – spurred on by violent young thieves who soon transition into career criminals. A nail-biting portrait of violence and poverty, the film depicts how regular kids are transformed into hardened killers by the dire circumstances they face. The most poignant aspect of the film is its cyclical depiction of criminality: old crime bosses are overthrown by the young, the young become the old guard, the process repeats ad infinitum. Brutal and beautiful, this film is a must watch.
Persepolis
Written and directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, Persepolis is adapted from Satrapi’s graphic novel memoir of the same name. The film depicts Satripi’s coming of age during the Islamic Revolution in Iran, which stripped women of rights and privileges that they had won only a few years before. Robbed of the progressive future that she was promised, young Satrapi starts a quiet revolution of her own – fought with black market pop records, foreign clothing, and rousing speeches to her classmates. It’s the story of a young woman who refuses to conform to the system, and the violence that the system employs to keep young people subjugated and scared – but Satrapi refuses to show fear.
Y Tu Mama También
The best road trip movie ever made, Alfonso Cuarón’s Y Tu Mama Tambien is a picture perfect representation of youthful free spirit. Set in Mexico, the plot follows two teenage boys who want to end adolescence with a bang before going off to college. Yes, that kind of bang. After becoming smitten with a women in her late 20’s, the pair attempt to impress her with their very mature and adult plan to roadtrip to down to “Boca del Cielo”- a place they just made up. To their surprise, the woman agrees to come with – and so begins a journey of wanton sexuality and adventure. The film offers a fleeting glimpse into one of life’s sweetest moments – when you’re not quite an adult and not quite a kid. No real responsibilities but the power to make your own (often gloriously bad) decisions. This film serves as a reminder that those times don’t last forever – enjoy them while you can.
The Breakfast Club
The quintessential 80’s coming of age film, The Breakfast Club is the magnum opus of John Hughes – a director whose entire career revolved around the genre. The plot follows five teenage misfits from separate walks of life who find themselves in detention. Initially suspicious of one another, their inner walls collapse as they realize that they’re all more alike than unalike. They dance to synth pop, they have heart to hearts, they give each other makeovers – all the things that teens are supposed to do. Despite the lighthearted tone, the film doesn’t shy away from the real struggles that kids across generations face – parental violence, suicidal ideation, bullying – it’s all there. While the kids don’t necessarily overcome these struggles in the course of the film, they take comfort in knowing that they don’t have to face them alone.
Almost Famous
Doubling as one of the best music movies of all time, Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous chronicles the rise of fictional rock group Stillwater, and their teenage fans who bear witness to the journey. 15 year old William Miller dreams of becoming a music journalist, and after teenage groupie Penny Lane takes him under her wing and backstage, he might just have a shot. The pair travel the road with Stillwater, a rising rock act that William is assigned to cover for Rolling Stone. This film isn’t about the musicians, it’s about the fans – the people who truly carry an artist to the top. It’s a love letter to young music lovers everywhere, and an examination of the often unhealthy relationship between youth and stardom – spurred on by sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
My Own Private Idaho
Directed by Gus Van Sant, My Own Private Idaho is a portrait of adolescent isolation and search for connection. The plot follows the straining relationship between a narcoleptic street hustler named Mike and a Scott, the rebellious son of a wealthy mayor. On a quest to find his long lost mother, Mike wanders the backroads of America searching for the love that he was never given as a child. As beautiful as a country highway and equally as lonely, the film is a portrait of adolescent misfits divided by social class – the “haves” like Scott tend to turn out alright, but for “have nots” like Mike, life can be a whole lot meaner.
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