As a student who graduated high school last year and is sort of in that “coming of age” movie genre timeline, I feel there are many movies out there that I adore and love. Coming-of-age films are movies that focus heavily on the journey of going through the years of high school and college. This is such a prominent genre of film because growing up is such a personal yet completely universal experience and can be depicted in many different ways through film. That being said, here are some of my favorite examples of coming-of-age movies.
“Lady Bird” – Greta Gerwig (2017)
The movie “Lady Bird” is the story of a 17-year-old high school senior named Lady Bird McPhearson and her life growing up in Sacramento, California. The movie focuses heavily on her relationship with Lady Bird’s mother, friends, and first few relationships while delving into so much more about the life of a teenage girl. Throughout the movie, you get to witness her mature into the young woman she’s becoming, and it is just an overall beautiful film to see.
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” – Stephen Chbosky (2012)
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a fantastic movie that focuses on the mental health and life of a freshman in high school named Charlie. He is a shy and introverted kid who is unexpectedly befriended by two seniors named Sam and Patrick, who become his mentors. Throughout the movie, they teach Charlie to become more comfortable with himself and learn to love things like music and movies, and he even learns more about himself.
“Juno” – Jason Reitman (2007)
“Juno” follows the story of a young high schooler named Juno who accidentally gets pregnant at only sixteen years old and decides to give her baby up for adoption. The story follows her pregnancy and her relationship with the father of her baby, her best friend, her family, and the family she chooses to give her baby up for adoption to. Similar to all the other movies I’ve discussed, she learns throughout the movie and matures into a young woman.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” – John Hughes (1986)
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a very classic example of a coming-of-age story, as it involves three high school friends that all find elaborate ways to skip a day of school and escape the school authorities to enjoy a day in Chicago. The whole film shows the importance of making sure to live in the moment and enjoy life while you can and while you’re young. It spreads a beautiful message as it shows Ferris Bueller and his friends learning more about themselves and growing as people.