Timeless Tales of Growing Up

Coming-of-age is a timeless subgenre of cinema that stays ever popular because of the simultaneously comforting and confrontational nature of storytelling that it’s associated with. A good coming-of-age movie doesn’t shy away from depicting harsh realities, but is also often a sweet and nostalgic ride. Without the best coming-of-age movies from the 1980s, this subgenre wouldn’t have its current form.

The themes tackled by coming-of-age cinema are still consistent with the themes introduced in the ’80s, which is the most influential decade for many genres of cinema. While the genre is beloved and increasingly popular, there are quite a few coming-of-age movies that even fans have never seen, which attempt to subvert the typical tropes and move the subgenre forward.

This is why the best coming-of-age movies that depict life as a teenager are vastly different in every decade, since they keep up with the times to stay relevant. The greatest coming-of-age movies ever made are thus time capsules that offer glimpses into the lives of people from the time they were made, while tackling universal and timeless topics.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

While the ’80s and ’90s had many grounded comedies about the struggles of life as a teenager, the number of such movies were dwindling in the 2010s, after movies struggled to follow up the likes of Easy A and Superbad. However, Kelly Fremon Craig’s The Edge of Seventeen is a return to form for the subgenre, while being quintessentially 2016.

Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) struggles with the gap between her and her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) after the latter starts dating her older brother and joins a different social circle. She finds solace in conversations with Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson), whom she’d normally torment. Quirky humor and a realistic depiction of life in the mid-2010s make it a classic.

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Every time I Billy Medley’s voice singing “Now, I’ve had the time of my life”, I immediately picture Jennifer Grey running towards Patrick Swayze before leaping as he holds her up. A memorable 1980s movie associated with one song, Dirty Dancing is iconic for more than just that unforgettable dance routine set to (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.

Now, while it’s a classic of the ’80s, the fact that Baby (Grey) is 17 and Johnny (Swayze) is 25 does raise eyebrows today. However, Baby’s arc is one of well-intentioned teen rebellion, and she glows with a liberating confidence that has its timeless appeal. The fantastic choreography of the dance sequences is the major appeal of the movie.

American Graffiti (1973)

He’ll forever be most famous for creating the intergenerational hit franchise Star Wars, but George Lucas is a director who made two good movies before the amazing third installment. While his debut, THX 1138, is also a sci-fi film, his sophomore directorial feature American Graffiti stands out as a unique entry in his filmography.

A group of teenagers who have just graduated from high school in the early ’60s go out cruising, and their lives change as they encounter various unique people and cultures in American Graffiti. It’s a quintessentially ’60s movie, despite being made a decade later, and perfectly captures the sense of uncertainty that high school graduation brings with it.

Boyhood (2014)

The behind-the-scenes stories of some movies have become more famous than the corresponding movies themselves, and Richard Linklater’s Boyhood is among the most classic examples of this phenomenon, because even many who haven’t seen the film know it was filmed over the course of a dozen years. It features Ellar Coltrane as the protagonist from ages six to eighteen.

Coltrane plays the son of Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke, who play his two divorced co-parents in the film. Boyhood follows the ever-changing relationship of the boy with his parents as he grows up and their roles in his life evolve. It is a unique film that captures the feeling of growing up despite being a compilation of disconnected vignettes.

Lady Bird (2017)

Greta Gerwig’s first writing credit and Saoirse Ronan’s first acting credit both date back to 2007, in Hannah Takes the Stairs and Atonement, respectively. Exactly a decade later, Gerwig directed Ronan in and as Lady Bird, which also marked the former’s directorial debut. It follows Lady Bird as she prepares to leave for college and regularly clashes with her mother.

Ronan delivers one of the best A24 movie performances ever, opposite an equally compelling Laurie Metcalf. The duo beautifully portray the flawed and strained relationship between mother and daughter. The grounded exploration of their relationship is harrowing at times, but to the best effect, as the resolution in the climactic scene is painfully aware of its incompleteness.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Stephen Chbosky wrote his own movie adaptation of his eponymous novel, which became a sensation in the 2010s, and continues to be celebrated as one of the best coming-of-age movies of all time. It also made Logan Lerman the center of attention, which is ironically what his character avoids. The Perks of Being a Wallflower will always be famous for:

“I know these will all be stories some day, and our pictures will become old photographs. We all become somebody’s mom or dad. But right now, these moments are not stories. This is happening. I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song, and that drive with the people who you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear, we are infinite.” – Charlie

When the prelude to David Bowie’s Heroes starts playing as Charlie starts his climactic monologue, history is made for many first-time viewers, because it changes their outlook on life. Charlie’s journey of self-discovery, “We accept the love we think we deserve”, the depiction of high school, and the celebration of life, put the film among the best in the subgenre.

Almost Famous (2000)

KPop Demon Hunters is making new viewership milestones on streaming charts as I write this, because audiences love its heartfelt message about self-acceptance, its incredibly catchy soundtrack, and its portrayal of music fan culture. Cameron Crowe once tackled similar topics with a catchy soundtrack 25 years ago in Almost Famous, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

15-year-old child prodigy William Miller (Patrick Fugit) tours with a fictitious band to report on them. During his travels, he falls in love with a groupie, played by Kate Hudson, and witnesses the heavy drama between the band members. He returns more grown-up than he left, after an iconic journey with rock-and-roll that’d make any 2000s kid jealous and nostalgic.

Coraline (2009)

Gorgeous stop-motion animation brings us this compelling story from Henry Selick, marking the first feature film by Laika Studios. A cult classic whose fandom continues to grow with time, Coraline tells the story of the titular Coraline (Dakota Fanning), who discovers a portal to another world which is as visually terrifying as it is conceptually comforting.

Coraline‘s exploration of her relationship with her parents makes it the perfect animated horror movie to watch with family, as it delves deep into the complexities of the evolving relationship as we grow up. The stop-motion characters, whose quirks are as much a part of their personalities as their appearances, elevate Selick’s film to the tier of a masterpiece.

Little Women (2019)

Louisa May Alcott’s eponymous novel is one of the most beloved coming-of-age stories of all time, following the four March sisters as they grow up in the 1860s and ’70s in America, during and after the Civil War. The story depicts the hardships they encounter and overcome, their interpersonal conflicts, and the strength they derive from each other as sisters.

Of the seven film adaptations, each of which prioritizes a tells the story in its own unique way, the one that portrays the individualism of each character while celebrating the strength of their familial bond the best is the most recent. Greta Gerwig’s version is a heartbreaking and life-affirming instant classic to curl up and watch on a winter’s day.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Much has rightfully been said about how Guillermo del Toro has made a movie that changed the fantasy genre forever with Pan’s Labyrinth. It follows 10-year-old Ofelia in post-Civil War Spain as she looks for solace in a make-believe world away from the apathetic adult world where her cruel stepfather hunts down the Maquis who resist the Francoist regime.

Ofelia, led by a faun, enters a world where beautiful and horrifying mythical creatures test her. Del Toro juxtaposes the whimsy of this world with the cold precision of the adult world. The film’s exploration of how children, who many assume are aloof from reality, are affected by and cope with it differently makes it an incredible coming-of-age story.