For this list I am completely ignoring anything older then 20 years. That’s another whole list. Also, there will definitely be another one for all the ones I missed (Ferris Bueller, I am looking at you.)
6. Me and earl and the dying girl
- Available on Disney
This movie could be on this list for one reason alone. The hospital scene. Very rarely do coming of age movies have such brutal scenes in them. It has always give me that hard to swallow feeling watching it and I think its for one key reason. Brian Eno’s Big Ship. This song is fucking insane.
5. Eighth grade
Available on Netflix
I’m going to take a wild gamble and say you have never seen or potentially heard of this movie. If you have, send me your credit card details and I will send you a fiver. 😉
But who you have heard of is Bo Burnham and his comedy. Surprisingly, that is the least interesting aspect of this film. The most you ask? The cringe. Eighth grade captures the cringiness of modern high school so well. Especially for someone who just finished it, I was sitting there thinking, “Jesus christ I have done exactly that.” Maybe its because it was made in 2018, but this movie just feels so scarily accurate compared to all the others. Bo knows exactly what it was like going to high school with social media and dumps it all into this film.
4. Rushmore
- Available on Disney
Rushmore is by far the most unique coming of age movie on this list. The pacing, the story, the characters. I mean fuck it is Wes Anderson. And that’s exactly why it is here. It is so different to every other teenage story. In particular, the main character, Max Fischer. He completely contrasts the stereotypical teenage protagonist. Max is neither a nerd or a rebel but this weird mix of both. Something that is far more accurate now, as most teenagers don’t simply fit into one category.
3. Superbad
- Available on Amazon
What more can be said about Superbad. I honestly spent 30 minutes simply thinking about what I would write about this film. There is one thing that has always amazed me about this movie. The rewatch ability. I would argue that there is not a more rewatchable coming of age story over this one. Every time it is on I have to sit down and finish it.
Making a good movie is a skill. Making a movie that can be watched 30 times is genius.
2. It’s kind of a funny story
-you gotta buy this one :/
It’s kind of a funny story has never gotten the praise it deserves. It is truly one of the best depictions I have seen about mental health in a coming of age movie. Also, it perfectly depicts the pressures teenagers face and almost offers a solution to these.
- The Way Way Back
- Available on Stan
The Way Way Back is one of my favourite movies ever made. I watched it when I was around 15 and have probably seen it 15 times since. I fucking love this movie. And it comes down to two key reasons.
The writing and the performance of Sam Rockwell. Throughout this movie, Sam has some of my favourite lines in any movie ever. But what is so pivotal is his character. I have this feeling that when you are a teenager you pick someone in your life and replicate their mannerisms, whether you realise it or not. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash capture this so well with Sam’s character. All Duncan needs in his life is a male role model and Sam perfectly capture that, because at one stage or another, everyone needed theirs.
