15 Best Coming-Of-Age Films, Ranked
15. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Based on Stephen Chbosky’s novel exploring teenage trauma, friendship, and healing, ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ brings out smiles and tears. Charlie, a shy freshman recovering from mental health struggles, finds solace with two seniors — the free-spirited Sam and her stepbrother Patrick. Together, they introduce him to love, heartbreak, music, and the idea of being “infinite.” What sets the film apart is its take on emotional wounds that linger beneath the surface. Raw yet humanising, the movies shows how the people who see and accept us can help us survive our deepest fears and darkest memories.
14. Booksmart (2019)
Directed by Olivia Wilde, ‘Booksmart’ is a heartwarming comedy about two straight-edged students who decide to break bad and live all the wild moments they missed while studying. The longing of this one epic night comes after realising how they stopped living to succeed while others managed the same alongside partying and making connections. It’s a great albeit chaotic story of female friendships told through an emotional spectrum we don’t see in movies about adults in the making.
13. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Child prodigies become dysfunctional adults in Wes Anderson’s whimsical family drama. It’s quirky, like all Anderson movies are, but ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ doesn’t hold back from calling out the tragedies of youth. Sometimes, living under the shadow of ambitious parents can drown your voice. This movie is a haunting vision of those failed potentials, with the children finally finding their lost talent after years of being burdened by burnt by everyone’s unmet expectations.
12. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)
Based on Judy Blume’s 1970 novel, ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ is a sincere yet hilarious exploration of girlhood. The story follows our 11-year-old protagonist from New York to New Jersey as she deals with the first blushes of puberty. It’s a coming-of-age tale about finding your beliefs amidst growing pains. Margaret addresses core adolescent experiences related to friendship, sexual awakenings, bodily changes, and even enforced religion. Watch this for gentle pre-teen emotions with unprecedented depth.
11. Novitiate (2017)
In ‘Novitiate’ Margaret Qualley plays Sister Cathleen, a young woman who throws herself in the service of God. During her time at the monastery, she begins questioning her relationship with God when faced with temptation. It’s a tender film full of introspection. The complete package works as it explores spiritual awakening, repression, and the painful process of self-discovery through religious devotion.
10. Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut is a love letter to adolescence and the love-hate aspect of mother-daughter relationships. Saoirse Ronan shines as Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a fiercely independent high school senior yearning to escape her hometown for college. The film captures the turbulence of teen identity, friendship, first love, and class anxiety with warmth and wit. Yet its emotional foundation is Lady Bird’s strained, deeply human bond with her hardworking mother. 'Lady Bird' brilliantly balances angst and affection in a coming-of-age tale that is both specific and universally relatable.
9. Dazed and Confused (1993)
Richard Linklater’s laid-back movie unfolds over the last day of school in 1976. There’s a sense of freedom and uncertainty of being on the brink of something bigger. As freshmen are hazed and seniors party, we witness a mosaic of characters through cruising, keggers, and quiet revelations. The cast reflects the many faces of adolescence. It's more vibe than plot points, but that’s the great thing about ‘Dazed and Confused.' It’s a time capsule of teen years that celebrates being lost in the moment, before we are hit by real life.
8. Dead Poets Society (1989)
This film impacted entire generations. Robin Williams stars as Mr. Keating, an unconventional English teacher at a conservative all-boys prep school. He isn’t by the book, and he shows it in more ways than the institution can father. Keating wants his students to “seize the day.” They do so through poetry and self-expression, and eventually discover their passions, question authority, and grapple with the weight of expectations. Tragedy and beauty intertwine as the boys confront their fears and futures. The film puts rigid conformity on trial and pays tribute to the transformative power of art and mentorship. Decades on, ‘Dead Poets Society’ remains a deeply touching reminder to think and live freely.
7. Thirteen (2003)
This is a visceral representation of themes of female friendship during the formative years. ‘Thirteen’ follows the story of a 13-year-old girl discovering the world of drugs, sex, and boys, thanks to her new best friend, who is clearly a bad influence. The film portrays peer pressure at its worst, which people might mistake for a lifelong friendship. It also provides a sobering instead of romantic view of self-discovery. This is an uncomfortable flip on the teen flick genre.
6. The Breakfast Club (1985)
‘The Breakfast Club’ is a timeless classic celebrated for its emotional honesty and its message: beneath the tough exteriors and rebellious behaviours, every teenager is just trying to be seen beyond their labels. The film puts five high school students from different social cliques in detention on a Saturday. While spending time together, they discover they have more in common than they imagined. Through confessions, clashes, and unlikely bonding, they reveal their vulnerabilities and redefine who they are. Also, that final fist-in-the-air moment will be iconic forever.
5. The 400 Blows (1959)
François Truffaut's semi-autobiographical movie centres on Antoine Doinel, a young boy whose parents and teachers fail to understand him. Shunned by the society, he turns to petty rebellion. Set in post-war Paris, the film captures the emotional solitude of childhood and the institutional indifference that crushes youthful spirit. There’s stark realism, especially in the unforgettable final freeze frame. No wonder Antoine became an enduring symbol of youthful resistance. ‘The 400 Blows’ is not just a cornerstone of French cinema, we think it remains a searing, timeless portrayal of what it means to grow up unseen.
4. Eighth Grade (2018)
Bo Burnham’s directorial debut dives into the anxiety-ridden world of 13-year-old Kayla as she endures her final week of middle school. It’s awkward, there’s crippling insecurity, and social isolation. It’s a revelation how Kayla navigates the pressures of Instagram, body image, and trying to fit in. What makes ‘Eighth Grade’ remarkable is its empathetic lens. It would have been easy to mock Kayla’s feelings for easy laughs, but the film presents them as deeply valid. Expect brutal honesty of adolescence in the digital age, where every “like” feels like a life-or-death moment. It’s painfully real, deeply moving, and sometimes, surprisingly funny.
3. Boyhood (2014)
Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood’ is a historical cinematic experiment. We follow Mason from age six to eighteen as he experiences the small, often unremarkable moments that shape a life, such as moving homes, divorcing parents, sibling rivalries, first love, and heartbreak. The film doesn’t rely on plot twists or drama, but it offers a transformational experience while capturing life’s natural flow with authenticity and heart. Ellar Coltrane growing up is our emotional compass, and Patricia Arquette’s Oscar-winning performance grounds the film in maternal reality. It's an intimate epic about ordinary growing pains.
2. Moonlight (2016)
Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning masterpiece tells the story of Chiron in three pivotal stages of his life — childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Chiron struggles to pin down his identity and connections in a rough Miami neighborhood. Raised by a drug-addicted mother and mentored by an unlikely father figure, Chiron navigates a world of pain, tenderness, and repression. The film’s haunting beauty and emotions don’t let the viewers escape feeling Chiron’s isolation and longing. In a nutshell, ‘Moonlight’ is a portrait of Black queer masculinity and one of the most powerful coming-of-age films ever made.
1. Stand By Me (1986)
This nostalgic yet unsentimental classic follows four young boys who embark on a journey to find the body of a missing child. Set in 1950s Oregon, it’s less about the quest and more about the conversations, the teasing, the fears, and the bonds that form along the way. As the group confronts mortality and their own insecurities, we see the fragility and power of childhood friendships. Based on a Stephen King novella, ‘Stand By Me’ paints a picture of the fleeting intensity of youth and the friends that shape us, however briefly.
