The movie industry is helping teenagers relate to characters and experiences through their films. The most influential ones have been ‘The Half of it’, ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, and ‘Lady Bird’. Courtesy of IMDB. 

Coming of Age movies are arguably one of the most relatable genres in cinema- a comfort classic amongst high schoolers and nostalgic adults alike. An easy go-to for family movie nights that simultaneously deal with some of the deepest, most real topics in creative media while depicting one of the most fragile parts of life that everyone can relate to…growing up. And The Oracle has made a curated list of the top four Coming of Age movies that make its viewers feel seen and understood while romanticizing high school in all the right ways. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

Let’s start with a crowd favorite. This is for all quiet kids, socially awkward, nervous wrecks and, of course, wallflowers out there. Or in other words, everyone. The Perks of Being a Wallflower directed by Stephen Chbosky, follows the shy yet piercingly observant Charlie (Logan Lerman), a socially anxious and awkward freshman with an unconventional habit of watching life from the sidelines, a habit he is determined to break. And that is when he meets seniors and stepsiblings Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller) with whom he makes relationships of a lifetime with as they maneuver a year in high school together. However, Charlie struggles with his mental illness and trauma as end of the year- and the graduation of all his friends- approaches. This wonderous work of cinematography is a sheer work of beauty. The golden wash over youth and the suburbs and all the like. Not to mention the brilliant soundtrack it had been set to, the characters talk an awful lot about good music and the movie follows through with amazing songs like Heroes by David Bowie and Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners; perfectly setting the tone for every scene. Additionally, this movie features an all-star cast to tell the deep and complex lives of Charlie, Sam, and Patrick; including Logan Lerman who also played Percy Jackson for Disney, the iconic Emma Watson known far and wide for her work as Hermoine Granger, and Ezra Miller who audiences may recognize as DC’s new Flash. But this movie’s strongest point by far is its portrayal of mental illness- something not found in every other coming of age film. Conveying deep messages about self-respect and taking leaps of faith while exploring the concept of relationships between people and their pasts- It’s easy to see why this story resonates with so many people. It’s the kind of story that makes you feel infinite. 

A definite 9/10 

The Half of It 

There is always an inherent need to blend in with the crowd, to fit in. And it’s only even more prevalent and intense in high school. Growing up different is hard, and the movie The Half of It directed by Alice Wu, echoes these sentiments in all the right ways. The story follows Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a lesbian Asian-American girl living in a small, predominantly white, religious town and her unlikely friendship with Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer), a jock with an all-American face and family, simple mind and child-like affinity for strange food combinations. This unlikely pair is brought together by love. For the same girl. This movie is truly one of the best movies out there, not just for Coming of Age, but for cinematography in general. The aestheticism of a small, no-where town; this decision for such a setting, like all the decisions made with this movie, is incredibly deliberate in context to the characters. And not only just being a beautifully directed movie, but The Half of It also went on to tackle diversity, in race and sexuality. And it is just spot on in its portrayal. As well as addressing the struggles of immigrant families, especially those who struggle with English, it really shows the deep sympathy and understanding of these topics from the creators. The Half of It is a bold stroke in Coming-of-Age movies that you must see.  

10/10- would recommend! 

Lady Bird 

Strained relationships- with friends, with family, and love- is a given guarantee when coming into adulthood. It’s rite of passage even.  And no movie is rawer and more honest about this concept than Lady Bird. A comedy-drama inspired by the life of its director Greta Gerwig, following the senior year of the character Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan)- a name self-bestowed- through her struggles with love, her mother, and her future. This movie is beautifully realistic with the portrayal of relationships, almost to the point where it barely feels like it would be in the same genre of some Coming-of-Age movies. Audiences will also note the presence of one of Hollywood’s favorite acting duos, Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet which they might have also seen together in director Greta Gerwig’s other hit blockbuster, Little Women. And despite this movie’s unapologetic bluntness, there are some moments in this movie that warrant a good laugh. And that dynamicity is a huge selling point for this movie, and it’s what makes Coming-of-Age such a distinctive genre amongst movies. There’s no one who pulled it off quite like Lady Bird. It’s safe to say, this movie achieved the best version of itself.  

A right 9/10 

The Edge of Seventeen 

Screaming matches with mom, losing your best friend, and unfortunate incidents over crushes who don’t deserve all that time or energy- for a dash of painful familiarity, watch The Edge of Seventeen, directed by Kelly Freemon Craig. High schooler and textbook loser and loner Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) loses her only best friend to her popular jock brother Darian (Blyke Jenner) and her life bursts into a downward spiral from there, from struggling with her unconventional relationship with her mother, the absence of her late father, mental illness, and loneliness to the effects of her actions on others. Nadine grapples for balance, determined to power through these conflicts alone but still wrestling with her ideals. Nadine is every American teenage girl, wrapped up in her own problems and misguided in every other decision. She’s immature, selfish, ignorant and the most real portrayal of a teenage girl in cinema maybe ever. And the same goes for all the characters in The Edge of Seventeen, all archetypes of stock characters commonly seen in Coming-of-Age stories but developed to have real depth and layers. It has that good old classic Coming-of-Age movie style in every way, down to the t, even. But its accuracy in characterization of the teenager and relatability makes this movie a standout from the lineup. The movie itself has recently gotten ravingly positive reviews, especially for Haliee Steinfeld’s performance. So, for anyone who’s been on the edge of life, consider sitting down with The Edge of Seventeen in your downtime.  

A great 8/10 

Jaeda Solon // Staff Writer 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.