13 Must-See Coming of Age Movies That Explore Key Adolescent Themes

Hi there, I have compiled a list of adolescent movie themes and, what I believe to be, the best movies that depict each theme.

I have not included films I have not seen. Obviously, there are some films which I know should probably be on this list, but even a film fan like myself cannot watch everything. Almost Famous, The Graduate and Risky Business are all high on my ‘to-watch’ list.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this and it encourages you to watch some of these films.

Rebellion

All Teenagers at some point act rebellious, in an endeavour to gain independence from their parents. This theme can be spotted throughout coming of age movies, my favourite example is:

Rushmore (1998)

Image result for rushmore movie

Wes Anderson directs a quirky movie about a teenage boy who is too mature for his own good. In an attempt to prove his maturity, he tries to win over the love of his school teacher, but is faced with consequences. Throughout the movie he is a pain to his peers and does not shy away from breaking a few school rules. The whole movie is amazing and Jason Schwartzman is simply brilliant from start to finish.

Other examples include: A Rebel Without a Cause; Into the Wild; Easy A.

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