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Best Coming of Age films

posted 5 years ago by looper007 (1126)
39 replies | jump to latest

When this genre gets it right, they can always end up been some of the best films around. So just what films of Coming of Age genre do you highly rate.

Stand By Me (1985)- probably the most famous Coming of Age film. Deserving of the praise it gets, great performance from River Phoenix. The Ending always gets to me.

Dazed and Confused (1993)- Still think it's just about Richard Linklater's best film imo. Just a rewatchable film with well written characters, great acting and awesome soundtrack.

Heathers (1988)- one of the darker coming of age 80's films, but one of ones that's aged better then most.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower (2012)- a film which even Emma Waston can't ruin. A lot darker and downbeat then many would think. Logan Lerman is fantastic in this in a tough role. Great soundtrack

Y Tu Mama Tambien(2001)- a more adult coming of age film, with a touch of sadness underneath all the sex and gross humor.

Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)- like the above film, a bit of a more adult coming of age film but still shows the first dawning of sexuality and love.

The Kings of Summer (2013)- a underrated coming of age film, that has the laughs but has the growing pains and a touching ending. Nick Robinson is excellent in this (also check out Love Simon for another great performance from him).

The Way Way Back (2013)- Another underrated coming of age gem from 2013. Great performance from Steve Carrell is a villainous role, also Sam Rockwell is great. Liam james is a great lead, and Toni Collette as always is great. This is a lot darker then most Coming of age films.

Fucking Amal (1998)- probably unknown by most, but this Coming of age Swedish film about two teenage girls falling in love. Is sweet without been over sappy, funny, touching. Love too that all the actors are played by teens and it has one of the best endings in any coming of age film ever imo.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Wristcutters: A Love Story
Fish Tank
All the Real Girls

[–] SomeCodhopper (76) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] looper007 (1126) 5 years ago

What ones haven't you see Somecodhopper?

thanks for some of the recommendations. Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger, I haven't seen although it has a great cast with Toni collette, Keisha Castle Hughes (from Whale Rider), and Essie Davis (the Badadook and Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries). Seems well worth checking out.

I wasn't a big fan of Lost And Delirious. Housekeeping is so underrated, another call out from the same director (Bill Forsyth) is the even better coming of age Gregory's Girl. I check out the rest thanks.

[–] SomeCodhopper (76) 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

The Cowboys 1972

[–] CKid (3816) 5 years ago

In addition to the ones already listed, I've got to add ...
Almost Famous
Breaking Away
School Ties
Juno
Dirty Dancing
Ghost World
Some Kind of Wonderful
Lucas
Bend It Like Beckham
Adventureland

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I've seen most of them. Fine films!

[–] looper007 (1126) 5 years ago

Almost Famous is fantastic, the last great Cameron Crowe film imo. School Ties is underrated especially when you consider the top cast it has (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon been two most famous). Breaking Away is awesome, another one that doesn't get enough love.

Totally forgot Lucas, what a sweet coming of age film that was. It get's lost in the whole Brat Pack or teen comedies from the 80's. But I love it for the fact that all the characters are likeable. Winona Ryder is probably at her sweetest in this. Sure it's cliched but the heart to the film is great. I'd put it right up there in the top 50 Coming of age films ever.

Some Kind of Wonderful, get's overshadowed by other John Hughes works but it's the one that's aged better then most of the others. Ghost World is sweet. Adventureland, I think is a awesome film. Doesn't get the love it deserves really. Great soundtrack too.

Bend it Like Beckham and Dirty Dancing, not a fan of either. Juno, I think cast aside is massively overrated.

But that's a great list CKid.

[–] CKid (3816) 5 years ago

But that's a great list CKid.

Thank you for saying so, looper007.

Btw, one of the reasons why I had 'Bend It Like Beckham' on my mind when I posted my list is because I am really looking forward to the next film by Gurinder Chadha, who wrote and directed BILB.

Her next film, also a Coming of Age film, is scheduled to open here in the States on August 14th and its title is, Blinded By the Light, after the Springsteen song with the same name that was on his first album, 'Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.' The film, which premiered to auspicious reviews at the Sundance Film Festival, is based on Sarfraz Manzoor's 'Greetings From Bury Park' memoir.

According to IMDb, the storyline is as follows ...
"In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher's Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen."
See ... https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8266310/

Since I am a huge Springsteen fan, this film has naturally garnered my interest, especially since it will be full of his songs.
So now I think I'll close this post with Bruce's version of his song ... https://youtu.be/7Iaca30QbOo
(Manfred Mann had a big hit with it in the 70's)

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Dazed and Confused, maybe? Might be the most realistic of high school comedies that I've seen.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 5 years ago

The Girl Next Door

[–] swanstep (2628) 5 years ago

A few goodies not mentioned so far:

Aussie classic, 'The Year My Voice Broke'
Pialat's 'A nos amours'
M. Heller's, 'Diary of a Teenage Girl'
'70s classic, 'Breaking Away'
Rohmer's 'La Collectionneuse'
Breillat's '36 Fillette'

[–] looper007 (1126) 5 years ago

Great call for The Year my Voice Broke, also it's follow up "Flirting" based on Noah Taylor's character Danny, also starring a young Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Thandie Newton who delivers one of her best performances in this film. I actually prefer Flirting to The Year My Voice Broke but only just. Both films have a downbeat feel to them but god the scripts are so poetic and cinematography is fantastic.

A Nos Amours is fantastic. Diary of a Teenage Girl is really underrated.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Heaven Help Us/Catholic Boys (1985) ↙️
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089264/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The Wanderers (1979) ↙️
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080117/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1