The Top 10 Coming-of-Age Films in The 21st Century
The coming-of-age genre has been widely explored in all artistic mediums across the globe, and when done correctly, it allows young adults to see portraits of themselves in an honest and sincere light. The genre was critical in my teenage years when figuring out who I was against the expansive backdrop of the high school experience, and seeing people who looked and thought like me 30 ft tall encouraged me to make mistakes and learn from them in the pursuit of adulthood.
Below are some of the films from the genre that I’ve found to be poignant explorations of the often convoluted teenage experience.
#1 | Lady Bird
The solo directorial debut of Greta Gerwig caught the attention of audiences and critics alike when it did the festival and awards rounds in 2017/18. The tale of Christine McPherson feels like watching a slice of early 2000s nostalgia. Gerwig leans into the period while keeping it contemporary and has a beautiful way of highlighting the specificity of the teenage experience while maintaining a universality that invites anyone of all ages to fall in love against the charming backdrop of Sacramento. Filmmakers that are unafraid of creating personal work are some of my favorites, and Lady Bird showcases the power of this.
#2 | Moonlight
The sophomore film of Barry Jenkins and the winner of Best Picture at the 89th Academy Awards, Moonlight, will be talked about for years to come. It originally existed as an unpublished play by Tarell Alvin McCraney titled “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue”, it landed in the hands of Barry Jenkins after he met McCraney in Miami. As both authors grew up in the city, it is well-loved and displayed in all its glory through three acts of the life of Chiron. It is incredibly moving and powerful on all fronts, from direction to score, to performance, to narrative, it is an absolute must-see.
#3 | The 400 Blows
The 400 Blows is the first of five films starring Jeanne-Pierre Léaud as Antoine Doinel, a recurring character in François Truffaut’s filmography. It was also his directorial debut after curating a career in film criticism working for Cahiers du Cinema as both critic and later editor. Despite his divisive takes, he formed a prolific career as an auteur, and The 400 Blows elegantly showcases the beginnings of his signature style that contemporary indie filmmakers often cite for inspiration. It was well-received upon release and has stood the test of time, demonstrated by its 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
#4 | 20th Century Woman
The artistry of Mike Mills is on full display in 20th Century Women — every frame of this film is like watching an artist paint a canvas. With experience in multiple mediums like graphic design, commercials and photography, he brings a unique cinematic by mixing all these things to create a bubbling concoction of creativity. From the colour palette to the soundtrack, no stone was left unturned in the making of 20th Century Women. Cited as semi-autobiographical, Mills’ tells the story of one boy’s experience growing up during 1979 in Santa Barbara with the help of three generations of women.
#5 | Precious
Precious was adapted for the screen by Lee Daniels from the novel “Push” written by Sapphire. It’s a challenging watch with heavy themes delicately navigated against a girl desperate for a life more profound than the one afforded to her, exploring the intricacies of a fraught mother-daughter relationship that has long been a ticking time bomb. It was the debut screenplay for writer Geoffrey Fletcher who became the first African-American to win a Best Screenplay award at the Oscars. It walked away with one other award for Mo’Nique who plays Precious’s mother.
#6 | Frances Ha
Frances Ha is an excellent example of how the coming-of-age experience can happen at various stages in life. Frances Halladay is twenty-seven years old living in New York City experiencing the anxiety that comes with the impending doom of the late twenties. Greta Gerwig plays the lead with the highest amount of sincerity embodying all the quirks flawlessly in the script she helped pen. It will make you want to run through the streets to the beat of David Bowie and feel more comfortable in the life you are living. This film is fantastic for people who love the art of cinema.
#7 | Me and Earl and The Dying Girl
“Co-workers” Greg and Earl make eccentric adaptations of their favourite classic movies, with titles such as A Sockwork Orange and Brew Velvet. Their passion goes quiet and unnoticed, just like their status in school until Greg’s mother enlists him to befriend Rachel, who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. It’s a love letter to film and friendship with an idiosyncratic aesthetic that captures the complexities of the teen experience. The individualistic aspects are a huge part of its magic, and there are few films so wonderfully strange yet poignant.
#8 | The Edge of Seventeen
Another directorial debut, The Edge of Seventeen by Kelly Fremon-Craig had both commercial and critical success, being nominated at The Golden Globes and landing a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It stars Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, an awkward teenager struggling against the concept of impending adulthood and Haley Lu Richardson as her best friend, Krista, who has recently started dating Nadine’s older brother. It has fantastic performances from an all-star cast including Woody Harrelson as their cynical teacher. It balances the tones of comedy and drama flawlessly while encapsulating the contemporary high school experience, right down to sending cringeworthy DMs.
#9 | Booksmart
Olivia Wilde made her way into the world of directing with the outrageously funny Booksmart. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are the perfect leads against an unmatched ensemble cast who elevated the words of the all-female writer’s room to perfection. Feldstein was nominated for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Molly, a hard worker with fierce determination that wants one night of outlandish behaviour before graduating from high school. There isn’t one element of Booksmart that’s out-of-step with the rest. Everything seamlessly blends into a cacophony of comedy that makes it the perfect watch for some light-hearted energy.
#10 | Perks of Being a Wallflower
There’s something to be said about a novel being adapted for the screen by the same author, and that has never been more present than in Stephen Chbosky’s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. If you were a certain kind of teenager, this film and endlessly quoting “we are infinite” was the entirety of your 2012. Chbosky captures the bittersweet ephemera of youth with brutal honesty, and there couldn’t have been a better cast to do so. Logan Lerman stars as its lead, Charlie, who has a longstanding struggle against trauma from childhood that is so subtle it is often mistaken for shyness. Chbosky skillfully balances the topic of mental health and how that bleeds into the complexities of becoming a young adult.
There are so many more that deserve to stand alongside these films, but that is an excellent excuse to share your versions of this list in the comments. I’d love to hear the films that helped you feel seen and known, and how they helped you become who you are today.
Originally published at https://thebtake.com on August 4, 2020 by Billie Melissa.
