Coming-of-Age Movies: What Is the Coming-of-Age Genre?

A coming-of-age movie is a film that follows a protagonist as they transition from childhood to adulthood. This genre of storytelling is popular for literature and movies in Hollywood and often features stories about critical junctures between childhood and adulthood, such as first romantic relationships, graduating from middle school or high school, and moving away from home.

The coming-of-age film is part of a film genre called teen movies, which follow the lives and adventures of young adults, specifically middle school and high school students.

• Early coming-of-age films: In the early twentieth century, coming-of-age films were usually adaptations of well-known books, such as Little Women (1933) and The Wizard of Oz (1939). An early example of a coming-of-age film is Rebel Without a Cause (1955), starring James Dean and Natalie Wood, about young people who feel alienated from the world.
• Influence of John Hughes: Teen dramas became a common genre of film in the 1980s due in part to director/writer John Hughes releasing a series of coming-of-age films throughout the decade, including Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and Pretty in Pink (1986). These films were hits, critically and commercially.
• Diverse narratives: Recent coming-of-age films chronicle the development of a range of characters of diverse backgrounds, as in Boyz n the Hood (1991), Moonlight (2016), Eighth Grade (2018), and Love, Simon (2018).

Coming-of-age films typically feature these standard storytelling devices:

1. 1. Character growth: These films usually follow a character realizing their future, which propels their development from an innocent child to a perceptive young adult. The films focus on the characters’ mental, emotional, and personal growth.
2. 2. Dialogue: Coming-of-age films focus on the interior lives and emotions of the characters, rather than an outside action or adventure that’s driving the narrative. These films feature more dialogue and moments of stillness than dramatic actions or events.
3. 3. Social commentary: Coming-of-age films address issues that teens face today, like coming out in Moonlight (2016), teen pregnancy in Juno (2007), or race and violence in Boyz n the Hood (1991).

Coming-of-age films are an expansive genre. Some of the best examples of coming-of-age movies include:

1. 1. The Breakfast Club (1985): Arguably one of the most well-known teen films and coming-of-age films, John Hughes' movie is set one weekend where a group of teens from different backgrounds are trapped together in detention.
2. 2. Boyz n the Hood (1991): This film was John Singleton's directorial debut, and it centered on young Black men living in Los Angeles.
3. 3. Almost Famous (2000): Directed by Cameron Crowe, this film follows a fifteen-year-old as he tours with a rock band for Rolling Stone magazine.
4. 4. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005): This heartwarming film, based on the book of the same name, follows four young women and best friends as they navigate family conflict, first loves, loss, and growing up.
5. 5. Superbad (2007): The film follows two nerdy teenagers who want to party and lose their virginity before high school ends.
6. 6. Boyhood (2014): This coming-of-age movie from filmmaker Richard Linklater was filmed over twelve years. It follows one boy from age six to eighteen.
7. 7. Moonlight (2016): This film follows a man through three stages of his life—childhood, teenage years, and adulthood—as he slowly comes to terms with his sexuality.
8. 8. Call Me By Your Name (2017): This Italian-set movie is a love story, following the relationship between a young man as he falls in love for the first time.
9. 9. Lady Bird (2017): Lady Bird is Greta Gerwig's solo directorial debut. It follows a teenage girl applying for college far from home in New York and navigating a fraught relationship with her overbearing mother.
10. 10. Booksmart (2019): Olivia Wilde's directorial debut follows two best friends on their last day of high school. The main characters are young women determined to party and break the rules before they graduate, putting a female spin on a male-dominated teen movie trope.

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