What Is a Coming-of-Age Movie: Elements and Examples

Coming-of-age movies have a wide audience. Because we all know what it's like to become an adult from a teenager, these movies seamlessly connect with viewers. No matter if you’re 20 or 80 years old, everyone enjoys a good coming-of-age movie. Let’s explore this genre of films together. What Is a Coming-of-Age Movie?Coming of age is an entire genre of films that focuses on stories about the struggles and frenzies of adolescence. The primary characters in these films are teenagers trying to figure out life and the onset of adulthood. Teenage and transitioning into adulthood are among the most bizarre phases of a human’s life. But these struggles and complications that seemed mammoth at the time are what we laugh at later. That’s the essence of a coming-of-age movie: it reminds you of your struggles growing up, sometimes with hilarious effects. That being said, teenage films are not always comedies. They can be whimsical, light-hearted, or intense, dealing with serious issues like drug abuse or sexuality. A coming-of-age movie often gives the audience something to think about, especially when dealing with teenagers and young adults. Common Elements In A Coming-of-Age Movie With ExamplesYou would be mistaken if you thought that coming-of-age films are restricted to high school dramas. While there are films like High School Musical, coming-of-age films also explore multiple aspects of embracing adulthood. Let’s dive into some of the most common characteristics in a coming-of-age film.Identity CrisesThe teenage years are your first exposure to the real world. At such a young age, we hardly know who we are and what choices are best for us. Coming-of-age films depict emotionally complicated issues of teenage identity crises like sexuality (But I'm a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babit), gender dysphoria (Cowboys, directed by Anna Kerrigan), lack of self-confidence (Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade), or even deep-rooted insecurities (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson). 'Eighth Grade' Credit: A24 Teenage Fun and FrolicA light-hearted coming-of-age film often focuses on the comedic trouble associated with teenagers and young adults. Films like Superbad, Good Boys, Clueless, and Big Time Adolescence are the perfect watch for blue days. They are funny, nostalgic, and great for reminiscing via humor! Self DiscoveryDiscovering yourself is the beginning of adulthood. All of us have been victims of awkward situations where we were not the proudest of ourselves or even the correct version of ourselves. Sometimes, being a teenager always felt helpless. But transitioning into adulthood is all about discovering yourself in your strengths and letting go of the screw-ups. Coming-of-age films like Kelly Fremon Craig’s Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, or Kelsey Mann’s Inside Out 2 are beautiful depictions of self-discovery by teenagers. A MisfitTeenagers are often labelled as rebels, but coming-of-age movies are stories that go on to explore behind the scenes and more. Films like Breakfast Club, Almost Famous, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are not only fun but also extremely enlightening on the mindset of a teenager. Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause is a particularly popular coming-of-age movie that revolves around a misfit character. The Ugly Slice of LifeNot everyone has fond memories of growing up. Being a teenager is hard, but for some, it can be a story of survival. Coming of age films like Hirokazu Koreeda’s Nobody Knows, Wolfgang Petersen’s The Never-Ending Story, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Nic Balthazar’s Ben X, John Crowle’s Boy A, and Royston Tan’s 4:30 are some of the most delicate presentations of troubled teenagers and their hardships growing up. Each film is dramatic and beautifully depicts the morbid end of innocence in kids with troubled childhoods.Social TaboosSocial taboos like menstruation and the patriarchy also inspire coming-of-age films. Films like Pixar's Turning Red (directed by Domee Shi) and Encanto (directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush) are pioneering coming-of-age films that address social taboos.First RomanceWhat’s more disastrous than love when you have a brain between 13 and 19 years old? Because it is such a new fleet of emotions, teenage relationships are funny, complicated, passionate, and intense—perfect for a movie script. No wonder there are so many iconic coming-of-age films that revolve around the theme of love and heartbreak. Coming-of-age romances like John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, My Girl directed by Howard Zieff, To All The Boys I've Loved Before directed by Susan Johnson, and Adam Shankman’s A Walk to Remember are some of my favorites. Each one is a roller coaster of emotions. You might laugh a little, but you’ll cry even more.Coming-of-age films serve as authentic voices for the adolescent experience. While many feature whimsical narratives and light-hearted treatments,

May 20, 2025 - 08:25

What Is a Coming-of-Age Movie: Elements and Examples

Coming-of-age movies have a wide audience. Because we all know what it's like to become an adult from a teenager, these movies seamlessly connect with viewers. No matter if you’re 20 or 80 years old, everyone enjoys a good coming-of-age movie.

Let’s explore this genre of films together.

What Is a Coming-of-Age Movie?

Coming of age is an entire genre of films that focuses on stories about the struggles and frenzies of adolescence. The primary characters in these films are teenagers trying to figure out life and the onset of adulthood.

Teenage and transitioning into adulthood are among the most bizarre phases of a human’s life. But these struggles and complications that seemed mammoth at the time are what we laugh at later. That’s the essence of a coming-of-age movie: it reminds you of your struggles growing up, sometimes with hilarious effects.

That being said, teenage films are not always comedies. They can be whimsical, light-hearted, or intense, dealing with serious issues like drug abuse or sexuality. A coming-of-age movie often gives the audience something to think about, especially when dealing with teenagers and young adults.

Common Elements In A Coming-of-Age Movie With Examples

You would be mistaken if you thought that coming-of-age films are restricted to high school dramas. While there are films like High School Musical, coming-of-age films also explore multiple aspects of embracing adulthood.

Let’s dive into some of the most common characteristics in a coming-of-age film.

Identity Crises

The teenage years are your first exposure to the real world. At such a young age, we hardly know who we are and what choices are best for us.

Coming-of-age films depict emotionally complicated issues of teenage identity crises like sexuality (But I'm a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babit), gender dysphoria (Cowboys, directed by Anna Kerrigan), lack of self-confidence (Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade), or even deep-rooted insecurities (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson).

Eighth_grade 'Eighth Grade' Credit: A24

Teenage Fun and Frolic

A light-hearted coming-of-age film often focuses on the comedic trouble associated with teenagers and young adults.

Films like Superbad, Good Boys, Clueless, and Big Time Adolescence are the perfect watch for blue days. They are funny, nostalgic, and great for reminiscing via humor!

Self Discovery

Discovering yourself is the beginning of adulthood. All of us have been victims of awkward situations where we were not the proudest of ourselves or even the correct version of ourselves. Sometimes, being a teenager always felt helpless.

But transitioning into adulthood is all about discovering yourself in your strengths and letting go of the screw-ups. Coming-of-age films like Kelly Fremon Craig’s Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, or Kelsey Mann’s Inside Out 2 are beautiful depictions of self-discovery by teenagers.

A Misfit

Teenagers are often labelled as rebels, but coming-of-age movies are stories that go on to explore behind the scenes and more.

Films like Breakfast Club, Almost Famous, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are not only fun but also extremely enlightening on the mindset of a teenager. Nicholas Ray’s Rebel Without a Cause is a particularly popular coming-of-age movie that revolves around a misfit character.

The Ugly Slice of Life

Not everyone has fond memories of growing up. Being a teenager is hard, but for some, it can be a story of survival.

Coming of age films like Hirokazu Koreeda’s Nobody Knows, Wolfgang Petersen’s The Never-Ending Story, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Nic Balthazar’s Ben X, John Crowle’s Boy A, and Royston Tan’s 4:30 are some of the most delicate presentations of troubled teenagers and their hardships growing up.

Each film is dramatic and beautifully depicts the morbid end of innocence in kids with troubled childhoods.

Social Taboos

Social taboos like menstruation and the patriarchy also inspire coming-of-age films. Films like Pixar's Turning Red (directed by Domee Shi) and Encanto (directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush) are pioneering coming-of-age films that address social taboos.

First Romance

What’s more disastrous than love when you have a brain between 13 and 19 years old? Because it is such a new fleet of emotions, teenage relationships are funny, complicated, passionate, and intense—perfect for a movie script. No wonder there are so many iconic coming-of-age films that revolve around the theme of love and heartbreak.

Coming-of-age romances like John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink, My Girl directed by Howard Zieff, To All The Boys I've Loved Before directed by Susan Johnson, and Adam Shankman’s A Walk to Remember are some of my favorites. Each one is a roller coaster of emotions. You might laugh a little, but you’ll cry even more.

Coming-of-age films serve as authentic voices for the adolescent experience. While many feature whimsical narratives and light-hearted treatments, the genre spans a wide emotional range, from comedic to dramatic. Their universal appeal makes them successful with diverse audiences, which explains their enduring popularity with studios and investors.

If you plan to write a screenplay, the coming-of-age genre offers rich emotional territory and commercial potential.

Meanwhile, let us know your favorite coming-of-age films and check out the ones mentioned for some inspiration!