There has never been a film that entirely has spoken to my own experience as a young person -- and since films are historically far from diverse, there are very few cultural lynchpins I can relate to in these types of movies.
That being said, there are some universal truths and poignant moments that are relatable in all of the films on this list. They are funny, moving and more tellingly, personal movies. Here are my top 10 favorite coming of age movies...
Ghost World (2001) - Based on a popular graphic novel, this film perfectly captures the malaise and uncertainty of the post high school, pre-college experience. Although Scarlett Johansson would go on to greater fame, this film belongs to Thora Birch, who is excellent as an unlikely love interest for a note perfect Steve Buscemi and who nails it as an iconoclast who is not as confident as she'd like to this she is.
Say Anything (1989) - The best of the sappy John Cusack romance movies still holds up, even if that boombox scene has now become the stuff of parodies. One of the best and more honest portrayals of young love -- it's tentative and vulnerable in the best way. A lovingly sensitive and funny movie that Cameron Crowe has never improved upon in my opinion.
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| The 400 Blows |
The Last Picture Show (1971) - A tribute to a more innocent Americana made in the deeply cynical '70s. Director Peter Bogdonovich's forays into darker territory are what make this episodic drama more compelling instead of just an old-fashioned curio. And he assembled an amazing cast of up-and-coming actors, including a young Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burystyn, who do some of their best work here.
Crooklyn (1994) - Easily director Spike Lee's most personal movie, coming on the heels of his epic Malcolm X. I've always felt this was one of his most under-appreciated films. It's a great 1970s time capsule, with a flawless soundtrack and he tells the story not through his own eyes but his younger sister's, which is no small feat for a filmmaker often dinged for his lack of feminism. An autobiographical window into one of our most challenging directors.
The 400 Blows (1959) - French director Francois Truffaut's moving portrait of a young boy with a penchant for getting into trouble both helped kick off a new wave of filmmaking and introduced audiences to iconic actor Jean-Pierre Leaud. It's teeming with life and emotion and contains one of the best child performances ever captured on film.
American Graffiti (1973) - Although this nostalgic film is awash in early '60s songs and style, it somehow manages to hold up and be accessible to a modern viewer. A weirdly humanistic film from George Lucas, which benefits enormously from a great, spirited cast which includes Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams and Harrison Ford. A much smarter and sophisticated movie than it appears to be on the surface.
Rushmore (1998) - The movie that made me fall in love with Wes Anderson (I didn't discover his first film, Bottle Rocket, until much later). Not only did it resurrect the career of Bill Murray and lend him some gravitas, but it also introduced audiences to Jason Schwartzmen as the uber-creative super-geek Max Fischer. This film is as much a tribute to outcasts and eccentrics as it is a warm and winning comedy.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) - We all wanted to be Ferris Bueller (even if he could be a petulant jerk) even though quite a few of us were really the mournful Cameron, who reluctantly joins his high school pal for the most elaborate day of hooky ever devised. This movie meant a lot to me during those awkward years of adolescence. And even though it's mostly a farce, the moments that reached for more profundity spoke to a younger, more earnest me.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Of all the high school based comedies, I find this to be the funniest and the most endearing. It's not bogged down by any major central premise, it's almost like an Altman film, following disparate characters as their worlds collide. It's got a great feel for time and place and again the actors -- like Judge Reinhold, Sean Penn and Jennifer Jason Leigh, just to name a few -- elevate it to the next level.
Boyhood (2014) - Richard Linklater's decades-in-the-making masterpiece is a supreme cinematic achievement. It's decidedly not flashy both cinematically or acting-wise, and yet it's got an epic weight to it. There's something remarkable about watching the lead character literally grow up on screen. But it's not just a gimmick, never has a movie better helped me get to know a character and appreciate them in full once the credits role. A real game-changer.
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