An A-Z Guide To Coming-of-Age Films!

This graduation season, remind yourself to watch one (if not all) of the great movies filed under “coming-of-age” – a genre that subverts expectations, challenges us to think outside of our own experiences, and, most significantly, gives the chance to audiences, young and old, to see themselves on screen.

If you’re not familiar enough with the genre, take a glimpse at some of the definitive examples listed below in alphabetical order and watch whichever films stand out to you!

A is for: Almost Famous

The 2000 film follows a young music journalist, his overprotective mother, and the people he meets on one poignant journey.

Stream on Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

B is for: Booksmart

In Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, two high school seniors challenge their popularity status through a night of laughs, risk-taking, and heartbreak.

Stream on Peacock.

C is for: Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

This Lindsay Lohan-led comedy about a teenage girl with big dreams and high hopes is a blend of camp musical and romantic comedy.

Stream on Disney+.

D is for: Dazed and Confused

This '90s cult classic explores the last day of school for high school juniors and the incoming freshman.

Stream on Paramount+ and Showtime.

E is for: The Edge of Seventeen

Hailee Steinfeld received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Nadine, a high schooler who falls out with her best friend after she starts dating her brother.

Stream on Hulu Premium.

F is for: The Fabelmans

Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical exploration of his passion for filmmaking and the relationship he had with his beloved mother.

Stream on Paramount+ and Showtime.

G is for: The Graduate

The classic dramedy, released in 1967, focuses on a young man who falls for an older woman – and her daughter.

Stream on Prime Video.

H is for: The Hate U Give

A heartbreaking look at the long term impact that police brutality has on a young girl torn between two worlds.

Available to rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

I is for: It (2017)

Look past the jumpscares and killer clown and you’ll find a story about a group of young people dealing with their own individual traumas ranging from death to abuse.

Stream on Hulu and Max.

J is for: Juno

The Oscar-winning tale of teenage pregnancy, adoption, and first loves through the eyes of an acerbic young woman.

Stream on Max.

K is for: The Karate Kid (1984)

A teenage boy finds himself under the wing of a karate master who teaches him lessons about the sport and life.

Stream on YouTube and Tubi.

L is for: Licorice Pizza

Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman burst onto center stage in this film that takes place in the 1970s San Fernando Valley.

Stream on Paramount+ and Prime Video.

M is for: Minari

Set in Arkansas during the 1980s, Minari is an Oscar-winning story about a multi-generational Korean-American family and the consequences they face to achieve the American dream.

Stream on YouTube, Tubi, and Pluto TV.

N is for: Now and Then

A story of one eventful summer that changes the course of four best friends' lives forever.

Available to rent or buy on Prime Video and YouTube.

O is for: Orange County

This film follows a young writer whose dream to attend Stanford University is derailed by one major mistake.

Available to rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

P is for: Precious

Perhaps one of the most tear-inducing coming-of-age films ever made, Precious is a story about a young woman’s turbulent relationship with her abusive mother and the systems that fail to protect her.

Stream on Max.

Q is for: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

This 1998 Bollywood musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet is among one of the most influential in Indian cinematic history.

Available to stream on ZEE5.

R is for: Rocks

A coming-of-age story set in England about a girl named Rocks, the friends she keeps close to her, and the younger brother she is left to raise on her own.

Currently unavailable for streaming.

S is for: Stand By Me

When talking about coming-of-age films, it’s hard not to mention the legacy of Stand By Me – which is, in essence, a male-centric version of Now and Then.

Available to rent or buy on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.

T is for: Thirteen

An R-rated teen drama, Thirteen doesn’t shy away from the darkest and most troubling parts of teenagehood.

U is for: Uptown Girls

The beloved tale of a dynamic relationship between an anxiety-ridden little girl and her free-spirited nanny.

Stream on Prime Video, Pluto TV, and Tubi.

V is for: Valley Girl

An '80s classic starring Nicolas Cage as a Hollywood bad boy who falls for a girl from the San Fernando Valley.

Available to stream on Paramount+ and Showtime.

W is for: Welcome to the Dollhouse

A coming-of-age story about finding your place in school, in your family, and in the world.

Available to rent or buy on Prime Video and Apple TV.

X is for: Project X

Three friends throw a rager for their high school class, inciting an unexpected night of chaos.

Stream on Max.

Y is for: Yes, God, Yes

Based on the short film of the same name, the film stars Natalia Dyer of "Stranger Things" as a Catholic teenager coming into her sexuality.

Available to stream om Starz.

Z is for: Zombieland

Equal parts fantasy, comedy, horror, and coming-of-age, Zombieland is an unlikely tale of young adulthood.

Stream on Netflix. 

So whether the main character of a coming-of-age film is navigating pregnancy, a zombie apocalypse, or the perils of living in Los Angeles, all of these movies share a bond rooted in the most uncomfortable phase in our lives – a journey of growing up and self-discovery.