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Coming of Age Films Through The Years
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Rebel Without a Cause
Drama film about emotionally confused suburban, middle-class teenagers. The film was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the American youth, critique parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between different generations. This highlights theattitudes of teenages and how they can change within an instant. -
The 400 Blows
The film is about a misunderstood teenage in Paris who is thought by his parents and teachers to be a troublemaker. He
frequently runs away from his parents and school. The boy finally quits school and steals a typewriter from his stepfather. It is a French fillm which has strong themes of lonelyness, replacement and confusion for the young boy as his mother doesn't take much interest in him. This film shows that even teenages have something their mind as a perfect place - where they can escape -
The Graduate
A film about a man that is a university graduate who is seduced by his teacher, Mrs Robbinson. He then ends up falling in love with her daughter. Main themes of innocence and also confusion due to explotation of someone who only craves sex, unlike him. The themes of the film also mirrored the changes occurring in Hollywood atbthat time which brought the new ideas of teenagers and possible lives they could lead. -
American Graffiti
The film is a study of car racers and rock and roll cultures among the post–World War II baby boom. The film is told in a series of vignettes, telling the story of a group of teenagers and their adventures over a single evening. The concept of moving forward and not living in the past is a mjaor theme throughtout the film. -
The Breakfast Club
The film follows five teenagers, each from different friendship groups, who spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that there's more to each person than how they are stereotyped. They all have a lot in common such as having strained relationships with all of their parents.This sows us that the people you think are very different, are actually very similar to you. -
Dead Poets Society
It tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his love of poetry. 'Carpe diem' is a main theme, which means 'seixe the day'. The teacher expressed how they should seize the day because if not, soon it could all be gone. -
Good Will Hunting
An unrecognized genius who, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement after assaulting a police officer, becomes a patient of a therapist, Williams. Through his therapy sessions, Will re-evaluates his relationships with his best friend, his girlfriend and himself, facing task of thinking about his future. -
American Pie
The film concentrates on five best friends (Jim, Kevin, Oz, Finch, and Stifle who attend East Great Falls High. Stifler is the only one to have lost his virginity so the other guys have made a pact to lose theirs before their high school graduation. The main theme is sex an love which is part of mostteenager's life -
Spider Man
A film based on a dork teenager. After being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, he gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He promises to use his abilities to fight crime. It mainly highlights themes of bravery, loss, love and most importantly heroism. -
This is England
A story about a troubled boy growing up in England. It is set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, who become his new best friends - even like family. It is a British film based around the time of major youth sub-cultures beings Mods, New Romantics, and Skinheads that summer. -
Moonrise Kingdom
This is a film based on 2 teenagers, 1 boy and 1 girl, who have been pen pals for sometime. They plan on running away together until they find the secluded cove on the island on which they live on. Both of them are very mature for their age but there is still a long lasting theme of make-believe so they can escape from parents. -
BOYHOOD
Over a course of 12 years, a boy is filmed growing up from a young child until he joins college. It is both a time capsule of the recent past and growing up and parenting. It has mature themes like violence, seperated parents, sex, homophobia and drugs.
