Coming-of-Age Drama backdrop

Coming-of-Age Drama movies

Growing-up drama about identity, belonging, first independence, and life choices that can’t be undone.

Life as a House

361. Life as a House

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.4

20012h 5min

United States

Director: Irwin Winkler

Overview

When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.

Themes

Terminal illness catalyst, Building as renewal, Intergenerational responsibility, Neighborhood interference, Parental alienation, Betrayal of trust, Financial strain

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Riding in Cars with Boys

362. Riding in Cars with Boys

Drama Comedy Coming-of-Age Drama
6.5

20012h 12min

United States

Director: Penny Marshall

Overview

In 1965, a young woman with dreams of becoming a writer has a son at the age of 15 and struggles to make things work with the drug-addicted father.

Themes

Addiction and relationship strain, Teen pregnancy consequences, Female ambition vs motherhood, Education as escape and goal, Family loyalty under crisis

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

All About Lily Chou-Chou

363. All About Lily Chou-Chou

Drama Crime Coming-of-Age Drama
7.5

20012h 26min

Japan

Director: Shunji Iwai

Overview

Charts the troubled teenage years of students Yūichi Hasumi and Shūsuke Hoshino, exploring the shifting and complex power dynamics of their relationship against the backdrop of Yūichi's love for the dreamy and abstract music of pop star Lily Chou-Chou.

Themes

Coming of age pressures, Bullying power dynamics, Junior high school hierarchies, Middle school coercion, Kendo club influence, Online belonging and pressure

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

L.I.E.

364. L.I.E.

Drama Crime Coming-of-Age Drama Heist
7.1

20011h 37min

United States

Director: Michael Cuesta

Overview

With his mother dead and his father busy at work, Howie feels adrift in his New York suburb. He and his friend Gary spend their time burglarizing their neighbors' homes — until they make the mistake of robbing the house of Big John, a macho former Marine who is also an unrepentant pedophile. He propositions Howie, who declines, but the two eventually develop an unlikely and dangerous friendship.

Themes

Coming of age, Juvenile delinquency, Male prostitution, Death of mother

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Ghost World

365. Ghost World

Comedy Drama Coming-of-Age Drama Dark Comedy
7.3

20011h 51min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Overview

Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector, one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.

Themes

Friendships among outcasts, Post high school aimlessness, Social exclusion and envy, Art as social commentary, Longing for belonging, Manipulation and consequences, Authenticity vs performance

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Crazy/Beautiful

366. Crazy/Beautiful

Drama Romance Passionate Romance Coming-of-Age Drama
6.4

20011h 39min

United States

Director: John Stockwell

Overview

At Pacific Palisades High, a poor Latino falls hard for a troubled girl from the affluent neighborhood.

Themes

Family expectations, Romance across divides, Economic class tension, Peer and parental pressure, Substance use consequences, Dreams vs relationships

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Baby Boy

367. Baby Boy

Crime Drama Romance Thriller Coming-of-Age Drama
6.5

20012h 10min

United States

Director: John Singleton

Overview

The story of Jody, a misguided, 20-year-old African-American who is really just a baby boy finally forced-kicking and screaming to face the commitments of real life. Streetwise and jobless, he has not only fathered two children by two different women-Yvette and Peanut but still lives with his own mother. He can't seem to strike a balance or find direction in his chaotic life.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Loyalty under threat, Family protection, Crime and consequence, Fatherhood pressure, Resilience and responsibility

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Brainstorm

368. Brainstorm

Drama Coming-of-Age Drama
7.7

20011h 24min

Brazil

Director: Laís Bodanzky

Overview

Neto is a middle class teenager living a normal life. After his father finds a marijuana cigarette on his pocket, he is sent to a mental institution, where he gets to know a completely absurd and inhumane reality in which people are devoured by a corrupt and cruel system.

Themes

Deception within care, Subsidy-driven care, Institutional cruelty, Loss of autonomy, Middle-class insecurity, Dehumanization of patients

Available on

Netflix
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Y Tu Mamá También

369. Y Tu Mamá También

Drama Romance Coming-of-Age Drama Passionate Romance
7.7

20011h 46min

Mexico

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Overview

In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other.

Themes

Coming of age, Sexual awakening, Friendship vs desire, Class disparity, Jealousy and possession, Road trip as rite of passage

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
AMC+ Amazon Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Hole

370. The Hole

Crime Drama Horror Thriller Psychological Horror
6.2

20011h 42min

France, United Kingdom

Director: Nick Hamm

Overview

Four teenagers at a British private school secretly uncover and explore the depths of a sealed underground hole created decades ago as a possible bomb shelter.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Isolation and confinement, Social cliques under pressure, Jealousy and obsession, Power dynamics among peers, Survival under confinement

Available on

Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
SF Anytime
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.