A Few Favourites: Coming of Age films

Coming back 'atcha with another post in my imaginatively named 'A Few Favourites' series. This time it's all about the Coming of Age films, once again this isn't a list of my top all time favourites, I'm a bit too fickle to make definitive film lists... these are just a few I'd recommend you check out if you haven't already or you're kinda new to the genre and you want something to wet your appetite. I felt inspired to write this post after re-watching The Breakfast Club a couple of weeks back and going to see an enjoyable indie coming of age film called King Jack at the cinema last week.

A Quick Definition:  a coming-of-age story is a genre of literature and film that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from youth to adulthood ("coming of age"). Coming-of-age stories tend to emphasize dialogue or internal monologue over action, and are often set in the past.

Dead Poets Society

This film was one of those films that reminded me just how wonderful cinema can be when I watched it for the first time a couple of months back and how much a film can move you and fill you with both joy and sadness. John Keating (Robin Williams) is the new English teacher in an all boy boarding school, he has a great passion for literature and decides to use unorthodox methods to get his class to share in his enthusiasm. As his methods begin to work and the boys begin to think for themselves opposition from his conservative colleagues grows. Robin Williams is absolutely perfect in this role, he just exudes warmth and passion and I often found myself thinking 'I wish I had a teacher like him at school' whilst I was watching the story unfold. The film perfectly depicts how enriching the right approach to education can be and how much students can also grow as free thinking individuals if given the nurturing guidance to do so. If you haven't seen it I urge you to watch it, it's one of those films that will move you and remind you just how important literature is and how we need to  treasure and celebrate it, especially in our schooling systems now more than ever as we are in a time where funding for the arts is sadly being cut in schools across the UK.

"No matter what anyone tells you, words and ideas can change the world. "

The Virgin Suicides

Firstly let me say the book that this film is based on is beautiful, I really need to re read it. The film is almost as a good, that's not a slight at the film at all, the book is just that marginally bit better. It's a film set in 70's suburban American and centres around the life and the untimely death of the 5 young Lisbon sisters. Directed by Sophia Copella who also directed my favourite film- Lost in Translation, the film explores the themes of infatuation, sex, identity and belonging. From the get go we the audience are aware of how the story will end because well, it's in the title, so the film isn't really about what ultimately happens to them it's more about the mystery that surrounds them and a group of boys who are infatuated by them trying to piece their story together and figure out why they took their lives. 

Blue is the Warmest Colour

This is one of the most moving and raw portrayals of love I have ever seen in a film, I 100% believed in the 2 leads - Emma and Adele. The story follows Adele a teen coming to terms with her sexuality and her blossoming love with Emma and then the complications that follow. Its a film thats not afraid to be bold and explicit, I can't imagine a film like this being made in Hollywood, it would probably end up watered down and censored which would take away from the realism and the honest approach the film takes to sexuality and same sex relationships. There are scenes in it where I genuinely felt like I was watching a real couple go through struggles and I was just a fly on the wall watching a couple in emotional turmoil. I challenge anyone to watch this and not be moved.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I really had my doubts about this one, I LOVED the book when I was younger and I wasn't sure it would really translate well on screen. The book is written in diary/letter form which worked really well to get a honest insight into Charlie's head and so I was dubious without this if I would feel the same connection to the character. The story explores some really dark themes without sensationalizing them as you might sometimes expect in a Hollywood teen movie. The casting is perfect and the soundtrack is brilliant, I'm always a sucker for a good film soundtrack. The film has a lot of heart and whilst it does deal with some really heavy issues at the centre of it its a film about friendship and self discovery. It's a film about surviving high school that's made with such sincerity that I think it would appeal to people of all ages, anyone that has ever felt a little lost growing up (I imagine thats most of us at some point) can relate to one or all of the characters is some way. Even though there is a romantic storyline within it I appreciate that the film chooses to focus more on the importance of friendships and how friends are ultimately the people that shape us the most during adolescence. 

Sam: Why do I and everyone I love pick people who treat us like we're nothing?

Charlie: We accept the love we think we deserve.

I'd love to hear any of your recommendations so pop me any suggestions you might have below or let me know if you've watched any of the above, I always love hearing other peoples opinions on films I've enjoyed.