As your child transitions into adulthood, they’ll need to know how to balance responsibility and personal time, deal with peer pressure, and safely explore sexuality. Whether the subject matter is too awkward to discuss with your child or the medium of film just gets the job done more effectively, these films showcase a wide variety of learning opportunities teens to help your teen mature.
We hope these young adult stories inspire your teen to reflect on their own life and take some of the depicted experiences with them after the credits roll.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986 – John Hughes)
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is a senior in high school set on taking a school day to show his doubtful best friend, Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck), and his devil-may-care partner, Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara), just how valuable life can be. As teens make their transition into adulthood and are expected to take on increasingly significant responsibilities, they can feel like the weight of the world is resting on their shoulders. From managing more difficult homework assignments and preparing for the future to navigating a minefield of hormonal social dynamics, your child might feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities. That’s where Ferris comes in.
This comedy gives consideration to all the internalized trials and tribulations that teens face, but does so through the rearview mirror of a Modena GT Spyder California Ferrari. By ditching school to partake in the museums, parades, restaurants, and cultural hubs of Chicago, Bueller demonstrates that the seriousness, routine labor, and materialism of adulthood exist to serve the more tender and personal parts of life, not the other way around.
Without shying away from the heavy undertones of how scary the future can be, writer/director John Hughes highlights the importance of taking the valuable time to live while growing up. As Ferris famously says into the camera, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Boyz n the Hood (1991 – John Singleton)
This coming-of-age story follows Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a rambunctious young man sent to live with his father, Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne), in South Central Los Angeles to learn discipline. The enduring support he receives from his father and his girlfriend, Brandi (Nia Long), guides Tre to confront the systemic racial violence bearing down on his friend group. In addition to exploring the complex intimacy of growing up -family dynamics, romantic teen relationships, and college preparation- John Singleton’s drama addresses the way in which different parenting approaches prepare teens to handle personal responsibility.
Furious prioritizes his son’s safety, advising him to rise above the deliberate circumstances that influence young black men to join the army and gang life. Tre is then tasked with applying his father’s wisdom to pursue an academic career and navigating the activities of his friends Ricky (Morris Chestnut) and Doughboy (Ice Cube), who are raised with varying degrees of parental investment in a harsh environment. This film is essential viewing for teens to understand systemic racism and the self-discipline and kinship structures required to manage a job, prepare for school, and care for friends.
Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015 – Marielle Heller)
Marielle Heller’s teen drama depicts 15-year-old Minnie Goetz’s (Bel Powley) sexual exploration and dependency on others. Because teen movies rarely stray from subdued heterosexual relationships within the same age range or even focus on girls’ sexuality, Diary is essential viewing for young adults to learn about the heavily stigmatized topic.
One evening, Minnie’s mother, Charlotte (Kristen Wiig), is unable to go out with her boyfriend, Monroe (Alexander Skarsgård), so Minnie goes whim him instead and they strike up an affair. Consequently, Minnie keeps a diary that chronicles her sexual interactions with Monroe as well as her friend/confidante, Kimmie (Madeline Waters).
Pairing rugged animation with contemporary visuals, Heller captures how it feels to be a sexually curious teenager with precision; the excitability of even minor interactions -an unintentional touch, a fleeting glance, bodily proximity- stretch the fragile surface tension of Minnie’s wanting imagination. Ultimately, this dramedy can help teens witness the pitfalls of emotional and sexual dependency that might be difficult for their parents, peers, or romantic partners to address.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider Verse (2018 – Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman)
Half-Puerto Rican half-African American teenager Miles Morales (Miles Morales) witnesses the death of Spider-Man, gains similar abilities from a radioactive arachnid, and encounters five other variations of the hero within the span of 48 hours. Pretty relatable, right? Despite the fantastic premise, this animated flick situates the young adult dilemma of following the beaten path to success within a narrative about becoming Spider-Man.
When Kingpin (Live Schreiber) endangers the city by attempting to open up a portal to a parallel universe, Miles is tasked with taking on the responsibilities of a pro. In order to save the city, the other Spider-people attempt to train him in the ways of his predecessor. When none of their tactics work, Miles realizes that the only way to meet his challenges is by doing things his own way. He uses his unique background -forged through relationships with his policeman father, Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), his EMT mother, Rio Morales (Lauren Vélez), and his renegade uncle, Aron Davis (Mahershala Ali)- to inform how he will act as opposed to following in someone else’s footsteps.
The film’s central messaging, to create your own path and put your own spin on things, can be a valuable lesson for teens who feel the need to conform to other people’s standards. Coupled with themes of taking necessary risks and trusting in friends, Into the Spider Verse is a fun film that can encourage your teen to approach problem-solving with uniqueness.
Booksmart (2019 – Olivia Wilde)
Olivia Wilde’s film approaches the same theme as Ferris Bueller, that it’s important to live life in addition to working at your responsibilities, with a contemporary approach. Mixing the chaotic and aggressively endearing juvenile humor of Superbad (which we also recommend) with soft political quips and a cohesive cast, Booksmart is a great film for teens who forget the risk-taking side of growing up.
As accomplished high school seniors Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) near graduation, they learn that their seemingly disengaged peers are also attending prestigious colleges. In a last-ditch effort to console their social lives outside of academia, they embark on a journey to attend a party before graduation and engage romantic gambits. In addition to the film’s focused comedy and cool portrayal of awkward teen relationships, Booksmart offers its audience a look at the consequences of not living life; preparation for the future can’t only pertain to academic and professional endeavors.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999 – Gil Junger)
While the notion of a Shakespeare adaptation might not scream, “This is perfect for my teen,” Gil Junger’s 90s-era rendition of The Taming of the Shrew has more layers than the Lucentio’s attempts to court Bianco. Err, let’s try that again.
The new high school kid, Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has a crush on Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik). However, Bianca’s father won’t let her go out with anyone until a brave enough suitor goes on a date with her combative older sister, Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles). While competing with a wealthy jock for Bianca’s affection, Cameron hatches a plan to get him to bribe the school’s mysterious bad boy, Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), to take Kat out on a date. (Phew.)
This film laces blatant underhanded comedy, normalized introductory feminist commentary, and “90s Disney channel Original Movie” vibes into one cohesive story. With a star-studded cast, a surprising range of humor, and overly complex teen romantic plots, 10 Things I Hate About You teaches teens about the value staying true to yourself in the fight for love. This film is also a great way for your teen to encounter a thoroughly enjoyable take on Shakespeare.
Mid90s (2018 – Jonah Hill)
Superbad alum, Jonah Hill, takes influence from filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Greg Mottola, and Shane Meaddows to deliver a story about unconventional family structures. The film depicts 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) as he joins a local skater group when his abusive older brother and single mother just won’t do. Tired with feeling lonely in his low-income household, Stevie finds freedom, joy, and belonging amongst a rag tag group of boys trying to make it in the world.
Teens can benefit from watching this movie because it demonstrates the value of nonnormative kinship in times of personal crisis and self-harm. When teens have difficulty facing intimate problems of home life or feelings of inadequacy and isolation, it might be helpful to see examples of friendships and recreational activities used to prop each other up.
However, the boys’ develop a reliance on drug and alcohol use to escape their hardship. Their activities become excessive and dangerous, ruining their professional ambitions and putting the group at risk. Hill, then, takes the time to demonstrate how the gang’s mental health and wellbeing fare under confrontation versus comfort. With the kinship structure of The Outsiders splayed across a backdrop of hip hop and Los Angeles skating culture, Mid90s is a tender look at how empathy can be a powerful tool for teens struggling to feel connected.
Moonlight (2016 – Barry Jenkins)
Barry Jenkins’ Best Picture Oscar-winning film carries the audience through three stages of Chiron’s life: youth (Alex Hibbert), adolescence (Ashton Sanders), and early adulthood (Trevante Rhodes). Chiron navigates growing up in Miami with a drug-dependent mother, Paula (Naomie Harris), and a drug-dealing mentor, Juan (Mahershala Ali). This complex dynamic adds to the emotional burden that Chiron bears given their polarized responses to his sexuality.
Chiron later experiences a joyous yet isolated sexual encounter as a young man that is quickly followed up by bullying from his partner and classmates. This coming-of-age story film offers empathy to its characters when it is difficult for them to do it themselves. Moonlight informs teens about the importance of understanding, care, and gentleness and how destructive and harmful life can be without these elements. So many artists and storytellers who would explore the subject matter are locked out of Hollywood, so it’s a good think Jenkins helms this experience of a black gay boy as he does with tenderness, explosive emotion, and deep personal intimacy.
Crooklyn (1994 – Spike Lee)
Crooklyn explores the role of a matriarch holding a family together through the lens of nine-year-old Troy Carmichael (Zelda Harris). In a packed apartment, Carolyn (Alfre Woodard) manages to raise her daughter and four sons, work as a schoolteacher, and support her husband’s struggling solo career as a musician. Though the family bickers about their various responsibilities and often challenge Carolyn about their roles in the household, her leadership anchors the group through their struggles with finances and the other large personalities that occupy the building. When Carolyn’s ability to take care of the family is occluded, the entire group begins to understand just how laborious and loving her life has been.
Troy’s stoic yet junior perspective gives the audience a steady vehicle to explore the gender roles established in the Carmichael’s house. In school, gender, race, and adolescence are never part of the formal curriculum. Spike Lee’s film is therefore useful for teens to experience these dynamics through an endearing host of characters. After learning about parental responsibilities in this movie and how kids are eventually expected to take on those roles, teens might consider helping out more around the house and actively pursuing their own agency.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012 – Stephen Chbosky)
Based on writer/director Stephen Chbosky’s book of the same name, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows Charlie (Logan Lerman) as he navigates high school after being discharged from a mental healthcare institution. Encouraged by his English teacher to make friends, Charlie encounters two stepsiblings Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller) who take him in to their rag tag group of seniors.
The film explores experiences of clinical depression, sexual abuse, closeted gay romance, and kinship structures. Drifting on a soundtrack from the 80s and early 90s, Charlie discovers the value of empathy and mindfulness in relation to actively participating in life. Perks makes it on to the “Essential Coming-of-Age” list because it operates in solidarity with teens facing high school with mental health concerns. It demonstrates how deeply emotional and personal trauma, while long-lasting and all-consuming, can be managed through friendship.
Author Bio
Eric M. Earle is the founder of Tutor Portland. He became the premier math tutor in Portland, Oregon. He focuses on improving students’ math grades to better their college acceptance rates.