Coming of age films work as mirrors for who we are and who we are becoming, says Brent Cowley, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Arts & Letters
Coming-of-age films are more than just about youth; it’s also about reflections of time, identity and movement, said Cowley. He said they often define the era and generation in which they are made, offering snapshots of cultural norms, adolescent anxieties and the music that framed our lives. Cowley said the reception to coming-of-age films can and should change as we learn and grow. “Music and other elements certainly may recall elements of nostalgia, but hopefully in a way that demonstrates some sort of growth, demonstrating eternal progression,” he explained.
What is a coming-of-age film?
Studio Binder website describes coming-of-age film as a genre focused on a central character arc with themes centered around youth, growing up and maturation. “These films follow a singular protagonist as they ‘come of age,’ meaning they progress into the next stage of their life. Protagonists are typically young and facing the first major dilemma, ordeal or awakening of their life,” says the site.
According to Jazmin Kopotsha, a writer for Refinery29, coming-of-age films are stories of people living through a transformative period. “Watching a couple of 18-year-olds falling in love, graduating high school and going through the all-consuming turmoil of teendom allows us to sit back and enjoy without having to think much. We can sit back and watch in the comfort that now, we’re the ones who know better,” she explains.
Coming-of-age is never over. It's in the name: 'coming-of-age'.
Connecting with a character
Jaycob Char, a junior majoring in business management from Laie, said he thinks of coming-of-age films as ones that inspire and help people understand a character. “A good one is Forrest Gump. I learned a lot about the character and his story, and I felt very inspired after watching,” he shared.
When rewatching coming-of age films, Char said one relives the feeling of depth and lessons received from the first watch. “It’s like going on a rollercoaster ride for the first time where it’s exciting and scary, and you get the exact feelings when you do it another time,” he explained.
In an interview conducted by Refinery29, TV psychologist Honey Langcaster-James said people gain mastery over potentially difficult emotions through entertainment. “Some people wonder why anybody would ever want to watch a horror movie or a thriller … but there is an element of reassurance in being able to experience those emotions from a removed perspective,” she explains.
The site says as people mature, they gain the opportunity to master emotions they once felt consumed by and now have a more detached and bemused look on life.
For “Forrest Gump,” a movie about a man who defies all odds despite his weaknesses, Char said he feels connected to Gump—the titular character—as his story is a reminder that anything is possible in this life. “Gump was a mentally challenged character, but he was able to accomplish a lot of things,” Char explained.
An important scene from the movie was when Gump was running away from his bullies, said Char. “Everyone knows that scene where Jenny says ‘Run, Forrest! Run!’ and even when Gump’s leg braces came off, he was able to continue running. That surprised him as someone who used to be immobile,” he explained. He said it gave him motivation and understanding that even though there are things in life that keep us down, we can overcome them.
Another movie character Char said he relates to was the mother from the movie “The Blind Side” played by Sandra Bullock. He said he identifies with the mother more since she showed a pivotal change throughout the movie. “She’s an influential person in the community who was at first a little skeptical with Michael, the main character, but eventually ended up letting herself in his life and so did Michael in hers,” he explained.
Char said the whole movie reflects the reality of meeting people for the first time. He said when we decide to let people into our lives, we build a better community and end up becoming happier. “When the family was celebrating Thanksgiving, they invited Michael, and it felt like a foreign experience to him because it wasn’t something he was used to,” he explained. He said this scene reminded him of feeling isolated as a missionary, especially during the holidays. “It’s just you and your companion. So, I felt welcomed when families would invite us in their homes, like the mother in the movie who welcomed Michael.”
Steady growth
Cowley said coming-of-age films aren’t just there to speak to our younger selves. He said it speaks differently to us as we ourselves change. “An example of this is when I recently rewatched Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) with my kids. Where I once wholeheartedly rooted for Ferris Bueller for his cleverness and carefree spirit, I found myself sympathizing more with the principal. It was not just a shift in my allegiance; it was a sign that I had changed,” he explained.
Char said he thinks he will continue to have coming-of-age moments in the future. “One example I can think of was last year when I went to Philadelphia and did summer sales knocking on doors and selling things every day. It was just very hard because you’re by yourself,” he explained.
Char said what he thought was going to be as easy as missionary work turned out to be much more challenging—he was alone and oftentimes rejected. “There’s this moment where I felt very unmotivated, depressed, and I didn’t want to be there,” he expressed.
He said he learned to lean more on God through the experience. “That coming-of-age moment helped me to do my best despite my doubts, and that’s all that matters, whether I see progress or not,” he explained.
Char said he feels “coming-of-age” is never over. “It’s in the name: ‘coming of age,’ right? You’re going through life, and you’re not there yet,” he explained.
He said it tells a person’s journey of learning, understanding and developing who they are. “More so with us students, that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re developing our knowledge, our skills and our experiences,” he continued.
Coming-of-age films aren’t just there to speak to our younger selves. It speaks differently to us as we ourselves change.
Coming-of-age films as a movement
Cowley said we all have films that speak to us. “Stories assist in forming our identities. The best coming-of-age films do not just show us who we were. They should also whisper who we are becoming,” he shared.
Cowley said each generation has coming-of-age films that appeal to an audience. “The Breakfast Club” (1985) and the work of John Hughes are inseparable from the Gen X experience. For Millennials, it may be “Juno” (2007) or “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012). Today, it might be “Turning Red” (2022), “CODA” (2021) or even “Cobra Kai,” a Netflix series based on the nostalgia of “The Karate Kid” (1984),” he listed.
Cowley said “Cobra Kai” captures the pain and confusion of adulthood when people have never truly graduated emotionally from high school, and this can be true at any stage in life. “There is a temptation to dwell on what was, especially when the present feels more complicated than it used to. But we are not meant to stay there,” he continued.
“As ‘Cobra Kai’ masterfully shows, Johnny, the main character, is at his worst when stuck in the past. The moment he starts to care for others, to mentor and to listen, he begins to grow again not because he reclaims his youth, but because he finally moves beyond it,” Cowley explained.
Cowley said there is sometimes magic and pain in nostalgia. “These films allow us to revisit moments that formed us, but they also confront us with who we are now. They can stir longing, but they should also stir reflection,” he added.
Dr. Cowley's top coming-of-age films
International
- Whale Rider (2002) – New Zealand
- Spirited Away (2001) - Japan
- Mon Oncle (1958) - France
Steven Spielberg-produced films
- The Goonies (1985)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
John Hughes
- Home Alone (1990)
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
- The Breakfast Club (1985)
Family films
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- A Goofy Movie (1995)
- The Sandlot (1993) (filmed in Utah!)
Childhood friends
- Stand by Me (1986)
- My Girl (1991)
- Big (1988)
Wes Anderson
- Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
- Rushmore (1998)
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Mentorship & generational growth
- The Karate Kid – Cobra Kai (Series (2018–present)
- Dead Poets Society (1989)
- Boyhood (2014)
Jaycob's top coming-of-age films
- Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- The Blind Side (2009)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Mcfarland, USA (2015)
- Spare Parts (2015)
- Hidden Figures (2016)
- Freedom Writers (2007)
- A Silent Voice (2016)
- Barbie (2023)
- Inside Out (2015)