Each genre of film brings something precious to its dedicated fans. Lovers of action movies seek the adrenaline and awe-inspiring composition of fight scenes. Horror fans seek the grating shock and dread of watching something horrible unfold. Naturally, there are no hard boundaries between types of sensations that different kinds of films offer their viewers.
Those seeking a renewed perspective in life or a welcome wave of nostalgia will find comfort in movies of the coming-of-age genre. These stories, which frequently center around kids, adolescents, and young adults, explore the pain and joy of that elusive boundary between youth and adulthood. Everyone who has ever lived has come upon this boundary many times in their lives, and those who have ever reflected positively on change may find that these films have a lot to say. Here are the best coming of age movies of the 2000s.
9 Bring It On
A formulaic plot did nothing to stop Bring It On from becoming one of the most iconic teen movies of the early 2000s. Come for the witty, zany humor, and stay for the high energy camaraderie and rivalry between these endearing cheerleaders. The movie is not meant to be taken too seriously or read for welcoming politics—it’s a raunchy high school comedy that makes great fare alongside a binge of other early 2000s comedies. The film was so successful that another sequel is currently in development.
8 Mean Girls
One of the truly quintessential high school movies, Mean Girls is led by a cast of characters so iconic that these lines of dialogue are still quoted almost two decades later. The transition between friend groups accurately captures the pitfalls of navigating friendship in early adolescence, when loyalties and social clout rule the schoolyard. Lindsay Lohan’s stages of confusion and growth mingle for an uplifting and honest portrayal of how hard it is to be a teenager.
7 Freaky Friday
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan create the ultimate out-of-sync, destructive, mother-daughter duo, and the body switch narrative was at its most compelling in films like Freaky Friday. Half the fun is watching the actors struggle to fit into each other’s bodies with their unique idiosyncrasies and mannerisms. It’s not a challenging conclusion or a genuinely new idea, but a set of emotional beats that warm the heart when taken with a grain of salt.
6 Donnie Darko
This movie rides the nebulous boundary between crowd-pleaser and cult film. It’s unlikely that most younger audiences have watched it, but its ideas and execution as a coming-of-age film are worthy. A mentally troubled teenage boy begins experiencing hallucinations of the end of the world while navigating the difficulties of being a reserved introvert in a high school environment. It’s somewhat surreal and defies an easy explanation, making it a film that deserves time for consideration after the credits have rolled. Donnie Darko is a treat for the active imagination. After the film's following grew in the years after its release, rumors of a sequel began circulating.
5 Finding Nemo
The phenomenon of Finding Nemo underwent a steady decline through the 2010s, but for many years after its release, it was considered some of Pixar’s greatest work. Following the adventures of a lost clownfish and his father’s journey to find him, there is a wonderful parallel narrative about the need to let go as a parent and the road to independence as a youth. Well-animated, memorable characters carry this film through its runtime and even two decades later, it’s still a story that warms the heart.
4 Persepolis
This black-and-white animated film about a girl growing up during and after the 1979 Iranian revolution is based on a renowned graphic novel of the same name. Marji, the main character, grows up in a troubled time of political unrest and loses the stability she once knew in her family life. Persepolis is not for the faint of heart, though the story’s moments of levity and beauty feel all the more visceral and fleeting thanks to its emotional weight. The film was controversial enough to be condemned by certain officials in Iran.
3 School of Rock
Faking his way into a substitute teaching gig, rocker Dewey Finn is tasked with honing the musical talents of this classroom of kids to rebel against the strict and uncompromising vision of life imposed on them by their parents. In an unusual twist, School Of Rock is as much a coming-of-age story for a witty group of kids as it is for the middle-aged rocker played by Jack Black. The love and freedom of rock music, presented through Jack Black’s vision, is the transformative element for each of the main characters and ensemble cast of children.
2 Juno
Teen pregnancy stories are a complicated narrative to put to screen, but Elliot Page’s portrayal of young Juno MacGuff in Juno creates a welcome warmth and levity. Having to decide what to do with the baby leaves her trapped among the confusion of being a high schooler and carrying the immense weight of what to do with the life growing inside her. Through a set of challenging encounters with different would-be parents, she’s able to come to peace with her situation and find solace in the love of her best friends.
1 Spirited Away
This animated film puts a fantastical spin on the question of how people grow and evolve to changing circumstances. Chihiro, a young girl that accidentally crosses a barrier into the world of spirits, is asked to complete a set of tasks by different mythical figures so that she can find her way back home. There are few studios that imbue their work with as much raw imagination as Studio Ghibli, and none that make the quality of “wonder” so real that it seems it could be touched, especially in a film like Spirited Away.