Movies like The Edge of Seventeen brings to light the personal plights of many young adults in subtle yet painfully real ways.
Directed by Kelly Craig, the film encapsulates how growing up can be difficult in the eyes of Nadine, a high schooler experiencing loneliness after her best friend left her for a romantic relationship.
The film is one of the sweetest movies to come out in 2016, a year when Sing Street, Moonlight, and other titles were released. If you’re looking for movies like The Edge of Seventeen that are similarly touching, this is the list for you!
10 Nostalgic Coming-of-age Movies Like The Edge of Seventeen
10. Pretty in Pink (1986)Â
For a list about movies like The Edge of Seventeen, it’s important that we open with Pretty in Pink, directed by the granddaddy of coming-of-age dramas, John Hughes!
Pretty in Pink follows Andie, a young girl who associate herself as a non-popular student at her school. Things change when a popular jock falls in love with her.
Pretty in Pink might feel too formulaic, but it is earnestly made to the point that it is easy to forgive its flaws. Major credits also go out to star Molly Ringwald, who gave an electric and memorable performance as Andie.
9. Eighth Grade (2018)
Eighth Grade tells the story of Kayla, an introverted eighth-grader who regularly posts videos about self-confidence. A major event will make her realize that the best version of herself is not the one she is pretending to be.
Directed by Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade is a masterful film that deserves all the praises it has gotten when it premiered in 2018.
The film provides an unflinching look at what it feels like to become a kid going through the early stages of puberty. It’s a must-watch!
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Freshman Charlie is worried about entering high school. When he befriends seniors from his school, he will learn to cope from a tragic event involving a friend who passed away.
Movies like The Edge of Seventeen can feel too real to an extent that it mirrors life’s most heartbreaking moments. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is also a deeply sad movie, more serious than people expected it to be.
The film ticks the right boxes of an effective drama, with a great ensemble led by Logan Lerman. Just don’t forget the tissues when you watch!
7. Easy A (2010)
Olivia, a high school student, gained fame after making a false testimonial about losing her virginity to a college boy.
Easy A might not be your usual coming-of-age tale, but its comedy is timeless. Star Emma Stone knocked it out of the park with her charismatic performance as Olive, a role that puts her in Hollywood fame.
Easy A is also raunchy, but in ways that are both crude and genuinely innocent at the same time. We recommend that you watch this blindly for its big surprises, and of course, that hilarious “Pocketful of Sunshine” sequence!
6. The Breakfast Club (1985)
If we’re talking about coming-of-age movies like The Edge of Seventeen, including The Breakfast Club is mandatory.
The Breakfast Club follows five teenagers who are forced to spend the Saturday in detention. Despite coming from different high school circles, one conversation will reveal a painful truth of who they really are.
Sweet and often hilarious, The Breakfast Club is the definitive movie about what it feels like to be a teenager amidst a controlling system. Its message about youth angst still packs a strong punch that even today’s younger audiences will relate to.
5. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
A modern take on William Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You follows Patrick, a bad boy who was tricked by a schoolmate to date an ill-tempered girl in his high school.
10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic movie that never gets old despite being released for over 20 years. It is also superbly cast, starring a lovable Heath Ledger as Patrick.
There are more than ten reasons for you to watch this movie, but there’s only one that deserves a big mention. You’ll know when you finally watch the movie!
4. Love, Simon (2018)
Simon comes to terms with his real identity when a blackmailer threatens to reveal his sexual orientation to the public.
Directed by Greg Berlanti, Love, Simon is a genuinely charming movie and one that champions inclusivity for coming-of-age stories. Among the many movies like The Edge of Seventeen that are recently released, this film feels the closest to a John Hughes flick.
At times emotionally honest, Love, Simon makes up for an enjoyable viewing if you’re looking for something that best captures today’s generation.
3. Superbad (2007)
Two boys want to enjoy their teenage lives to the fullest before they finish high school and separate to go to different colleges. A night they hoped to become a memorable evening of debauchery lands them in an adventure more dangerous than they realized.
Directed by Greg Mottola, Superbad truthfully captures a side of high school life that a lot of movies don’t dare explore.
Unlike other movies like The Edge of Seventeen, Superbad is more designed for an adult audience. Just don’t let its hard “R” rating intimidate you because this movie surprisingly has a lot of heart.
2. Paper Towns (2015)
Quentin, together with his friends, set out on a search mission when his crush Margo mysteriously disappears one evening.
Directed by Jake Schreier and adapted from the popular novel by John Green, Paper Towns is an easy watch that you will deeply enjoy even if it’s just playing in the background.
Paper Towns is no The Edge of Seventeen in terms of providing the “feels”, but it successfully encapsulates the tone of how it feels to be adventurous as a teenager.
1. Lady Bird (2017)
Lady Bird tells the story of Christine, a teenage girl who faces the ups and downs of being a senior student in high school.
Lady Bird is fascinatingly unique compared to other movies like The Edge of Seventeen because of its searing portrait of adolescence. The film is also superbly made, all mostly owed to the great tandem of writer-director Greta Gerwig and her star Saoirse Rona, who in a career-defining role excellently brought Christine to life.
Lady Bird might be categorized as a comedy, but it is also a tear-jerker. No wonder it nabbed a couple of Golden Globe trophies and Oscar recognitions!