No one said growing up is easy, but the journey to adulthood should come with some memories along the way. Maybe even an adventure or two! It’s why we become so enamored with coming-of-age adventure movies. Perhaps they serve as a nostalgic thread to our own memories or provide a chance to live through the characters on screen. Whatever the reason, coming-of-age adventure films remain the most heartfelt tales we’ve ever watched.
We are here to celebrate ten titles that changed our lives. From science fiction stories of vast wonderment to rough-and-tumble journeys where danger lurks, these movies have stuck with us from the moment we watched them. Whether you grew up with these movies or discovered them as they were passed down from another generation, these coming-of-age adventure films are simply perfect.
10
‘Mud’ (2012)
The Southern Gothic drama Mud, written and directed by Jeff Nichols, follows 14-year-old boys Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) who discover a mysterious, rough-looking man named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding from the law and bounty hunters in a wedged motorboat. Mud asks the boys to help him repair the stranded boat so he can escape and reunite with his long-lost love, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon).
Evoking the Mark Twain-style river adventures of yore, Mud explores the realistic and emotionally painful end of childhood innocence. Ellis and Neckbone’s adventure begins innocently until Mud is discovered, immediately upping the dangerous stakes. Mud is no true hero; he’s a flawed storyteller who fascinates the boys by saying what they need to hear. Through Mud’s journey, Ellis soon begins to learn that adult relationships are messy due to bad choices, and first crushes can be crushing. Mud is an evocative and daring coming-of-age tale that captures the raw realities of growing up.
9
‘The Sandlot’ (1993)
The glory days of summer fun are a memory we all have growing up. Whether it was in the pool or on the ballfield, the days spent with your friends are the moments you’ll take with you forever. In David Mickey Evans‘ sports comedy The Sandlot, a group of young boys spends the summer of 1962 playing baseball. When the new kid in town, Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), moves to the neighborhood, he struggles to fit in because he doesn’t know how to play until local baseball prodigy Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez (Mike Vitar) takes him under his wing.
A story of friendship and the power of teamwork, The Sandlot is simply pure nostalgia and a sensationally accessible story. The diverse, tight-knit crew shares hilarious banter as they rapid-fire chat about things kids would discuss as they embark on fear-filled adventures. While they seem low-stakes to us, to them, they’re everything. Sneaking into a public pool or playing night games under a fireworks-filled sky are epic moments that build their character. The Sandlot remains a gleeful delight.
8
‘Super 8’ (2011)
The kids in Super 8 are making a zombie movie until they film something extraordinary. In J.J. Abrams‘ unsung masterpiece, Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his friends accidentally see a pickup truck deliberately crash into a speeding Air Force train, carrying top-secret military cargo and a dangerous, otherworldly creature. Armed with their Super 8 camera, the friends try to uncover the truth and rescue one of their own captured by the creature.
A tribute to sci-fi adventure stories of the ’70s and ’80s, Super 8 is a brilliant adventure. The emotional core of Super 8 revolves around Joe and his experience surrounding grief. He’s a young boy mourning his mother’s death while trying to reconnect with his father, Deputy Jack Lamb (Kyle Chandler). For those who found a life in entertainment, especially filmmaking, Super 8 is an ode to you. Having the world unfold through the eyes of the kids gives it a special essence that feels both urgent and nostalgic. It’s a necessary watch, especially if you love a certain other film made by Super 8‘s producer, Steven Spielberg.
7
‘The NeverEnding Story’ (1984)
Sometimes it’s not just the kids in the films who have coming-of-age experiences. Thanks to The NeverEnding Story, many of us felt what loss can feel like. In Wolfgang Petersen‘s fantasy film, a lonely boy named Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barret Oliver) reads a magical book that brings the magical land of Fantasia to life. Fantasia is being destroyed by a dark, formless force known as “The Nothing,” as the realm’s ruler, the Childlike Empress (Tami Stronach), is deathly ill. It’s up to Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) and Bastian to save the world.
A perfectly ‘ 80s-coded film from production to soundtrack, The NeverEnding Story is a celebration of imagination built on magic. The book that Bastian encounters allows him the opportunity to face his grief, fears, and trepidation head-on. Although heavy-handed, it does not belittle its viewers, forcing emotions including despair and fear to come into focus. These fears become personified in story elements like the Swamps of Sadness and the Nothing. At the end of the day, The NeverEnding Story serves as a reminder that imagination knows no age.
6
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012)
Moonrise Kingdom centers on two 12-year-olds, orphan Khaki Scout Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and moody and alienated Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), who fall in love and run away together into the wilderness. A frantic search for the kids is led by Captain Duffy Sharp (Bruce Willis), Suzy’s miffed parents Will and Laura (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and a troop of scouts and their leader, Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton), as a violent storm heads toward the island.
Through Wes Anderson‘s signature style, Moonrise Kingdom celebrates first loves and the bittersweet moments of childhood. Using his signature symmetrical framing, pastel palette, and deadpan humor, Anderson tells his summer-to-autumnal tale like a museum exhibition come to life. Unlike some of his other works, Moonrise Kingdom‘s production and soundtrack are designed to have elements of innocence so as to put the story in the kids’ eyes, allowing the story to be completely earnest. The adorable romance between Sam and Suzy is nostalgic and innocent, yet fruitful and mature.
5
‘Jumanji’ (1995)
Kids of the ’90s genuinely believed that if they heard a rumble, the jungle was about to engulf their world. At least, that’s what I thought after experiencing Jumanji in the cinema. Directed by Joe Johnston and based on the picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, Jumanji follows two modern children, Judy and Peter Shepherd (Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce), who discover the magical board game, unleashing a jungle of animals, bugs, and Alan Parrish (Robin Williams), who has been magically trapped inside Jumanji for 26 years.
A brilliant coming-of-age story, Jumanji uses magical stakes to focus on both the children’s and adults’ journey to healing the past, facing their fears, and finding the power to grow up. Having just lost their parents, Judy and Peter play the game as a means to mourn. In turn, their adventure brings them closer together. Williams provides a heartfelt, hilarious performance that keeps the spirit of childhood alive. Jumanji is a spectacular film that brought out our inner imagination and wonder, wishing we too could experience a tamed version of a live game.
4
‘Life of Pi’ (2012)
If you read Yann Martel‘s 2001 novel, you could imagine the brilliant fantasy movie that could emerge. Then, Ang Lee made it a reality. Life of Pi tells the daring story of a 16-year-old Indian boy named Pi (Suraj Sharma) who gets stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker for 227 days.
An astounding story of survival at sea, Life of Pi celebrates faith and the greater meanings of life through an extraordinary narrative. It explores theology in a manner many mainstream coming-of-age stories tend to leave out, allowing us all to decide whether we view our world through brutal reality or as divine purpose. Lee’s masterpiece seamlessly weaves a daring physical struggle for survival with a heavy emotional and spiritual journey from a young teenager into adulthood. Pi encounters a harrowing journey that forces him to confront his inner fears, loss of innocence, and redefine his views of the world.
3
‘The Goonies’ (1985)
Many view The Goonies as the top-tier coming-of-age film. It’s up there, but the remaining two are just a tad better. Regardless, the Richard Donner-directed adventure comedy follows a group of kids who call themselves the Goonies from the “Goon Docks” neighborhood in Astoria, Oregon, who search for a legendary pirate’s treasure to save their homes from foreclosure. On their hunt, they encounter the dangerous criminals, the Fratellis, who chase the Goonies through deadly booby traps in a race to claim the gold.
A heartfelt story about fighting for a greater cause, The Goonies captures the messy and imaginative spirit of friendship that keeps hope alive. The script by Chris Columbus, with a story by Steven Spielberg, is authentic to its core. The kids yell over one another, argue, and make mistakes rather than becoming instant, invisible heroes. What makes The Goonies feel true to life is the distinct identities of the friends. Each character has a personality, allowing viewers to resonate with certain individuals. Whether you watched it in real time or caught it later in life, the young ensemble, including Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, and Ke Huy Quan, is the heart and soul of the film.
When it comes to offering viewers a chance to wonder, no one does it better than Stephen Spielberg. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial follows a lonely young boy named Elliot Taylor (Henry Thomas) who befriends a gentle alien stranded on Earth. Elliot and E.T. form a magical friendship while hiding from the government agents who hunt for the alien.
One of pop culture’s greatest achievements, E.T. the Extraterrestrial served as a gateway for young viewers into the world of science fiction. From the iconic “phone home” to the marvelous magical bikes, set to John Williams‘ iconic score, E.T. the Extraterrestrial is sincerely perfect, an endearing film that properly captures the childhood innocence that comes from a young one’s eyes. Spielberg effortlessly captures what it’s like to be a child, giving this gem a unique, endearing vibe. There are many films that are cinematic game changers—this is one.
1
‘Stand By Me’ (1986)
We saved the best for last. If you are prompted to name a coming-of-age adventure film, you most certainly will name Stand By Me. Based on Stephen King‘s novella The Body, the Rob Reiner-directed classic follows four boys—Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix), Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman), and Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell)—who search for a missing local boy in the Oregon woods. On their journey, they tell stories, smoke, and face dangerous obstacles as local teenage bullies, led by Ace Merrill (Kiefer Sutherland), stand in their way.
Stand By Me proves that childhood bonds are the strongest forces during troubling times. It is a powerfully raw and moving film that captures the feeling of growing up while trying to hold onto the past. What begins as a walk down railroad tracks turns into a wild adventure they never saw coming; in turn, we too are brought along the journey like we’re one of the boys. Each crisis the quartet faces opens up unacknowledged pain, family woes, and deep-rooted trauma. The moment we watch a close, vulnerable conversation about being misunderstood, Stand By Me becomes perfectly universal.
