The Best Coming-of-Age Movies of All Time

Relive the dream.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Growing up is pretty damn hard to deal with. It's confusing, heartbreaking yet exhilirating. As a kid juggling all of these emotions, very little makes sense, and so you look for any type of guidance, some map. This where the movies come in. 

There's a reason why so many people feel gravitate towards coming-of-age movies. Those types of films speak to a turning point in our lives that is critical to who we'll become.

Nowadays, the words "young adult" point to dystopian flicks like The Hunger Games or vampire romances like Twilight. However, director James Ponsoldt's The Spectacular Now, out in limited release today, is here to remind us that real life matters too. We don't grow up with mythical creatures in our high school hallways—we grow up seeing our exes leaning against someone else's locker or pining over the cute popular kid who doesn't even look at us. It's a refreshing look into a reality Hollywood's ignored for so long, and it's got the potential to be a classic. A classic, that is, just like these: The Best Coming-of-Age Movies of All Time.

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30. The Wood (1999)

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29. Empire of the Sun (1987)

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28. Whale Rider (2002)

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27. Mysterious Skin (2004)

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26. Let the Right One In (2008)

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25. Ratcatcher (1999)

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24. Fresh (1994)

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23. Persepolis (2007)

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22. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

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21. Fat Girl (2001)

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20. A Bronx Tale (1993)

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19. Coraline (2009)

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18. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

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17. This Is England (2006)

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16. Boyz N the Hood (1991)

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15. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

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14. Fish Tank (1991)

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13. Sixteen Candles (1984)

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12. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

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11. The Last Picture Show (1971)

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10. Almost Famous (2000)

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9. The 400 Blows (1959)

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8. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

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7. The Squid and the Whale (2005)

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6. The Outsiders (1983)

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5. Harold and Maude (1971)

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4. The Graduate (1967)

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3. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

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2. The Breakfast Club (1985)

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1. Stand By Me (1986)

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