The best coming-of-age movies made in the 21st century

Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical tale — about a teenager (Patrick Fugit) writing for Rolling Stone  while on tour with popular rock band Stillwater — still resonates with young audiences to this day. Young William Miller learns plenty about life and the world of rock and roll stardom. On the flip side, those around him, specifically band groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) and rocker Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup), gain a little something from the boy. Now, crank up some "Fever Dog."

The first installment of the American Pie franchise of films remains the best, especially when it comes to harmlessly raunchy teen comedies. However, there is a more mature aspect to the quality sequel. It essentially puts to rest the idea of simply making time as the goal to social happiness. Jim (Jason Biggs) and "Oz" (Chris Klein) have found love, though the latter's eventually dissolves. Meanwhile, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) realizes it's fine to be friends with your first love after both parties have moved on.

It's girl power at its finest, with some English football as the focal point. One of the surprise hits of the early 2000s, Bend it Like Beckham introduced the cinema world to Keira Knightley. Her character, Jules, and pal Jess (Parminder Nagra) showed that girls could shun stereotypes and use sports as an empowering vehicle toward a well-rounded life, no matter where they come from or how they were brought up. The football scenes are nicely done, and superstar David Beckham and wife Victoria make late, brief cameos.

Let's go back to America Ferrera's feature film debut. The movie version follows Josefina Lopez (Ferrera), a full-figured Mexican-American teen looking for bigger and better things beyond her own East L.A. neighborhood, all while learning to feel confident in her own physical body. Lauded for its authenticity, Real Women Have Curves remains an influence within the coming-of-age genre. Not to mention, it might still be Ferrera's most empowering role, even considering her scene-stealing performance in Barbie.

Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) is a slick-talking, wise-cracking pistol of an indie high school girl who doesn't fit into the confines of normality — both socially and inside her own household. When she becomes pregnant, Juno becomes even more of an outcast. Yet, she soldiers on while navigating a tricky situation. Along with friends and new acquaintances that come into her life, Juno learns about what is best for what she wants in life. Now, pregnancy isn't necessarily a typical coming-of-age moment for most teens, but the dialogue and characters are simply infectious that it's an easy watch.

If there's anything to take away from Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill), it's that male friends, even high schoolers, can express how much their friendship means to the other. It's even OK to say they love each other, and not in that raunchy, profane way the boys (well, mostly Seth) like to talk throughout an adventurous and revealing evening before graduation. Superbad can be a bit much at times, but underneath the over-amplified talk of sex and booze is a sweet film that is rightfully praised by multi-generational audiences.

From Wes Anderson, who already delivered one of the all-time great coming-of-age movies in 1998's Rushmore. Moonrise Kingdom  follows two introverted youngsters, Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), who become pen pals and come together for adventure on an isolated New England beach. The movie features some Anderson regulars, including a highly underrated performance from Bruce Willis as the quirky Captain Sharp, who helps find the kids when they disappear. 

Based on the popular novel, this undeniable coming-of-age drama follows Charlie Kelmeckis (Logan Lerman) , a clinically depressed high school freshman. Charlie is rather introverted and lacks self-confidence. Yet, his introduction and ultimate journey through his early high school years are highly entertaining. There are trials and tribulations; some over-the-top, and others more relatable. Supporting roles from Emma Roberts, Mae Whitman, Paul Rudd and Joan Cusack should also be lauded.

In one of the most ambitious film projects ever conceived and executed, director Richard Linklater chronicles the life of Mason Evans Jr. (Ellar Coltrane), growing up in Texas from ages six to 18 . Also starring Patricia Arquette (who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mason's mom) and Ethan Hawke, the project took 12 years to complete and was nominated for six Academy Awards. It's an intriguing and sentimental ride of a movie, where the maturation — physically and emotionally — of the characters is central to the story.

The title alone is worthy of capturing the attention of viewers, especially Stevie Nicks fans . Hailee Steinfeld does a nice job in the lead role as high school outcast Nadine , who seems fine not wanting to fit in or conform to teenage norms. Nadine endures and exhibits everything from selfishness to naïveté to jealousy, which makes for a genuine and honest picture. Woody Harrelson also shines as her high school teacher and confidant. Like many other projects on this list, The Edge of Seventeen is relatable to generations from Baby Boomers to Gen Z.

Not only a fabulous coming-of-age movie, but arguably one of the great films of this century. The Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Moonlight follows the three life stages of Chiron, childhood (Alex R. Hibbert), adolescence (Ashton Sanders), and adulthood (Trevante Rhodes), living in Miami and enduring abuse while trying to deal with his sexuality. Mahershala Ali won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Chiron's drug-dealing father figure Juan.

Not just one of the best movies of the 2000s, but among the most acclaimed films ever made, Lady Bird  won the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy). Star Saoirse Ronan, as Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, was also awarded a Golden Globe for her starring role as a Catholic school girl trying to deal with young love, a complex relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf), and the need to possibly reinvent herself. The movie, obviously, jump-started Ronan's career, turning her into a household Hollywood name — even if many might have a hard time pronouncing it. 

The awkward, insecure nature of middle school — obviously, in this case, eighth grade — is on display in an indie comedy-drama that remains relatable to anybody who attended an American grade school — regardless of generation. Throw in the mean girls aspect and social media, and the modern-day eighth grader is essentially navigating a field of landmines. Elsie Fisher, starring as the film's protagonist Kayla, was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe Award. 

Released the day after Audrey Wells, who wrote the film's screenplay, passed away, The Hate U Give might be the most powerful film on this list. Teen Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) witnesses the shooting of a friend by an overzealous police officer. It can be argued that the storyline packs too much situational emotion that would be more than a real-life 16-year-old could handle. Nonetheless, it's certainly a worthy watch that reflects this era quite well.

The feature directorial debut from Jonah Hill, who also wrote the drama, which is somewhat inspired by the actor's own life growing up. It follows 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic), who doesn't have an all-that-great family life, and starts hanging out with a group of older kids. Trouble and plenty of accompanying drama ensue for the boy who is looking to find his place in the world at the time. The 1990s nostalgia is entertaining, and it's a movie that tends to run often on cable and can be easy to stick with.

Another underrated film that might have flown under the radar, especially those who are not fans of legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen. The story is inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, a Pakistani from the U.K. who fell in love with the music of The Boss while attending university. In the movie, Javed (Viveik Kalra) is looking for a bit of freedom from his strict father and the chains of popular music in the 1980s. Thanks to Spingsteen's honest, genuine music, Javed becomes a more confident individual, especially through his writing, which takes him to heights he never imagined possible. 

This is Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, and it's certainly a good one. On the eve of graduation from high school, semi-socially challenged best friends Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) are looking to blow off some steam like they never have before. Of course, the night goes nowhere near as expected, and their longtime friendship is challenged. Though Feldstein is solid, Dever — best known for her time on Tim Allen's sitcom Last Man Standing — is the true star of the film, which kickstarted her indie credibility.

The plot to this Christian-based film is rather predictable, but nonetheless emotionally impactful. CJ (Diallo Thompson) comes from a strict black family, Christian home, while Marcella (Natalia Dominguez) had her own rigid, Hispanic upbringing. However, upon meeting as freshmen at UCLA, the two begin a relationship that perhaps neither are ready to handle. The overall drama of the picture is riveting enough to keep viewers glued to the screen.

When it comes to coming-to-age movies of the 2000s, middle schoolers and their quest for popularity have been popular subject matter. In this harmlessly raunchy comedy, three friends begin their sixth-grade year embarking on a journey to attend a party hosted by one of the cool kids at their school. Sure, there are plenty of inappropriate moments, but anybody who thinks modern-day pre-teens aren't thinking about sex, booze, and mischief is simply kidding themselves. At least this depiction to entertaining to watch.

Despite being released during the coronavirus pandemic, The Half of It enjoyed rave reviews via Netflix and should go down as one of the best movies made during what was an unique 2020 entertainment campaign. Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) is a smart, talented, and introverted high school student living with her widowed father. She's also caught amid a sophomoric human box of affection through her series of beautifully written love letters. 

At the beginning of a new school year, Leo (Graham Verchere), an introverted high schooler, falls for the eccentric Susan "Stargirl" Caraway (Grace VanderWaal). She doesn't care about what anybody thinks, and her quirky nature, in addition to her skills on the ukulele, makes her even more attractive to Leo, who begins to come out of his shell — socially and personally — when he's amid her presence. There are times when Disney will put out a coming-of-age film like this that is entertaining to viewers of all ages. Sure, the plot is rather predictable, but good enough to make this list.

Amy Poehler directs and stars this high school tale of female empowerment that uses the riot-grrrl genre of music as a backdrop. Sixteen-year-old Vivian (Hadley Robinson) befriends an outspoken new girl after she's bullied by a popular boy. Vivian anonymously starts a feminist zine called Moxie, which causes a stir in school, as it details harassment, and even an incident of assault by their male classmates. The Netflix comedy-drama received lukewarm reviews, but it's an entertaining, passing-of-the-torch type film. Plus, there's a cameo by The Linda Lindas. 

Who says a good animated coming-of-age movie can't make a list of this kind? In her feature film debut, Domee Shi became the first sole female director of a Pixar movie. There's a certain Teen Wolf / The Incredible Hulk vibe to this comedy-drama about 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian "Mei" (Rosalie Chiang), who, due to a hereditary condition, transforms into a large red panda upon experiencing a level of strong emotions. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.

In the film version of the famed 1970 Judy Blume novel, Abby Ryder Fortson delivered one of the most lauded performances of the year as Margaret Simon. She is endearing and lovably skittish about her ever-developing body, all the while bringing the beloved literary character Margaret Simon to life for a new generation of audiences to appreciate. Meanwhile, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates also come through with strong performances that make the screen version of the beloved book well worth the wait to be seen.

A Kevin Smith movie that likely flew under the radar, since it doesn't follow the antics of Jay, Silent Bob or rest of our favorites from those involved in the New Jersey trilogy. Instead, Smith delivers a semi-autobiographical comedy about teen Brian (Austin Zajur), whose love for movies is surpassed only by first love Melody Barnegat (Siena Agudŏng). It's a sweet film that celebrates the tradition of attending a movie with friends and the experience that creates lasting memories.