Here are the best A24 coming of age movies including my favourites, award winners, critically acclaimed and cult favourites.
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Award-Winning
Lady Bird (2017) – [Coming-of-Age/Comedy/Drama]
For fans of: Frances Ha, Booksmart, Little Women
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut earned five Oscar nominations and stars Saoirse Ronan as a restless teen navigating love, ambition, and family in Sacramento. Laurie Metcalf’s portrayal of a complicated mother adds emotional depth. The film balances wit and vulnerability with precision. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Moonlight (2016) – [Coming-of-Age/Drama/Romance]
For fans of: Pariah, Boyhood, Call Me by Your Name
Barry Jenkins’ triptych won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. Chiron’s journey through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood unfolds with poetic restraint and emotional power. Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, and Trevante Rhodes deliver unforgettable performances. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Aftersun (2022) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Family]
For fans of: Petite Maman, The Florida Project, Columbus
Charlotte Wells’ debut won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut and earned Paul Mescal an Oscar nomination. A father and daughter share a sun-drenched holiday, refracted through memory and melancholy. Frankie Corio’s performance anchors the emotional mystery.
The Florida Project (2017) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Family]
For fans of: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Wendy and Lucy, Minari
Sean Baker’s film earned Willem Dafoe an Oscar nomination and follows six-year-old Moonee living in a motel near Disney World. The story captures childhood wonder against a backdrop of economic hardship. The colours are vivid, the heartbreak quiet.
Close (2023) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/LGBTQ+]
For fans of: Tomboy, Moonlight, A Monster Calls
Lukas Dhont’s Cannes Grand Prix winner explores the tender friendship between two boys and the rupture that follows. Eden Dambrine’s performance is haunting in its vulnerability. The film’s emotional clarity and visual softness earned widespread acclaim.
More best A24 lists:
Best A24 Films ~ Best A24 Shows ~ Best A24 Horror Movies ~ Best A24 Romance Movies ~ Best A24 Documentaries ~ Best A24 Comedy Movies ~ Best A24 Thriller Movies ~ A24 Drama Movies
Critically Acclaimed
Eighth Grade (2018) – [Comedy/Drama/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Pen15, The Edge of Seventeen, Welcome to the Dollhouse
Bo Burnham’s directorial debut stars Elsie Fisher as a socially anxious teen navigating the final week of middle school. The film was praised for its authenticity, humour, and empathy. Fisher earned a Golden Globe nomination for her breakout role.
Waves (2019) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Family]
For fans of: Requiem for a Dream, Moonlight, A Place Beyond the Pines
Trey Edward Shults directs this emotionally intense family saga starring Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Taylor Russell. The film’s visual style and narrative structure reflect the turbulence of adolescence and grief. Critics praised its ambition and emotional depth.
The Souvenir (2019) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Autobiographical]
For fans of: An Education, Bright Star, The Dreamers
Joanna Hogg’s semi-autobiographical film stars Honor Swinton Byrne as a film student entangled in a toxic relationship. Tilda Swinton co-stars in this introspective, visually restrained narrative. Cannes-premiered and widely praised for its emotional precision.
The Souvenir Part II (2021) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Meta]
For fans of: Bergman Island, Synecdoche, New York, 8½
The sequel follows Julie’s creative rebirth as she processes grief through filmmaking. Hogg’s direction becomes more playful and self-reflective, earning critical acclaim and BIFA nominations. The emotional arc deepens with artistic clarity.
American Honey (2016) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Road Movie]
For fans of: Fish Tank, Nomadland, The Beach
Andrea Arnold’s Cannes Jury Prize winner follows Sasha Lane and Shia LaBeouf across America in a van full of misfit magazine sellers. The romance is raw, impulsive, and tangled in youth and escape. The film pulses with music, movement, and emotional immediacy.
Ginger & Rosa (2013) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Political]
For fans of: Atonement, Lady Bird, The Diary of Anne Frank
Elle Fanning and Alice Englert play inseparable friends in 1960s London, torn apart by politics and betrayal. Directed by Sally Potter and praised for its emotional complexity, the film explores romantic tension and ideological awakening. Timothy Spall and Annette Bening round out the cast.
Morris From America (2016) – [Comedy/Drama/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Dope, The Edge of Seventeen, Mid90s
Craig Robinson stars as a single dad raising his son in Germany, where young Morris navigates hip-hop dreams and first love. Sundance-premiered and warmly received for its charm and cultural nuance. The romance is sweet, awkward, and formative.
Lean on Pete (2018) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Survival]
For fans of: The Rider, Wendy and Lucy, The Mustang
Charlie Plummer plays a boy who bonds with a racehorse and flees across the American West. Andrew Haigh’s film is quiet, devastating, and laced with romantic longing and loss. Steve Buscemi and Chloë Sevigny add grit and grace.
Obvious Child (2014) – [Comedy/Romance/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Frances Ha, Knocked Up, The Big Sick
Jenny Slate stars in Gillian Robespierre’s Sundance breakout, blending abortion, romance, and stand-up comedy. The film was praised for its honesty, humour, and feminist perspective. Slate’s performance is raw and magnetic.
Cult Favourites
Mid90s (2018) – [Coming-of-Age/Drama/Subculture]
For fans of: Kids, Skate Kitchen, Dope
Jonah Hill’s directorial debut follows 13-year-old Stevie as he falls in with a group of skaters in 1990s Los Angeles. The film blends lo-fi aesthetics with raw emotional beats, earning praise for its authenticity. Sunny Suljic leads a non-professional cast with surprising depth.
Never Goin’ Back (2018) – [Comedy/Coming-of-Age/Female Friendship]
For fans of: Booksmart, Broad City, Wetlands
Maia Mitchell and Camila Morrone star as two high school dropouts scheming for a beach getaway in this rebellious teen comedy. Directed by Augustine Frizzell and premiered at Sundance, the film is chaotic, profane, and full of heart. Friendship takes centre stage amid the mess.
Hot Summer Nights (2018) – [Crime/Coming-of-Age/Romance]
For fans of: Cruel Intentions, The Place Beyond the Pines, Alpha Dog
Timothée Chalamet plays a shy teen swept into drug deals and forbidden love during a sweltering Cape Cod summer. Elijah Bynum’s debut is stylish, moody, and narratively bold. The tone shifts from nostalgic to noir.
The Sky Is Everywhere (2022) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Grief]
For fans of: The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, A Ghost Story
Lennie navigates grief and new love after her sister’s death in this visually expressive adaptation of Jandy Nelson’s novel. Directed by Josephine Decker and distributed by Apple TV+, the film blends fantasy and emotion. The romance blooms through sorrow and surrealism.
When You Finish Saving the World (2023) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Family]
For fans of: Lady Bird, The Squid and the Whale, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut stars Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard as a mother and son struggling to connect across generational and ideological divides. Sundance-premiered and praised for its dry wit and emotional awkwardness. The tension is intellectual, the resolution tender.
Funny Pages (2022) – [Comedy/Coming-of-Age/Artistic Identity]
For fans of: Ghost World, Crumb, The Squid and the Whale
Owen Kline’s debut follows a teenage cartoonist who drops out of school to pursue his artistic dreams in a grimy New Jersey subculture. The film premiered at Cannes and earned praise for its tone and character work. It’s awkward, abrasive, and strangely compelling.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) – [Thriller/Comedy/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Scream, Euphoria, The Bling Ring
A Gen Z party turns deadly in Halina Reijn’s genre-savvy slasher, which won Best Screenplay at the SXSW Film Awards. Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Sennott, and Maria Bakalova lead a cast of influencers and frenemies. The satire is sharp, the pacing relentless.
Talk to Me (2023) – [Horror/Coming-of-Age/Grief]
For fans of: It Follows, The Babadook, Smile
A group of teens discover a ceramic hand that lets them commune with the dead—until the ritual spirals out of control. Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the film premiered at Sundance and became a breakout horror hit. Beneath the scares lies a story of loss and identity.
I Saw the TV Glow (2024) – [Surreal/Coming-of-Age/LGBTQ+]
For fans of: Donnie Darko, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Eternal Sunshine
Jane Schoenbrun’s sophomore feature explores queer identity and dissociation through the lens of a mysterious late-night TV show. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine star in this Sundance-premiered emotional odyssey. The visuals are hypnotic, the feelings subterranean. WYALAN Rating – 2.5/5
Janet Planet (2024) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Family]
For fans of: Petite Maman, The Tree of Life, The Souvenir
Annie Baker’s directorial debut follows a young girl’s summer with her mother in rural Massachusetts. The film premiered at Telluride and was praised for its quiet lyricism and observational detail. The coming-of-age unfolds through glances, silences, and subtle shifts.
Y2K (2024) – [Comedy/Coming-of-Age/Disaster]
For fans of: Superbad, Project X, The End of the World
Kyle Mooney directs this nostalgic teen comedy set during the millennium bug panic, starring Jaeden Martell and Rachel Zegler. A house party turns apocalyptic in this chaotic blend of disaster and adolescence. The tone is absurd, the energy relentless.
Spring Breakers (2013) – [Crime/Coming-of-Age/Experimental]
For fans of: Trainspotting, Natural Born Killers, Climax
Harmony Korine’s neon-drenched saga follows four college girls who descend into crime and chaos on spring break. James Franco’s performance as Alien became instantly iconic. Divisive on release, the film has since earned cult status for its style and subversion.
Zola (2021) – [Drama/Coming-of-Age/Crime]
For fans of: Hustlers, Tangerine, The Bling Ring
Based on a viral Twitter thread, Janicza Bravo’s film stars Taylour Paige and Riley Keough as dancers caught in a chaotic road trip. The romantic tension simmers beneath stylised visuals and social media satire. Sundance-premiered and critically praised for its voice and verve.