ARE COMING OF AGE FILMS TOO CLICHÉ?

Coming-of-age films have gotten themselves a pretty bad reputation over the years for overromanticizing pretty much everything, being too cliché, viewing teenage girls through the male gaze and most obviously having a serious lack of diversity. These criticisms are valid and need to be given greater consideration in the future. Although many of these films are packed with problematic tropes, almost all of them encapsulate a feeling that isn’t present in any other movie genre. Classic coming-of-age movies like 10 Things I Hate About You and 13 going on 30 both hold up upon rewatch. On the surface the films may seem shallow, but both do such a great job at establishing characters and relationships you care about. In a way, this mirrors exactly what you’re trying to do as a teenager; establishing who you are and what kind of relationships you want. I think that’s why coming-of-age films are so popular - as teenagers we all just want a character to identify with. You might not have Jenna Rink’s unrealistic wardrobe or Kat Stratford’s boyfriend, but you can use these characters as templates to decide who you want to be and how you want to be seen by others. Also, there’s the fact that the soundtracks are usually amazing. Films like Little Women (2019) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) have a smart way of showing how dreamy and fun being a teen can be whilst also showing that most of the time is filled with self-doubt and anxiety. All the March sisters often live mundane day to day life, but they often have sparks of joy that makes mundane a little more extraordinary. I hope that coming-of-age films continue to evolve while retaining the spark that makes them so fun to watch at sleepovers. words by: Ashleigh Adams

Coming-of-age films are known for their relatability; isn’t that what makes them so touching? Some argue the coming-of-age trope is cliché. Repetitive. Boring, even. I contend that a genre which soothes the open wound of growing up. Of course, the narratives are remolded to keep the next generation of teens engrossed, but it is the narrative of coming-of-age that makes the trope simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. It is a genre that provides solace when teens are grasping for any sign of reassurance that growing up is not a dark abyss – a trope that is so universally relatable cannot be whittled down as a cliché; it is simply too sentimental of the passing of time. Boyhood (2014) is perhaps the most accurate depiction of growing up to date. The film, shot across the span of 12 years, follows a young boy, Mason, from the age of 6 to 18 as he navigates the trials and tribulations of approaching adulthood. Taking the loved experiences of the actor of Mason and combining them with a fictional family storyline, alongside the timeline of the movie’s shooting allowing the visual documentation of Mason’s ageing provides viewers with a captivatingly raw documentation of shedding one’s old skin. Boyhood emanates a euphoric revelation at the fleeting period of childhood to adulthood. The shared emotional intangibility between the actors and viewers of coming-of-age films is unprecedented. Both parties have grown up, or are growing up, and share the newfound knowledge that we are not alone in the feeling in the middle of two worlds. We are not the only displaced person, and our coming-of-age story is certainly not cliché. words by: Ella Dorman Audiences are no longer interested in the idealised narrative portrayed in the coming-of-age genre. The ‘girl next door’ and ‘jock’ character archetypes have fizzled out for instead, fully fleshed out, flawed protagonists - like the hot-headed and stubborn Christine in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, played by Saoirse Ronan. Lady Bird went from budget indie film to Oscar worthy, dominating in the awards circuit and has become a well-loved film for its sharp and witty writing and the way it breaks away from classic coming-of-age clichés. In a lot of coming-of-age films, the protagonists are generally portrayed as highly aspirational and tend to be successful in achieving their goals. Whereas in Lady Bird, Christine is realistic about her aspirations and hilariously states “I want schools like Yale, but not Yale because I probably couldn’t get in.” Gerwig explores the financial pressures of living in a lower-socioeconomic class. The reality of financial hardship is rarely shown in coming-of-age films; in Lady Bird we see Christine navigate trying to fit in with her richer peers and the struggle with debt her parents face. Representation matters and allowing young people from all walks of life to feel seen in film is incredibly important and the genre still needs to do more reflect this. Barry Jenkins’ 2016 film Moonlight has been widely acclaimed for its depiction of young African - American queer sexuality; and has paved the way for other coming-ofage films like Lady Bird and Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name to be recognised and respected. The coming-of-age genre has definitely shifted from cliché to giving audiences depictions of young people which feel so much more real and nuanced.

words by: Morna Muzawazi design by: Eleanor Byrne