I absolutely love movies – like, really love them. Not only because they are entertaining and fun (the good ones at least). I love them because of the way the great ones have tapped deep into my emotions and sense of self. My favorite films have inspired me to reflect on the world I inhabit and my role in it. Some have caused me to rethink parts of my life and jolted me to change how I show up in the world. Adolescence is a time of many things, but most importantly it is a time of change. It is a developmental inflection point where one begins to shape and understand who they are as a person. I believe there are some movies that possess a unique value for teens. So, in my biased opinion, here are my top 10 movies that may be helpful for teens as they travel the rocky road of adolescence. Please note that some of these movies are rated R. Please use your judgment when deciding whether a listed movie is appropriate for your teen.
10.) Pig (2021)
This is my favorite movie of all time, so there’s a healthy dose of bias in this selection. Frankly, I debated including this movie on my list because I don’t know if my teenage self would have appreciated its profound depth. Pig follows a truffle hunter, played by a brilliant Nicolas Cage, searching for his stolen pet pig. Pig, however, is much more than your standard revenge flick. Adolescence is a time of formulating one’s own value system in a world of abundance. The message in Pig is simple yet important: throughout life, we don’t get a lot of things to really care about.
9.) Boyhood (2014)
Shot over a period of 12 years, Boyhood follows its main character, Mason, through the peaks and valleys of childhood. As a child psychologist, I appreciate this movie because of the raw, unfiltered portrayal of child development. The film normalizes many of ordinary struggles teens go through from clashing with their parents, entering the world of dating, to deciding one’s future.
8.) School Ties (1992)
Set in the 1950’s, School Ties follows David Greene (Brendon Fraser), a Jewish high school football star who transfers to a prestigious New England prep school for his senior year. Initially witnessing blatant antisemitism from his new classmates, David chooses to hide his Jewish faith. Among many things, teenagers are tasked with answering the seemingly unanswerable question of “who am I?” School Ties provides a beautiful and moving portrait of a courageous teenager who struggles to accept himself in an environment that does not accept him. As a bonus, we get to see Brendon Fraser, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon shine before they became stars.
7.) Dead Poets Society (1989)
An undeniable classic, Dead Poets Society perfectly captures how teens, with the right inspiration, can break out of their shell and discover their passions. Adolescents have a natural drive to push for greater autonomy. In many ways, this push for autonomy can sometimes manifest as brute defiance and oppositionality. Dead Poets Society, however, shows the positive side of this phenomenon as a group of high school students learn to think for themselves, make their own decisions, and ride their own horse. Please note that this film deals with suicide and may not be appropriate for all teenagers.
6.) 12 Angry Men (1957)
Offering a glimpse into what goes on behind closed doors during jury deliberations, 12 Angry Men follows a jury struggling to decide the outcome of a murder trial. There are many things that make this movie a classic, but most relevant to teenagers is its commentary on the danger of conformity. Juror #8, played by Henry Fonda, is the lone juror who dares to question the thinking of the other men. The pressure to conform is most powerful during the adolescent years. 12 Angry Men offers a powerful message to teenagers about the importance of daring to go against the social current.
5.) Heavyweights (1995)
This is a cult classic that few kids these days have seen. Heavyweights follows a group of kids who share a cabin at a camp for children struggling with their weight. Dealing with a change in camp ownership, the kids must band together to overthrow the new toxic and abusive regime. At its core, Heavyweights is about the power of “finding your people.” It is always heartbreaking when I work with a child or adolescent who appears to have few, if any, close friends. It is important for teenagers to feel a sense of connectedness to their peers. For many of these teenagers who have struggled to make friends, the problem is less to do with them and more to do with how they simply have not found their people.
4.) Shazam! (2019)
This is probably my favorite superhero movie of all time! I wish I had some wise, psychobabble-y reason for including this. But the truth is, this movie is just awesome. Shazam follows Billy Batson, a struggling teenager who discovers a way to transform into the adult superhero, Shazam. It is a beautiful depiction of a teen boy who, by transforming into an adult superhero, realizes his own genuine superpowers as a teenager.
3.) Eighth Grade (2018)
Following a 14-year-old girl, eighth grade may be the most realistic depiction of adolescence any film has ever achieved. There are many ways to describe adolescence. ‘Awkward’ is one descriptor I think no one would disagree with. Eighth Grade does a remarkable job at normalizing and maybe even beautifying the awkwardness of adolescence. But be forewarned, this film pulls no punches in its depiction of adolescence. At times it can be painfully uncomfortable to watch, although I think this only adds to its greatness.
2. ) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
I saw this movie for the first time in middle school and it’s one of those movies that anytime it is on TV, I cannot help but get sucked in. If you do not know the story, I encourage you to look it up. Any description I write simply will not do it justice. There are many themes in The Shawshank Redemption. The one that stands out to me as most relevant to teens is the power of hope. Adolescence is a time of emotional volatility. It is a time when hope may seem fleeting, if not downright elusive. The Shawshank Redemption reminds us all, especially teenagers, the amazing power that hope gives us.
1.) Rudy
Based on a true story of an undersized athlete who walks on the the Notre Dame football team, Rudy is deeply personal to me. I saw this movie at a time I needed it the most. I was a floundering teenager. Failing school, getting in trouble, and blaming others for my problems, I was going nowhere fast. As the adolescent brain develops, teens start to develop one particularly amazing ability. They begin to see their personalities and character as dynamic and changeable, rather than fixed. As a child, our thinking is centered on the here and now. As a teenager, on the other hand, we are better able to project ourselves into the future and conjure up the numerous ways we can grow our character to realize our dreams. To me, this is what Rudy is about: seeing your potential in the distance and daring to chase it.