Eight coming-of-age films to revisit the magic of girlhood

Streaming classics — new and old — to celebrate the hilarious, painful, and sometimes just plain awkward years of growing up

The Boston Globe | June 30, 2023

In the spirit of summer break nostalgia and post-graduation blues, we collected films that pay homage to the delicate, challenging, and oh-so-awkward stages of a young girl’s journey into adulthood. With Lady Bird’s relentless pursuit of individuality, Phiona’s winning strategy, and Margaret’s bust exercise angst, these memorable characters host the perfect retreat into teenhood — whether those feelings last bubbled up six months ago, or are 30 years in the past.

We recommend pairing your screening with best friends and a bucket of popcorn drenched in butter — maybe with M&M’s mixed in, that’s your prerogative.

“Real Women Have Curves” (2002)
Adapted from Josefina López’s play by the same name, “Real Women Have Curves” looks at the conflicting aspects of identity as a first-generation American. Through the lens of the Mexican-American experience, the film centers around Ana García (America Ferrera), an 18-year-old recent high school graduate trying to balance familial obligation to her immigrant parents in Los Angeles with her dreams of attending college. The film touches on topics like body acceptance, intergenerational trauma, and finding community through shared struggles and triumphs. Stream on Max.

“13 Going on 30″ (2004)
In this campy classic, 13-year-old Jenna Rink (Christa B. Allen) deals with the seemingly never-ending plight of trying to fit in. On her birthday, she makes a wish to be “thirty, flirty, and thriving” and transforms into a very fanciful version of her 30-year-old self (Jennifer Garner). She has a New York City apartment, an attractive boyfriend, and her dream job, but she soon finds that popularity isn’t everything. Especially when she realizes that her dorky best friend Matt — whose 30-year-old self is a charming photographer and, well, Mark Ruffalo — is the love of her life. Stream on Max.

“Queen of Katwe” (2016)
Based on the real story of Phiona Mutesi, a chess player from Uganda, “Queen of Katwe” is a heartwarming portrait of self-discovery. Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) is from a low-income family, helmed by her hard-working mother (Lupita Nyong’o), in a slum called Katwe. After a sports ministry leader (David Oyelowo) introduces chess to Phiona, she realizes her innate skill and beats privileged peers with ease. No less than a chess prodigy, she starts competing around the world. Stream on Disney+.

“Lady Bird” (2017)
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut follows a high school senior navigating the final stretch before college. Christine (Saoirse Ronan), who nicknames herself Lady Bird, has a short temper and speaks before thinking, often leading to fights with her more pragmatic mother (Laurie Metcalf). She wants things and goes after them with haphazard abandon: boys, a popular friend, expensive colleges on the East Coast. Still, “Lady Bird” often looks inward; the film is about how growing up involves finding yourself, but also accepting your origins. Stream on Hulu or Amazon Prime Video with premium subscriptions.

“Eighth Grade” (2018)
In a rare move for the entertainment world, director Bo Burnham decided to capture kids’ struggles within a digital society rather than parody them. Kayla (Elsie Fisher) is finishing the last week of eighth grade, which comes with several precarious social situations (the horror of a pool party is rendered spectacularly) and apprehensions about high school. She’s voted “most quiet” of her peers, but no one has ever attempted harder to break out of their shell. Kayla tries to establish her selfhood both online and off, bringing too much sincerity to conversations or making largely unwatched YouTube advice videos. While some films depict social media as a death trap for teenagers, here it’s merely a tool for a young girl to articulate emotional truths that she can’t get across elsewhere. Stream on Max.

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” (2018)
Based on the first novel in Jenny Han’s young adult trilogy, this rom-com follows high schooler Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), the ultimate hopeless romantic. When her younger sister mails Lara Jean’s unsent, secret love letters, she has to deal with the aftermath, including fake dating popular, easy-on-the-eyes Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), a recipient. When feelings start to get real, Lara Jean begins to realize that the perfect happily ever after sometimes happens unexpectedly. Stream on Netflix.

“Selah and the Spades” (2019)
Writer-director Tayarisha Poe raises the stakes in this lushly stylized drama about a student named Selah (Lovie Simone), who is the head of the Spades — one of her boarding school’s five factions of crime rings. On the cusp of graduation, Selah seeks someone to take over her position of authority. New student Paloma (Celeste O’Connor) just might be the lucky replacement, but she doesn’t fall into line quite as easily as Selah hopes a disciple would. A surreal, heightened treat, Poe’s debut feature exaggerates the delight and danger of high school, exploring the allure of power and the complex agendas people bring to relationships. Stream on Amazon Prime Video.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” (2023)
Judy Blume’s novel has validated the awkwardness of puberty since it was published in 1970. In director Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation for the silver screen, actress Abby Ryder Fortson brings 11-year-old Margaret Simon to life, ready to worry about bras, periods, and dating for a whole new generation. After a move from New York City to New Jersey suburbs, Margaret is desperate to experience these markers of adulthood, often praying to God to accelerate her development. She and her new friends bond over these anxieties and attempt to overcome (or subdue) them, including the iconic chant: “We must, we must, we must increase our bust!” Charming and funny, the film relishes in the strangeness of this critical age when everything feels in flux. Rent and stream on Amazon Prime Video.