Everyone has to grow up. It’s one of the few experiences we all share, no matter where we’re from or how our backgrounds might differ. It’s no wonder some of the most beloved films of all time are coming-of-age stories that deeply resonate with youth and wistful adults alike. The 400 Blows came out in 1959, and yet it’s still a timeless window into childhood that’s no less relevant today. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is about as aesthetically 80s as it gets, but the desire to ditch school for a day and live life to the fullest is a feeling that transcends generations. 

Though growing up is a universal stage of life, the experience of adolescence is unique to each person. And whether teenagers are matchmaking their high school teachers in Beverly Hills, photographing the favela drug lords of Rio, or on a mission to uncover a dead body in the woods, they’re all stories worth telling. We’ve collected some of the best coming-of-age films that represent a spectrum of perspectives and capture the comedy, horror, joy, and tragedy of growing up.