The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the 2012 coming-of-age drama based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky, has become a modern classic thanks to its brutally honest portrayal of teenage life. The movie follows a shy and introverted high school freshman named Charlie who struggles to find his place in the world until he meets a group of misfit friends who help him navigate the challenges of adolescence. If you loved the themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery displayed in this film, you might be wanting similar recommendations.
We’ve put together a list of movies that share similar themes with Perks of Being a Wallflower. These films capture the essence of what it means to be a teenager, with all the awkwardness, heartbreak, and moments of pure joy that come with it. Whether you’re a fan of The Perks of Being a Wallflower or simply love a good coming-of-age story, these movies are sure to strike a chord and leave you feeling nostalgic for your teenage years. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to relive the ups and downs of adolescence through the lens of these classic films.
Moonlight
Synopsis: A look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami. His epic journey to manhood is guided by the kindness, support, and love of the community that helps raise him.
Review: This film is absolutely stunning, in every possible way. The message, the simple yet powerful plot, the wonderful score, and the breathtaking cinematography. It’s not often that I have no critiques whatsoever about a film, but for me, this silver-screen beauty nailed it.
This movie deserved every award that it won, and although I understand that different people enjoy different types of movies, I just cannot understand how anyone could not at least appreciate that this movie is truly stunning in its cinematography. It is truly stunning; both thought-provoking and simply beautiful. Well worth the watch. I would absolutely recommend it. 🙂
Juno
Synopsis: When precocious teen Juno MacGuff becomes pregnant, she chooses a failed rock star and his wife to adopt her unborn child. Complications occur when Mark, the prospective father, begins viewing Juno as more than just the mother of his future child, putting both his marriage and the adoption in jeopardy.
Review: Juno is one of the greatest films ever made. I would highly recommend it. From the writing by Diablo Cody to the direction of Jason Reitman, the casting of Elliot Page as Juno and Micheal Cera as Pauli Bleeker. The music composition by Mateo Messina, and songs by Kimya Dawson. It all fits perfectly.
All the characters in this film come with their own perfections and imperfections, which is an absolute delight to watch because no one is perfect. But it is love, affection, understanding, and acceptance of oneself and of one another that holds everything together.
The Fault In Our Stars
Synopsis: Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old cancer patient, meets and falls in love with Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a similarly afflicted teen from her cancer support group. Hazel feels that Gus really understands her. They both share the same acerbic wit and a love of books, especially Grace’s touchstone, “An Imperial Affliction” by Peter Van Houten. When Gus scores an invitation to meet the reclusive author, he and Hazel embark on the adventure of their brief lives.
Review: I must say it’s one of the most emotionally charged movies I’ve ever seen. From the very first scene, the movie had me hooked and emotionally invested in the characters and their journey. The performances of the lead actors were exceptional, and I found myself relating to their struggles and heartaches. I couldn’t help but cry several times throughout the film, as the story touched on themes of love, loss, and the fragility of life.
Overall, “The Fault in Our Stars” left a lasting impression on me. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the beauty of life. If you’re looking for a movie that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you feeling emotionally fulfilled, this is a must-watch.
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
Synopsis: A French teen (Adèle Exarchopoulos) forms a deep emotional and sexual connection with an older art student (Léa Seydoux) she met in a lesbian bar.
Review: This film has one of the most heartbreaking stories to behold. It’s shown in a very Indie, raw, and subtle way which is the best thing about it. All the actors did a phenomenal job of portraying a relationship that is still considered taboo in many parts of the world. The narrative is on point, you get to feel the emotions woven beautifully through it. Societal stratification, the need to be one’s true self is also portrayed masterfully. It’s a one-of-a-kind film and remains true to its core.
Me And Earl And The Dying Girl
Synopsis: A teen who spends most of his time making parodies of movies, finds his outlook on life forever changed after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with leukaemia.
Review: Watched this on the off chance and was surprised and impressed. The cast is excellent, particularly the two leads. The script and screenplay are clearly miles better than the usual young adult film fare. Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke and RJ Cyler give stand-out performances. This film manages to handle a very upsetting and serious situation with a light deftness and keeps a good pace.
The movie made me feel like these characters are real people and I went through this with them. I recognize Olivia Cooke from the series Vanity Fair. It is obvious she is extremely talented and capable of delivering a huge range of roles. Thomas Mann has a familiar face and such an affable style that makes him instantly likeable and watchable.
Booksmart
Synopsis: Academic overachievers Amy and Molly thought keeping their noses to the grindstone gave them a leg up on their high school peers. But on the eve of graduation, the best friends suddenly realize that they may have missed out on the special moments of their teenage years. Determined to make up for lost time, the girls decide to cram four years of not-to-be-missed fun into one night — a chaotic adventure that no amount of book smarts could prepare them for.
Review: I can say Booksmart is funny in its own way. All of the actresses and actors brought their A-game to their performances. Haven’t heard of any of them before I saw this movie (namely Kaitlyn Dever), which made the experience a lot more genuine. My high school experience was different but I loved how each character represented someone we all knew in our class, especially if you graduated between the years of 2016 to the present.
The Edge Of Seventeen
Synopsis: Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness when her all-star older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) starts dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). All at once, Nadine feels more alone than ever, until an unexpected friendship with a thoughtful teen (Hayden Szeto) gives her a glimmer of hope that things just might not be so terrible after all.
Review: A striking look into a teenager’s life, some of the problems she has, and problems she creates for herself in the process of trying to solve her other problems. We all go through some sort of this process as we grow up. Some are more difficult or painful than others, and my heart goes out to those kids for whom the transition from child to adult is more painful.
The issues Nadine has with her Mom are so familiar to me, in friends, kids in the community, and family. I’m a huge advocate of open communication and the acceptance it can foster – and this is the core message of the journey Nadine takes, I think.
This is a beautifully well-constructed and acted coming-of-age story that transcends most in its genre.