Sometimes a heartfelt coming-of-age movie is exactly what you need for a movie night. One of these movies is Perks of Being a Wallflower where outcast Charlie watches from the sidelines as high school passes him by. But when he meets free-spirited Sam and her step-brother Patrick, his world opens up to new and exciting possibilities. If you enjoy kids (or even adults) coming together to learn and grow, watch these fifteen movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower.
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15. Paper Towns, MAX and Hulu (2015)
Our first selection is Paper Towns, adapted from the bestselling novel by John Green. In the film, we meet Quentin and his outgoing neighbor Margo, who loves mysteries so much she becomes one of them. After a fun-filled night getting back at those who wronged Margo, Quentin wakes up the next day to find Margo missing, leaving behind clues as to her whereabouts. This prompts Quentin to live in the moment and find Margo, learning about true friendship and love on the way.
–IMDb score: 6.2
14. Everything Everything, Prime Video and Apple TV (2017)
What if you had a rare disease that forced you to stay inside? Madeline Whittier lives this reality in Everything Everything, with her life revolving around her books, her mom, and her nurse Carla. That is until a boy named Olly moves next door. As the two get to know each other through emails and texts, Madeline and Olly start to fall in love. When Madeline realizes that she’s not truly “living,” she decides to take a chance and see what’s outside.
–IMDb score: 6.3
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13. The DUFF, Showtime and Hulu (2015)
High school labels come to the forefront of our next movie choice The DUFF. Bianca’s world is turned upside-down when she realizes that the student body knows her as the “DUFF” (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) compared to her two prettier friends. To fix her reputation, Bianca enlists the help of jock Wesley, to turn herself into something more than a DUFF. Along the way, Bianca learns that no matter what you look like or who you are, we are all still someone’s DUFF.
–IMDb score: 6.4
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12. Booksmart, Apple TV and Prime Video (2019)
One of the most recent films on our movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower List, Booksmart focuses on seniors and academic superstars Amy and Molly. Realizing that they should have partied more instead of studying all the time, the two decide to cram four years of fun into one night, to prove they are not lame. This makes for a hilariously fun night that they will not forget.
–IMDb score: 7.1
11. 10 Things I Hate About You, Hulu and Disney+ (1999)
10 Things I Hate About You is a fun high school-style adaptation of Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew.” In the film, new student Cameron starts to fall for sophomore Bianca but there’s one problem — she’s not allowed to date. But when Bianca’s father alters his rules, Bianca is allowed to date Cameron only if her “shrew” sister Kat also has one. Yikes.
–IMDb score: 7.3
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10. The Edge of Seventeen, Prime Video and Tubi (2016)
Teenage years can be tough, and no one knows this more than junior Nadine, who is awkward and lacks friends. It only gets worse though when her all-star older brother Darian starts dating her best friend Krista. Now Nadine feels completely alone in the world until an unexpected friendship with a thoughtful boy named Erwin gives her hope that things aren’t so bad after all.
–IMDb score: 7.3
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9. Beautiful Boy, Prime Video (2018)
Based on the heart-breaking memoirs of father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy dives into the world of survival, relapse, and recovery of a child coping with addiction. David Sheff (Steve Carell) struggles to help his teenage son Nic (Timothée Chalamet) as he begins experimenting with drugs and gets addicted to methamphetamine. The film takes viewers through the years as David tries to save his son, and Nic just tries to find his place in the world.
–IMDb score: 7.4
8. Juno, Hulu and Apple TV (2007)
Even though Juno caused some controversy after its premiere, the movie holds a lot of important lessons about love and making big decisions. When Juno, 16, realizes she is pregnant after one night with her friend Bleeker, she finds herself in the waiting room of an abortion clinic. Instead of going through with the abortion, Juno decides to carry on with the pregnancy and give the child to an adoptive couple. As the year goes on and Juno gets bigger, she must figure out if her plan will work and her true feelings about Bleeker.
–IMDb score: 7.5
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7. Silver Linings Playbook, Netflix and Apple TV (2012)
Though the our next selection Silver Linings Playbook is not about teenagers, it still touches on the difficulties of growing up and finding your place in the world, especially when the original plan didn’t work out. After an eight-month stay in a mental institution, former teacher Pat must move back in with his parents and tries to get his former life back with his ex-wife. As he struggles to make amends, his plans hit an unexpected turn when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious widow with her own problems.
–IMDb score: 7.7
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6. (500) Days of Summer, Sling TV and Hulu (2009)
How far will you go for love? Well in (500) Days of Summer, Tom Hansen looks back at the year he knew Summer Finn after she’s seemingly left for good. Going from their first encounter to becoming friends and then something more, Tom must figure out what to do with his future. Fortunately, he happens to have a voice of reason in his little sister Rachel, but the true test will be whether or not Tom listens to her.
–IMDb score: 7.7
5. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Hulu and Roku (2015)
Our next movie selection is based on the best-selling novel by Jesse Andrews. In Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, high schooler Greg spends most of his time making film parodies with his “co-worker” Earl. When his mother forces him to befriend a classmate who’s been diagnosed with cancer, his worldview is changed forever and he learns something about being a true friend.
–IMDb score: 7.7
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4. Flipped, MAX and Hulu (2010)
If you still remember your first love in school, then Flipped might make you feel nostalgic. The film is set in 1957 when Bryce and Juli meet for the first time in second grade. Though Juli already knows it’s love, Bryce tries to avoid Juli and in sixth grade, he dates Sherry whom Juli despises. After they break up, it seems that Bryce may finally see Juli in a new light, but it’s not clear if they will end up together or not.
–IMDb score: 7.7
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3. The Fault in Our Stars, Disney+ and Hulu (2014)
Our next selection is also based on a John Green novel, but make sure to have your tissues ready when you watch The Fault in Our Stars. Meeting in a cancer support group, Hazel and Augustus share a disdain for the conventional and a healthy dose of sarcasm. As they fall in love, their bond will be tested by both Hazel’s oxygen tank and Gus’s prosthetic leg, as well as the threat of their cancer coming back. In a tale of living in the moment, you’re sure to fall in love with the characters and their stories.
–IMDb score: 7.7
2. The Breakfast Club, MAX and Prime Video (1985)
A quintessential coming-of-age movie, The Breakfast Club takes five wildly different high schoolers and places them in the same room for nine hours in detention. During this time they will learn not only about each other but who they are in the world, where their labels do not apply. With the ending scene playing “Don’t You Forget About Me,” there is nothing forgettable about this film.
–IMDb score: 7.8
1. Good Will Hunting, MAX and Prime Video (1997) / Movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower
The last selection in our movies like Perks of Being a Wallflower list is Good Will Hunting, a film that explores the choices that lead us to our current lives, and whether or not they can be changed. Will Hunting is a genius but is also a wayward young man who now works as a janitor in a college. When he meets psychologist Sean, he opens up to try and find direction in his life.
–IMDb score: 8.3
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