Growing up is such a barbarous business, full of inconvenience... and pimples.

I completely agree with J. M. Barrie. In fact, anyone who doesn't agree that growing up (in all senses of the phrase) was the toughest thing they ever did, is strange. Or has had a charmed life. Or let's just say I am too dense to fathom their depths :P While it is my earnest wish to describe the angst of growing up in a poignant yet endearingly rib tickling narrative, some people have already done that so well that I am not even going to try. My fave coming of age movies in no particular order (being a complete movie non-buff, I cannot believe I am actually writing about movies, but then why re-invent the wheel!):

1. Sixteen Candles - oh, the frustration of yearning for that elusive crush while having to deal with pre-occupied parents, self-obsessed siblings, odd house guests, irrepressible geeks and mean girls at school, confidence sapping self-doubts, what not ...



2. Dil Chahta Hai - Great portrayal of different shades of love.. being frivolous about love..

.. unsustainable 'love'..

.. forbidden love..

.. unrequited love..

.. and not to forget, learning to love..

All of this blended in so well and the flow so smooth that you don't even realize there are three sub-plots and feel the need to attune yourself consciously to what is going on. I could go on and on but let me just say perfection ko improve karna mushkil hota hai ;) Of course, my favorite scene is the funniest from the movie but quite traumatic for the guy who experienced it :D Who said growing up was easy? ;)



3. The Breakfast Club - another Hughes movie, I know. But, I cannot think of any other movie which brings out the pain of being slotted in a pigeon hole and tells the world that no one is a stereo-type. May be, an amalgamation of stereo-types, but never just one.



4. Reality Bites - Post graduation depression. Harsh subemployment. Sky high aspirations. Grounding need for money. Complex relationships. Intricate personalities. A sandpaper dry sense of humor. Of course, a dreamy Ethan Hawke :)



5. Mouna Ragam - don't think this is a growing-up movie? Revathi getting over Karthik and falling for Mohan makes this movie qualify as one, I think. Actually, Mani Ratnam is not my favorite director. I don't like people who have this smarter-than-thou attitude. For that matter, I don't like Mohan either. His 'romancing' grates on my nerves. But, this movie is an exception. (I think, the universal) favorite scene from the movie... :)



What are your favorite coming of age movies?