Coming of age films tend to have relatively similar plot lines and elements, all of which are key counterparts in forcing characters to overcome issues and hardships. Classic examples of coming of age plot lines include character relationships and conflicts, moral ambiguity, loneliness, exposure, and a happy ending. These elements of plot lines all contribute to characters embracing on a journey of change and self-realisation. For example, in the Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie is a loner - his only friend committed suicide and now only finds comfort in his family. But when Charlie begins to make new friends, he is forced to reconsider his life and his issues and for once consider the feelings of others. This begins a significant journey for Charlie as he learns about not only himself but others and the problems of the world. The film shows charlie’s progress and then content at the end as he finds solitude with his life and experiences. In Jason Reitman’s Juno the audience bare witness to stronger themes of moral ambiguity as the main female protagonist, Juno, is forced to consider the potential life of her unborn baby. The film documents Juno struggle with options such as abortion and adoption; things that even though most teenagers wouldn't usually have to deal with, it is still a very real reality for many. The thought of deciding the fate of a human life at such a young and fragile stage age is intimidating if not frightening but Reitman handles it with humour and grace. Watching characters grow in real life situations is what makes coming of age stories and films so appealing to audiences, because at one stage or another most of us have gone through a similar experience.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Dir. Stephen Chbosky. Summit Entertainment. 2012. Film.
Juno. Dir. Jason Reitman. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2007. Film.
Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. T he Film Experience: An Introduction. 3 rd Ed. United States of America: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. Print.
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