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There’s something about late summer that makes me think of growth. Maybe it’s the harvest season. Maybe it’s because it’s the time of year when we’re gearing up for school (such as it is) and noticing the changes that seemed to happen so suddenly in just a few short months of summer. It’s a magical time of childhood, and makes for a particularly compelling setting for coming of age stories. You or your kids may not have had the adventure they deserved this summer, but here are eight gems where kids overcame obstacles, learned a hard lesson and sometimes made the difficult leap from child to young adult:
Scene from “Stand By Me” (Warner-Columbia photo)
“Stand By Me” – In this coming-of-age classic, on a Labor Day weekend in 1959, four pals (Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Jerry O’Connell and Corey Feldman) set off on a journey to find the body of a missing boy. What they find is an unforgettable bonding experience and much self-reflection.
“Now and Then” – Four friends (Gaby Hoffmann, Thora Birch, Christina Ricci and Ashleigh Aston Moore) cement their sisterhood while saving money for a treehouse, avoiding boys and attempting to summon the spirit of a mysteriously marked grave.
“Roll Bounce” – While dealing with the death of his mother and the closing of his local roller rink, X (Bow Wow) and his friends challenge the status quo at a swanky uptown rink in 1978 Chicago when they move to take on the reigning champion at the end-of-summer skate-dance competition.
“Dirty Dancing” – At a summer camp in the Poconos, Baby (Jennifer Grey) learns to dance and love from an earnest and talented dance instructor (Patrick Swayze) with a bod to die for and a heart that’s true. In the process, she discovers her own voice and the confidence to stand on her own.
“Dazed and Confused” – The summer of ’76 begins with a bang as Mitch (Wiley Wiggins) goes from hazed freshman to cruising with the stoner star of the school’s football team (Jason London) –both experiencing personal growth over the course of a single night.
“My Girl” – Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) – whose father is a mortician and lives in the town’s funeral home – works out her obsession with death while learning about love and loss – all while her dad courts a newly arrived makeup artist.
“The Way Way Back” – Duncan (Liam James) suffers badly from the bullying of his divorced mother’s new boyfriend. During a summer vacation on Cape Cod, he finds courage and confidence in new friends and paternal guidance in an unlikely spot: the local water park.
“Crooklyn” – A family portrait in 1973 Brooklyn featuring a precocious young miss, Troy (Zelda Harris), who, along with her brothers, faces cranky neighbors, family woes and perhaps a childhood that trickles away far too quickly.
© 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.
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