Everybody Wants Some!! 5 Great Coming Of Age Films That Came Before It

Writer-director Richard Linklater’s latest movie ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ just opened in cinemas, and it takes the Oscar-nominated ‘Boyhood’ director straight back to his roots.

Set in the summer of 1980 in the days leading up to the start of college, it’s pitched as a “spiritual sequel” to Linklater’s 1993 cult classic ‘Dazed And Confused,’ which was set on the last day of high school in 1976.

Following the hard-drinking, womanising ways of a baseball team, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ is pointedly more male-dominated than Linklater’s earlier film, but strikes a similar tone, reflecting the era in all its absurdity and political incorrectness without being judgemental.

While it doesn’t shy away from the ugly side of the ‘jock’ life, with all its shallowness, bullying and aggressive competition, the film never presents its characters as unintelligent, and highlights how such male bonding may prove beneficial.

Perhaps most crucially, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ collects a hugely talented cast of largely unknown young actors from whom we can surely expect great things in the future, as was the case in ‘Dazed and Confused’ (which, most famously, launched Matthew McConaughey).

As a nostalgia-inducing young man’s coming of age tale, ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ continues a long and proud tradition of similar movies examining the highs and lows of male adolescence. The following five movies rank among its finest forebears.

American Graffiti (1973)

Given the monumental cultural impact he would later have with ‘Star Wars,’ it’s often forgotten that George Lucas ever made anything else beforehand. However, this ensemble piece inspired by Lucas’ own adolescence is a cinematic landmark in its own right, and a surprisingly grounded and emotional work for a director who has since developed a reputation for being cold and clinical.

Set over the course of one night in 1962, ‘American Graffiti’ follows the teens of Modesto, California from the drive-in to the sock hop, with street races, bitter rivalries, broken hearts, and plenty of rock’n’roll music along the way.

As well as proving an early hit for Lucas, the film also introduced a number of future stars in Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (who would go on to the sitcom ‘Happy Days,’ largely inspired by the film), and perhaps most notably Harrison Ford.

Gregory’s Girl (1981)

The one British entry on this list (and the only one that isn’t a period piece), this heartfelt comedy classic from director Bill Forsyth follows awkward teenager Gregory (John Gordon Sinclair) and his struggles to get ahead in both love and football.

While Sinclair takes the spotlight, the real beauty of ‘Gregory’s Girl’ is the broader picture it paints of high school life, and the difficulties young men face in dealing with their first stirrings of romantic emotion. It all proves far easier to relate to than a lot of Hollywood takes on similar subject matter, thanks in no small part to how very ordinary-looking the cast is (and I mean that in the nicest way).

Though a PG on release, much of the humour would be deemed far too coarse for that rating now, yet it remains at heart a very sweet-natured feel-good film.

Stand By Me (1986)

This one may centre on a somewhat younger cast than the other films mentioned here - but no coming-of-age film list would be complete without it (and the sheer level of swearing means it’s never in any danger of being mistaken for a family film, even by 1980s standards).

Director Rob Reiner’s classic, based on Stephen King’s short story ‘The Body,’ stars River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell as four young friends in 1959 Oregon who learn that a teenage boy from their area has been hit by a train and killed, and head out on foot to find his body.

By turns hilarious, heart-warming and gut-wrenchingly poignant, it’s a classic tale of self-discovery boasting remarkably mature performances from its young ensemble. The film has long had an even more pointed emotional edge since the tragic early death of River Phoenix.

Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

Another film that has a particular emotional resonance after the death of its pivotal actor, Peter Weir’s 1989 drama is most celebrated for Robin Williams’ powerhouse performance as a teacher determined to open the hearts and minds of his students - but its real focus is on the students themselves.

Set an an exclusive boarding school in 1959, ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ sees an ensemble of teens (a young Ethan Hawke among them) inspired by their teacher to follow their hearts in the face of a strict, authoritarian system - but these actions are not without consequence.

It’s doubtful the phrases ‘Carpe Diem’ or ‘O Captain, My Captain’ would be familiar as they are today without this movie, which garnered multiple Oscar nominations and a win for screenwriter Tom Schulman.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Naturally, we have to come full circle and include the one film without which we almost certainly wouldn’t have ‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ Adhering closely to the one night/ensemble cast format of ‘American Graffiti,’ Richard Linklater’s irresistible movie not only dishes up a soupcon of 70′s retro cool, but presents a vision of adolescent partying which largely rings true even for today’s audiences.

There’s sure to be at least one character for the viewer to relate to, from the junior high kid on his first night out, to the intellectuals struggling to fit in, to the popular football players dominating the social scene, to the long past-it graduate who refuses to let his partying days end.

The latter character, of course, is McConaughey (altogether now: “alright, alright, alright”); but we can also scarcely fail to note a similarly scene-stealing early turn from Ben Affleck as the school bully, and further breakthrough roles for Milla Jovovich, Parker Posey and Renee Zellwegger.

‘Everybody Wants Some!!’ is in UK cinemas now from Entertainment One.

Picture Credit: Entertainment One/Annapurna, Lucasfilm/Universal, S Goldwyn/Everett/Rex Features, Colombia Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Gramercy

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