By EMma hynes
There’s something unforgettable about The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The way it captures the quiet chaos of adolescence, the ache of loneliness and the rare beauty of being truly seen.
If you’ve ever finished the film feeling a little cracked open, you’re not alone. For anyone looking to chase that same emotional honesty and vulnerability in other movies, we’ve got you covered.
Like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Mid90s explores belonging, self-worth and emotional vulnerability, though in a harsher, more unfiltered setting.
If The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the emotional hug you needed in high school, Welcome to the Dollhouse is the uncomfortable often painful world of middle school misfits.
A hilarious and heartfelt story about two overachieving best friends who decide to have one epic night before graduation. Smart, fast-paced and full of emotional moments.
A powerful, intimate coming-of-age film about a Black teen girl exploring her sexual identity while dealing with a conservative family. Like Perks, it’s deeply personal and emotionally raw.
This cult classic follows two cynical, awkward best friends as they graduate high school and face the confusing, sometimes bleak realities of adulthood.
Few films capture the suffocating awkwardness of adolescence as honestly as Eighth Grade. This gem follows socially anxious Kayla as she stumbles through middle school.
A fast-paced, stylish and funny story about a geeky teen trying to survive high school in Inglewood while accidentally getting involved in a drug deal.
Like Perks of Being a Wallflower, this movie explores mental illness, identity and the deep impact of human connection, but through a darker and more psychological lens.
Part love story, part horror, this hauntingly beautiful film follows two outsiders on a road trip across Reagan-era America, bound by a dark secret.