Worst Coming-of-Age Movies of All Time

Hayao Miyazaki wrote the screenplay for this Studio Ghibli production, an animated musical about the relationship between two young readers with the same taste in books. This was Yoshifumi Kondô´’s only directorial feature before he died of an aneurysm at the age of 47.

A group of teenagers must grow up quickly when Soviet forces invade their small Colorado town in this action drama. It takes place in an alternate universe, where America remains one of the last hold-outs against communism. Emerging stars such as Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and Jennifer Grey make up the ensemble cast.

Released the same year as “The Breakfast Club,” this Brat Pack movie centers around a group of recent college graduates. Through a series of professional and personal misadventures, each character grapples with his or her impending adulthood.

A foster child (Bobby Coleman) says he’s from Mars and he just might be telling the truth in this now-forgotten dramedy. John Cusack co-stars as a widowed science fiction writer, who must decide whether or not to adopt the imaginative young boy.

Rejected from every college to which he applied, slacker Bartleby Gaines (Justin Long) creates a fictitious school of his own in this cloying comedy. But what happens when real people start flocking to a fake school? More to the point, who cares?

Joaquin Phoenix provides the voice of a young Inuit hunter named Kenai in Disney’s 44th animated film. After killing a bear in an act of vengeance, Kenai magically becomes one himself. Writing for the Houston Chronicle, critic Bruce Westbrook called it “a lame duck of a movie.”

An updated take on the John Hughes-style teen flicks of the 1980s, this ensemble comedy has its share of loyal fans. The story takes place over the course of a single night, gathering every high school archetype together for a wild house party.

In the wake of smash hits like “American Pie” came this similarly raunchy – but ultimately more wholesome – teen comedy. After his guidance counselor submits the wrong application to Stanford, an ambitious high schooler (Colin Hanks) must prove his merits by any means necessary.

A shy teen (Nat Wolff) goes searching for his missing crush (Cara Delevingne) and comes of age in the process. Culled from the pages of a John Green novel, the film opened to mixed reviews and solid box office numbers.

This British thriller traps a group of teens inside an old nuclear fallout shelter, where they slowly turn against one another. Keira Knightley had one of her first major roles in this film.

One of Woody Allen’s more recent efforts, this breezy comedy follows the misadventures of a young couple (Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning) during a damp weekend in New York. Fans of the director’s work have seen it all before and in better form.

This blockbuster sequel runs over the same ground as its predecessor, but transplants the action to New York City. Forgotten (again) by his family, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) squares off against two bungling burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) once more. Whatever lessons young Kevin learned in the original, he learns again here.

Stuck in limbo after a car accident, young cellist Mia Hall (Chloë Grace Moretz) must choose between life and death in this romantic teen drama. It’s based on a 2009 YA novel of the same name by Gayle Forman.

With the help of two teenage girls (JoJo and Emma Roberts), a mermaid (Sara Paxton) searches for true love in this romantic dramedy. Viewers are better advised to watch “Splash” and “The Little Mermaid” back to back instead.

An escaped convict (Josh Brolin) enters the lives of a depressed woman (Kate Winslet) and her son (Gattlin Griffith) in this sappy melodrama. “The story is ludicrous. The reveals are unintentionally hilarious and clumsily delivered. Even the production design is off,” wrote critic Tara Brady for the Irish Times.

Julia Roberts earned a then record-breaking $25 million for the role of art professor Katherine Ann Watson in this predictable drama. It takes place in the 1950s at an all-female college, where Watson shakes up the local establishment with her free-thinking ways.

A famous comic book character, Casper the Friendly Ghost appeared in several TV adaptations before making his big screen debut. The film co-stars Christina Ricci at the height of her fame and features cameos from A-listers such as Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson.

A welder by day, Alex Owens (Jennifer Beals) moonlights as an exotic dancer with her sights set on ballet school. Preposterous as its plot may be, this romantic drama was the sixth-most successful film of 1983. Its adjoining soundtrack featured several hits, including the Academy Award-winning song “Flashdance…What a Feeling.”

Adapted from a popular book series, this family comedy tells the story of a sixth-grade sleuth named Harriet (Michelle Trachtenberg). While considered a misfire, it looks like something of a masterpiece when compared to the 2010 TV movie “Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars.”

This tween comedy follows 17-year-old Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) to England, where she tracks down her biological father (Colin Firth). Already a fish out of water, Daphne doesn’t exactly mesh with his upper class family. One can assume that various differences are overcome by the time the credits roll.

An awkward teen (Michael J. Fox) occasionally transforms into a rambunctious werewolf in this comedy smash. The film provides a vague metaphor for male puberty but mostly functions as an underdog story. It opened directly behind “Back to the Future” at the domestic box office, thereby cementing Michael J. Fox’s status as a major Hollywood star.

Adapted from a best-selling YA novel, this sci-fi thriller takes place in a future so monotonous that it’s presented in black-and-white. With help from the keeper of memories (Jeff Bridges), a young boy (Brenton Thwaites) breaks from the ties that bind him. A talented ensemble cast (look for Katie Holmes, Meryl Streep, and Taylor Swift, among others) does little to elevate the film’s rote storytelling.

Director Terry Zwigoff re-teamed with “Ghost World” creator Daniel Clowes for this satirical examination of American art schools. It follows an aspiring artist (Max Minghella) into the Strathmore School of Art, where he finds that the creative pursuit is far more cutthroat than he expected. Zwigoff hasn’t directed a feature film since this one.

C. S. Lewis’s timeless book series leapt onto the big screen in a trilogy of blockbuster films, starting with this 2005 fantasy. Taking place during WWII, it sends four children through a wardrobe closet into the magical world of Narnia. Joining forces with a magical lion (Liam Neeson), they take on an evil white witch (Tilda Swinton).

Halley Martin (Mandy Moore) is convinced that true love is a myth, but her classmate Macon (Trent Ford) just might prove her wrong in this romantic teen dramedy. It opened to largely negative reviews and floundered at the box office, earning just over $14 million worldwide against a reported budget of $16 million.

Can love last between a regular American girl (Julia Stiles) and a European royal (Luke Mably)? That very question lies at the heart of this muddled romantic comedy. Presented as a modern-day fairy tale, it struggles to reap magic out of its superficial contrivances.

Novelist Nicholas Sparks co-wrote the script for this romantic drama, in which an unruly teen (Miley Cyrus) comes of age over the course of a summer. Critics were generally unimpressed with Cyrus’ turn as a dramatic lead as well as the movie’s overly saccharine qualities.

A small-town girl (Hillary Duff) attends a big-city performing arts school in this paltry “Fame” knock-off. Many critics saw the film as little more than a shameless attempt to promote Duff’s crossover career and exploit her massive fanbase.

This computer-animated sports comedy, set in 1932, puts a young boy in possession of Babe Ruth’s lost baseball bat. So begins a cross-country journey with potential hero-making consequences. It was co-directed by “Superman” star Christopher Reeve, who died halfway through its production.

Inspired by coming-of-age stories, a teen girl (Cierra Ramirez) enacts one of her own in this heartfelt drama. Through her misguided attempts at adulthood, she learns that growing up isn’t as easy as it looks. Eva Mendes co-stars as the girl’s single mother, who’s likewise struggling to keep everything together.

An old comic strip called “Little Orphan Annie” spawned multiple adaptations for stage and screen, including this musical comedy. It updates the material for the modern era, but ultimately succumbs to crass commercialism and cloying clichés.

Two young lovers (Gabriella Wilde and Alex Pettyfer) defy their parents and cross the class divide in this romantic drama. The second adaptation of a 1979 novel, it also bears resemblance to Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.” According to most critics, the film is every bit as contrived and schmaltzy as its Valentine’s Day release date would suggest.

The first human born on Mars, Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfield) visits Earth and experiences our native planet from a fresh perspective. With his organs failing due to the atmosphere, he goes on the run with a streetwise foster teen (Britt Robertson). “By the time you get to the money shot of two lovers kissing in zero gravity, you’ll either be deep in this movie’s pocket or have fallen into a diabetic coma,” wrote critic David Fear for Rolling Stone.

An apathetic teen (Freddie Highmore) finds a reason to exist when he discovers first love in this romantic teen comedy. The insufferable twee vibe is so palpable that the film almost feels like a satire of its own sub-genre, if most critics are to be believed.

Blending live-action and computer-animation, this family comedy expands upon Easter mythology to unfunny results. It kicks into high gear when a city-based slacker (James Marsden) accidentally hits the Easter Bunny’s son (voiced by Russell Brand) with his car. The fate of a holiday hangs in the balance as both characters come of age.

Producer Judd Apatow and co-screenwriter Seth Rogen adapted an original story by the late John Hughes when bringing this teen comedy onto the big screen. It stars Owen Wilson as the title character, a low-rent bodyguard who’s hired to protect three kids from the local bully.

This erotic thriller premiered at Sundance and floundered theatrically before taking off on the home rental market. Drew Barrymore plays a mysterious teen named Ivy, who seduces her way into the life of a shy high school student (Sara Gilbert) and her wealthy family.

The bar mitzvah proves to be anything religious but in this underwhelming comedy. As a young man prepares for his rite of passage, his parents (Jeremy Piven and Jami Gertz) seem more focused on outshining their peers.

This entirely unnecessary sequel continues the coming–of-age adventures of Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky). It takes place in 1974 and follows Vada to Los Angeles, where she digs into her family’s mysterious past. Stick with the original.

Living proof of Tom Cruise’s star power in the 1980s, this mindless drama was the eighth-highest-grossing film of its year at the global box office. He plays talented bartender Brian Flanagan, who experiences romance and deception while trying to fulfill his entrepreneurial dreams.

This reimagined take on Peter Pan overcompensates for its lack of substance with a relentless barrage of CGI effects. Filmed on a reported budget of $150 million before marketing costs, it made just over $128 million worldwide.

The last film written and directed by John Hughes was a rare misfire for the influential icon. It centers on a homeless con man (James Belushi) and his daughter (Alisan Porter), who forge an unlikely bond with their latest target (Kelly Lynch).

The quintessential troublemaker Dennis the Menace appeared in comic strips and on TV before landing in this feature film. Doing its best “Home Alone” impersonation, the story unleashes Dennis (Mason Gamble) on his neighbor (Walter Matthau) and a local burglar (Christopher Lloyd). Two direct-to-video sequels would follow, both featuring different cast members.

Stranded on an island, two cousins go from childish innocence to sexual experience in this famously ridiculous survival tale. Awkward acting and a cringey plot didn’t stop the film from becoming a box office blockbuster and the ninth-highest-grossing release of 1980.

A successful PR executive (Kristen Bell) discovers that her brother is engaged to her former bully in this lackluster comedy. Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw wrote, “A clever, perhaps even brilliant idea for a black comedy has here been slathered and stifled in a thick treacly layer of Disney-sentimental gloop.”

Rehashing plot points from 1987’s “Adventures in Babysitting,” this dark action comedy puts an unemployed slacker (Jonah Hill) in charge of three quirky kids. With the promise of sex comes a city-wide odyssey, which unfolds through a series of crude and chaotic set pieces.

Filmmaker Lisa Azuelos adapted her own French dramedy for American audiences with this shallow examination of the modern age. Miley Cyrus plays teen girl Lola – Lol for short – who navigates a world of overprotective parenting and ubiquitous social media in the search for romance.

A career nadir for all those involved, this sci-fi action flick takes place on Earth over a thousand years after mankind has fled the planet. Will Smith and son Jaden crash land their spacecraft and try to survive in this perilous terrain. Smith himself conceived the story.

Britney Spears was at the height of her fame when she appeared in this misguided vehicle for a potential crossover career. Reunited after eight years, three friends embark on a cross-country road trip of life-changing proportions. Critics and audiences seem to have wished the trio had stayed home.

The poster art for this sophomoric comedy features a teenager throwing up into a toilet, which is exactly how most viewers feel after watching it. Follow three high school seniors to Fairmont University, where they get a taste of college life. “A raunchy comedy that plays like a “Superbad” without the smarts, the heart, the originality or the laughs,” wrote critic Roger Moore for the Orlando Sentinel.