Growing up in film

"Oh my God, this film is about my life!" Most of us have experienced this feeling at least once; we’ve seen a movie where the parallels to our own lives have seemed, to put it mildly, eerily spot-on. It’s like some voyeuristic director has been secretly chronicling our own personal struggles via hidden cameras, decided to turn it into a screenplay, added some outrageous twists and hired better-looking actors to play us in a film that made him a load of cash. These films are usually angst-ridden coming-of-age comedy-dramas, where things seem to work out better for the loveable slacker who has stolen your identity than they ever did for you. Don’t feel bitter, though. This is the evolution of the cinematic goofy misfit that has stood in for us real-life goofy misfits since the dawn of cinema. Or at least since Dustin Hoffman learnt how to act.

Rushmore (1998)
Beginning in chronological order, Rushmore is the tale of Max Fisher – a precocious teen that isn’t too bright, but loves to write and produce elaborate stage plays at his prestigious private school. Admittedly, it’s unlikely that you ever fell in love with a teacher, befriended a middle-aged industrialist, got arrested for sabotaging the brakes on a Bentley, shot somebody in the ear with a pellet gun, started a kite-flying team, or commissioned an architect to build an aquarium on school property. But Max has a precious vitality that makes him the mirror-image of teenage dreamers everywhere. Plus, he makes plenty of mistakes, and everybody did that when they were young.

Orange County (2002)
Shaun Brumder is a gifted but lazy teen who is happy to float through life without any goals. Happy, that is, until the death of his best friend forces him to re-evaluate his stoner-surfer lifestyle. Shaun is inspired to become a writer and study alongside his literary hero, Professor Skinner, at the illustrious Stanford University. But the main glitch in this wonderful plan is his university guidance counsellor, who happens to be a complete moron. Transcripts suitably mixed up, Shaun and friends embark on a trans-Californian road-trip which culminates in a realization that the place where you grew up is forever part of your identity, whether you like it or not.

The Graduate (1967)
I know… this one was just too obvious. The label of ‘modern classic’ gets thrown around like a monkey’s banana these days. With this one, however, it’s entirely deserved. Ben Braddock is a successful college graduate who floats around his rich parent’s swimming pool, happily putting off making any decisions about his future. He then decides it would be a good idea to have an affair with the neighbourhood cougar: the middle-aged Mrs Robinson. But in an unlucky twist of fate, he’s forced to go on a blind date with her beautiful daughter, Elaine, with whom he promptly falls in love. Cue lots of shouting, running, stalking, road-tripping, scene-making, and some great tunes by Simon & Garfunkel. York 2009 graduates take note: this is how to not live your life.

Garden State (2004)
You knew this was coming. And you probably know the plot, too. But just to make sure we’ll go over it: That guy from Scrubs plays a depressive twenty-something who returns to his home in New Jersey after the death of his mother. He then embarks on a stream of consciousness style series of events, in which he reconnects with old friends who dig graves for a living and tries to repair his relationship with his angry and grief-stricken father. The message: you can never really return to your childhood home; you can only try to build a new, grown-up one. Yes, this film has everything, including an amazing soundtrack and Natalie Portman. Go watch it.

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