5 Movies like 'Dazed and Confused' That Became Coming-Of-Age Classics

Richard Linklater's 1993 comedy/teen film "Dazed and Confused" became a cult classic and one of the best movies about youth ever created. The film focuses on the adventures of teenage students on the last day of school before the summer break.

The film takes viewers back to 1976, during the last day of the academic year at Lee High School. The students are excited about the summer break, and as a result, many skip classes and get stoned thinking about the big keg party for the senior students. The party is supposed to happen at Kevin Pickford's (Shawn Andrews) house once his parents step out for the evening.

The senior students chase away the juniors, as everyone is trying to get high and drunk. Even the football players that vowed to their team coach they won't engage in drugs and alcohol during summer break couldn't resist the temptation.

The film not only captured the liveliness and energy of youth, but it also had a great storyline. So if you've been looking for films with a similar style, here is a list of movies like "Dazed and Confused."

The Breakfast Club (1985)

This classic drama/teen film is one of the movies to watch if you like "Dazed and Confused." The movie, which tells the story of five students with nothing in common, featured famous names like Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, and Anthony Michael Hall.

"The Breakfast Club," which debuted 38 years ago, showcases how a young person learns about life and the essential aspects of being human. Its storyline focuses on five students with nothing in common, forced to attend a Saturday detention together in their school library under close supervision from their assistant principal.

Besides being in the same class at Shermer High School, Andrew Clark, Claire Standish, John Bender, Allison Raynolds, and Brian Johnson had little in common.

But when their assistant principal puts them on a weekend detention to write a 1,000-word essay about who they think they are, their different backgrounds lead them to valuable soul-searching in the few hours they spend together.

As a result, the five students are left with no choice but to socialize. Interestingly, at 7 a.m., they had barely talked to each other, but by 4 p.m., they had interacted and become good friends. The film, rated 7.5/10 on IMDb, is considered a landmark in the coming-of-age genre.

American Graffiti (1973)

This drama/comedy film is one of the movies to watch if you like "Dazed and Confused." The film, rated 7.2/10 on IMDb, featured Hollywood stars like Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, and Harrison Ford.

Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) is constantly high and never seems to get along with his history teacher; he dreams of becoming a great surfer in Hawaii.

"American Graffiti" tells the story of high school graduates as they spend one last night of summer break enjoying themselves before they start their new lives as adults.

The four teenagers get mixed feelings, anxiety, dilemma, disappointment, and curiosity as they take their first step into real-life experiences. While embarking on their journey to self-discovery, they learn what they desire for their future and become determined to make their dreams come true.

Even though "American Graffiti" debuted 40 years ago, it is one of those movies that remains critically acclaimed despite getting lost among different coming-of-age films.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

If you've been looking for movies like "Dazed and Confused," then this one-and-a-half-hour film will give you an in-depth into the romantic lives of Southern California High School students.

One of the students at Ridgemont High, Brad Hamilton(Judge Reinhold), who is in his final high school year, decides to break up with his longtime girlfriend, Lisa (Amanda Wyss) so that he can date other girls. However, his ego gets crushed as she breaks up with him first.

Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) is constantly high and never seems to get along with his history teacher; he dreams of becoming a great surfer in Hawaii.

On the other hand, Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a virgin, wants to have sex with the help of her friend Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates). The students discover different things about love and friendship somewhere along the semester.

Empire Records (1995)

The romance drama film remains one of the most beloved youth movies of the 90s. The movie's storyline showcases a day in the lives of "Empire Records" employees. However, this is the day when nothing seems to fall into place as everyone is facing their crisis.

As they try to pull together, they must do their best to keep their independent record store from being swallowed by a greedy corporate giant. The 90s cult classic features Hollywood stars like Liv Tyler, Robin Tunney, and Tobey Maguire.

Can't Hardly Wait (1998)

This film is one of the 90s teen movies that are enjoyable to watch despite being slightly stereotypical. It tells the story of an entire graduating class, with beautiful girls, nerds, and promising footballers, assembling at a wealthy classmate's residence for a party. Interesting developments follow at the get-together.

One nerdy teenage boy wants to confess his feelings to the girl he has loved for years. However, his path to getting the most popular girl in school who just broke up with her boyfriend is filled with different obstacles from other stereotypical high schoolers.