The high school setting of Dazed and Confused made it a masterpiece. You will experience every part of school life, from prom to farewell.
Also, by viewing these movies like Dazed and Confused, you may relive the charm of being a young adult.
We’ve compiled a list of the best coming-of-age movies ever for people who like watching movies like Dazed and Confused.
Some of these movies may be familiar to you. Read the article and decide which is the best for you.
1. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
- Director: David Wain
- Cast: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd, Zak Orth, and Christopher Meloni
- IMDb rating: 6.5/10
Wet Hot American Summer was the star-studded cast on this list that gave the most actors their big-screen debuts.
In cult comedy, several accomplished actors give their all for an hour and a half of comic performance.
First-time viewers will either laugh along with the whole movie or have to stop it so they can keep laughing.
Netflix‘s two reunion shows have recently boosted the comedy brand’s popularity.
However, many fans of those shows haven’t, and they’re losing out on some hilarious content.
Wet Hot American Summer unquestionably ranks among the best movies like Dazed and Confused, contributing to the early 2000s’ sense of comedy.
2. High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
- Director: Kenny Ortega
- Cast: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, and Olesya Rulin
- IMDb rating: 4.9/10
This movie is a musical that Kenny Ortega directed. Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron are its stars.
With a G-rated rating and a running duration of 1 hour and 52 minutes, it’s the perfect movie to watch with someone, by yourself or even the entire family.
The third installment in the High School Musical series is this one. It follows East High students as they enjoy their last days on campus.
There will be a few laughs and chuckles throughout the movie.
It also demonstrates the gang’s anxiety about the future and being split apart. You’ll probably sing along to this movie, laugh out loud, and maybe even cry sometimes.
3. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
- Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
- Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick, Woody Harrelson, Hayden Szeto, and Alexander Calvert
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Coming-of-age stories have formed the foundation of Hailee Steinfeld’s career for the most part.
Steinfeld consistently performs above and beyond what the project’s tone calls for, from her Oscar-nominated turn in True Grit to her most recent role as Kate Bishop in Hawkeye.
Nadine Franklin, one of her greatest characters, is sadly overlooked in The Edge of Seventeen.
The narrative follows Nadine as she tries to connect with people after her father’s death a few years ago.
The greatest aspect of this movie is the relationship between Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson’s Mr. Bruner, Nadine’s confidant and high school teacher.
The connection is well suited to appeal to young viewers since it accurately portrays teenagers’ change in the digital age.
This is undoubtedly one of the best movies like Dazed and Confused.
4. Waking Life (2001)
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Cast: Ethan Hawke, Trevor Jack Brooks, Lorelei Linklater, Wiley Wiggins, Glover Gill, Lara Hicks, and Ames Asbell
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
Wiley Wiggins, who played Mitch in “Dazed,” generally avoided Hollywood, although many other cast members went on to have successful acting careers.
One of his few noteworthy efforts was this one, in which he serves as the guide for several conversations regarding the significance of dreams and sleep.
The structure of “Waking Life” is similar to “Slacker,” with the Wiggins character moving around while engaging in lengthy discussions on dreams and the subconscious.
The way Linklater films these exchanges, filming them in real action, then overlaying them with computer animation, makes “Waking Life” stand apart from other movies like Dazed and Confused.
Backgrounds always move, and people may suddenly transform into cloud shapes, creating a mesmerizing impression.
Although the graphics sometimes threaten to distract, they often aid in maintaining concentration on the words being stated and provide vivid interpretations of the speaker’s ideas.
It is an excellent approach for visualizing the sensation of a dream.
While Linklater wouldn’t accomplish it again a few years later with “A Scanner Darkly,” he discovered the ideal balance between style and material, allowing the audience to see new worlds as described.
5. Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
- Director: Peter Sollett
- Cast: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo, Rafi Gavron, Ari Graynor, Alexis Dziena, and Jonathan B. Wright
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
This movie is a drama-comedy about love. Starring Michael Cera as Nick and Kat Dennings as Norah, it was produced by Peter Sollett.
It has a runtime of one hour and thirty minutes and is rated PG-13. This movie’s rating allows you to view it with your family or friends.
The same-named book served as the source of inspiration for the movie. It centers on Nick and Norah, two high school students who meet at a pub and go on a wild nighttime adventure when Norah asks Nick to play the role of her lover for five minutes.
This is one of the movies like Dazed and Confused, where you will get a taste of the pleasures and challenges teens must face.
6. Everybody Wants Some (2016)
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Cast: Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin, Ryan Guzman, Zoey Deutch, Juston Street, Wyatt Russell, and Glen Powell
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
“Everyone Wants Some!!” is very much a “spiritual sequel” to “Dazed and Confused,” as Linklater often called it when it was being produced.
Despite not featuring any of the same people and taking place in 1980, “Everyone Wants Some” carries over several of “Dazed and Confused” most admirable characteristics.
The soundtrack is excellent, the movie’s mood is very much a protagonist, and the movie merely wants to linger instead of developing a story. You’ll be sad to see this movie end since spending time in its universe is a delight.
The music has shifted from Aerosmith and Foghat to Van Halen and The Cars.
However, other than that, not much has changed; the protagonists are still baseball players who engage in the same drug use and partying that they did in high school.
To portray those baseball players, Linklater again assembles a fantastic young cast, led by a scene-stealing Glen Powell.
However, “Everyone Wants Some,” with Blake Jenner as the lead character, differs from “Dazed and Confused” by focusing on a relationship between the main character and an arts major.
7. Superbad (2007)
- Director: Greg Mottola
- Cast: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva Baumann, and Joe Lo Truglio
- IMDb rating: 7.6/10
Superbad is one of the best coming-of-age movies like Dazed and Confused.
The movie stars Michael Cera as Evan and Jonah Hill as Seth, directed by Greg Mottola. It has a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes and is an R-rated movie.
Although it is not the ideal option for extremely young viewers, it may be a fantastic movie to see with a group. The narrative centers on two seniors in high school.
Although they have been best friends since they were young, they do their best to get through the final weeks of high school while making the most of it before heading off to other institutions.
Like Dazed and Confused, Superbad is full of jokes and laughter with occasional drama.
8. Sixteen Candles (1984)
- Director: John Hughes
- Cast: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, and Paul Dooley
- IMDb rating: 7.0/10
This movie is among the best coming-of-age movies like Dazed and Confused.
It features Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, two of The Breakfast Club’s lead actors, as well as the same director.
Together with the two, Michael Schoeffling plays the lead.
It has a runtime of one hour and thirty-three minutes and is rated PG.
This movie is something you can watch alone or with the entire family. The movie follows Sam Baker when she is 16 years old.
However, things don’t always turn out the way she had hoped. Her crush seems to ignore her, her family forgets her birthday, and there is general mayhem.
Come along with Sam on this birthday rollercoaster where you’ll laugh so hard you’ll cry and feel so sorry for the birthday lady.
9. The Big Chill (1983)
- Director: Lawrence Kasdan
- Cast: Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, and Meg Tilly
- IMDb rating: 7.1/10
The Big Chill, a 1983 movie written and directed by Hollywood legend Lawrence Kasdan, brings together a group of college friends who had lost a friend to suicide.
Veteran performers, including Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, and Kevin Kline, are among the cast of this dramedy.
The cast gives performances that are years above their ages while having young looks.
The range of emotions a found family, such as college friends, might feel upon reunion is also captured by their chemistry.
Kevin Costner was scheduled to play Alex, the guy whose passing draws them all together, but his whole scene was removed to give the impression that someone is missing from the group.
This is one of the best movies like dazed and confused.
10. SubUrbia (1996)
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Steve Zahn, Jayce Barto, Amie Carey, Nicky Katt, Ajay Naidu, and Parker Posey
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
In “SubUrbia,” young people are usually shown as loitering at the neighborhood convenience store.
They vent their frustrations over their lack of desire and achievement on one of their former friends, now a popular rock singer, when he returns to town.
In “SubUrbia,” there is some humor, especially from Steve Zahn, the goofiest friend group member.
However, it’s more bitter than hilarious since nobody enjoys each other’s company until they start arguing.
These people have no future and have no desire ever to have one. “SubUrbia” may be difficult to watch at times, but it is a powerful study of people with no direction and a great deal of suppressed rage.
11. Stand By Me (1986)
- Director: Rob Reiner
- Cast: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, and Gary Riley
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
Stand By Me is right up there in terms of the best coming-of-age movies like Dazed and Confused.
The Rob Reiner movie, based on the Stephen King book, won an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and has since become a national treasure in the US.
By bringing their youthful curiosity to their roles, the young boys in the cast, which includes Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix, bring the wonderful script to life.
The uptight plot of Dazed and Confused, which takes place on the final day of school, is one of its great strengths.
A similar scheme is used in Stand By Me, which centers on the story of two childhood friends throughout Labor Day weekend.
The four friends’ relationship and their challenges with aging are very relevant and timeless.
12. Dirty Deeds (2005)
- Director: David Kendall
- Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Lacey Chabert, Charles Durning, Tom Amandes, Matthew Carey, Mark Derwin, and Michael Milhoan
- IMDb rating: 5.7/10
A comedy movie called Dirty Deeds was released in 2005. Milo Ventimiglia, Lacey Chabert, and David Collins are the actors in the movie.
Zach Harper, a high school student, is required to fulfill ridiculous tasks in this movie in only one day.
He needs to repeat the achievement accomplished many years ago by only one student, Duncan Rime.
This is being done as a favor for Meg, his classmate. Since he performs the acts of another person, this is an instance of swapping.
His first test will be to consume alcohol in front of law enforcement. The jocks make every effort to thwart his actions.
Zach tries to change his behaviors, but he persists. With the aid of Vincent Scarano, who shows himself to be a real friend, Zach turns the tables on his opponents.
Ultimately, he develops a deep love for the cute girl Meg.
This is one of the best movies like Dazed and Confused that will sometimes make audiences laugh but also throws in some life lessons.
13. Hot Summer Nights (2017)
- Director: Elijah Bynum
- Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe, Alex Roe, Emory Cohen, Thomas Jane, Maia Mitchell, and William Fichtner
- IMDb rating: 6.4/10
This lesser-known Timothée Chalamet movie, which leans toward the dramatic end of things, captures the young actor before he developed into the stoic and brooding heartthrob.
Hot Summer Nights follow Danny, a socially awkward kid, as he spends the summer on Cape Cod with his aunt.
Danny becomes friends with several local teenagers while he’s in the community, and they introduce him to marijuana.
As he immerses himself further in the Cape’s party scene, Danny sees a chance to team up with his friend Hunter to sell marijuana to locals and visitors.
14. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
- Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
- Cast: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, and Jon Bernthal
- IMDb rating: 7.7/10
The movie Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is based on Jesse Andrews’ first book of the same name.
Nick Offerman, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, and Thomas Mann are well-known actors. Greg Gaines, a senior in high school, is the main character.
He is 17 years old. He’s shy and stays away from personal relationships. He does, however, have a charming honesty.
When he discovers Rachel’s illness, his childhood friend takes care of her rather than concentrating on his academics.
Greg and Earl are persuaded to film a movie based on Rachel’s life by Madison, a gorgeous girl at school.
Rachel convinces him to submit a college application to prevent Greg from interfering with his studies.
The movie won awards in various categories, including best comedy and best picture. You’ll adore the characters and their fashion sense.
After a coma, Rachel finally passes away. Rachel’s mother consoles him.
This is among the amazing movies like Dazed and Confused that discuss the joys and difficulties that youths experience.
15. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
- Director: Stephen Chbosky
- Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, Kate Walsh, and Patrick de Ledebur
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
For those who have seen it even once, this may be their all-time favorite. The plot is based on Stephen Chbosky’s book of the same name.
Stars like Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, and others make up the ensemble.
The movie depicts Charlie, a high school student who feels out of place in his new environment.
As his closest friend commits himself, this estranged child finds extroverted friends who stand by him. The main character also has to cope with his turbulent past.
The movie conveys that everyone may find comfort and no one is alone.
The movie’s leading actors, such as Emma Watson and Logan Lerman, received several awards.
The innovative plot, setting, and actors’ compelling performances successfully seduce the audience.
16. Boyhood (2014)
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Cast: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Elijah Smith, Lorelei Linklater, Steven Chester Prince, and Bonnie Cross
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
In this captivating movie, you can see a boy’s progression from childhood to adulthood. Boyhood, which debuted in theaters in 2014, mastered the coming-of-age story.
Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Ellar Coltrane are a few of the movie’s main actors. Mason Evans Jr. is the main character of the story.
He lives with his elder sister and mother, Olivia, who is divorced. His mother marries Bill, her lover.
Things take a bad turn as Bill begins wreaking havoc at their house.
The movie won the audience’s respect and received praise from the young audience. It is a family movie that is suitable for all audiences.
The movie received several honors and was nominated for many awards. This is undoubtedly one of the best movies like Dazed and Confused.
