Films about depression among teenagers can serve as an effective starting point for conversations about mental health. Both independent and Hollywood productions demonstrate its various facets through relatable characters who showcase these teen’s struggle.
Melinda, an awkward newcomer at high school, starts opening up to her eccentric art teacher as they share experiences together. This film beautifully illustrates the healing potential of sharing our stories.
Little Miss Sunshine
This movie makes mental health issues relatable and humorous with its portrayal of dysfunctional family, led by an unscrupulous grandfather, his awkward teenage son taking an oath of silence, an overworked mother and an aspiring life coach father (Frank). While this film does not glorify suicide or condone it, it does show its prevalence; suicide can affect anyone at any time.
This movie does an outstanding job at depicting how different family members cope with their problems and provides a realistic portrayal of depression, which is sometimes misdiagnosed as narcissism. Furthermore, it shows that although suicide is a serious mental illness that people can recover from. Finally, the movie shows just how essential support for mental wellbeing can be.
Submarine
Submarine, inspired by French New Wave cinema, tells the tale of a teenage boy coming of age and his battle against depression. Craig Roberts stars as Oliver, an awkward Welsh teen with an intense crush on Jordana (Alex Turner). Additionally, family matters and mental health concerns are addressed in this film, making it one of the best movies about teenage depression.
Richard Ayoade’s debut feature film uses a style similar to Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) and Wes Anderson (Rushmore) in order to offer an original and quirky twist on a traditional teenage romance tale. While sometimes resorting to cliches or overused gags, Ayoade captures some of the more honest and raw aspects of teenage life while making depression and anxiety not just feelings but realities; Oliver realizes this firsthand through his struggles with depression and Jordana.
The Virgin Suicides
The Virgin Suicides is a haunting film about five teenage sisters who decided to end their own lives, exploring love, repression, fantasy and terror as well as the impenetrable mysteries of American adolescence. Sofia Coppola made her directorial debut with this film and left audiences speechless with its haunting imagery and backlit cinematography that brought the girls’ lost world alive through period top 40 music and backlit cinematography; James Woods and Kathleen Turner play their zealously protective parents roles!
This movie takes an ambiguous approach to its interpretation of the girls’ suicides and allows viewers to come up with their own interpretation. Instead of forcing ideas on audiences directly, this approach leaves it up to each viewer individually to decipher what was communicated by these deaths. Furthermore, there are dream-like sequences which add an even more haunting and mysterious atmosphere – these moments truly stand out as memorable and haunting suburban flicks.
The Breakfast Club
Ahead of its time, this movie broke with conventions of teen films at that time and still manages to remain relevant today. While other teen movies rely heavily on sexualized depictions and offensive humor, this film explores emotional isolation among adolescents who cannot connect with those around them.
Though these five students in detention (an uptight popular girl, stoic jock, foulmouthed rebel, virginal bookworm and kooky recluse) may seem stereotypical at first glance, writer-director John Hughes displayed an intricate understanding of each character with his clever dialogue and thoughtful direction – as well as outstanding performances by Ringwald Estevez Nelson & Hall who played Brat Pack characters – making this movie unforgettable to many teens across America.
Unlike many teen movies that cling to fantasy, The Breakfast Club takes place at an average suburban high school and accurately portrays teenage angst. Furthermore, this film emphasizes learning to appreciate differences among people rather than judge them solely on one aspect of their personality.