If you loved the nostalgic summer vibes, witty humor and relatable coming-of-age themes of the 2024 indie hit Snack Shack, you’re probably craving more feel-good films in the same vein. Set in 1991, Snack Shack follows two teenage buddies working at their local pool snack bar, whose friendship is tested when a cute new lifeguard arrives for the summer.
With its talented young cast, smart dialogue and poignant reflections on growing up, Snack Shack joins the ranks of classic teen comedies that perfectly capture the bittersweet joys and pains of adolescence. For your next movie night, check out these 16 charming coming-of-age films that share Snack Shack‘s heart, humor and wistful end-of-summer mood.
1. The Way, Way Back (2013)
Like Snack Shack, The Way, Way Back takes place over a pivotal summer for its awkward teenage protagonist. 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) is dragged on vacation with his mom (Toni Collette) and her overbearing new boyfriend (Steve Carell). Duncan finds an unexpected mentor in Owen (Sam Rockwell), the laid-back manager of the local water park.
With its 1980s setting, excellent cast, and mix of laughs and heartfelt moments, The Way, Way Back is a must-watch for Snack Shack fans. Both films understand the power of a summer job to change a teen’s outlook and offer a refuge from family drama.
2. Adventureland (2009)
Recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) plans to spend the summer of 1987 on a life-changing Europe trip before starting grad school. When his parents reveal they can no longer fund the trip or his studies, James takes the only summer job he can get – running games at the local amusement park.
Like Snack Shack‘s leads, James is initially embarrassed by his unglamorous gig. But he soon bonds with his eccentric co-workers, especially captivating arcade girl Em (Kristen Stewart). Set to a killer 80s soundtrack, Adventureland is a smart, sweet ode to that first crummy summer job and the co-worker crushes, parties and misadventures that come with it.
3. The Kings of Summer (2013)
Feeling smothered by his widower father, teen Joe (Nick Robinson) convinces his best friend Patrick (Gabriel Basso) to run away and build a house in the woods for the summer. With oddball classmate Biaggio (Moises Arias) tagging along, the boys revel in their newfound independence. But their friendship and secret get-away are threatened by family tensions and romantic rivalries.
Like the Snack Shack boys, the Kings of Summer learn some hard lessons about loyalty, love and growing up over one unforgettable summer. With its lush cinematography and quirky humor, it’s a unique twist on the classic coming-of-age tale.
4. The To Do List (2013)
Valedictorian Brandy Clark (Aubrey Plaza) feels woefully unprepared for college after realizing she’s neglected her social life, especially romantic experiences. She makes a “to do list” of sexual activities to check off before freshman year. Starting her quest with a job at the local pool, Brandy gets a crash course in love and lust.
The To Do List shares Snack Shack‘s raunchy, unapologetic teen girl perspective and 90s nostalgia. Plaza shines as the determined Brandy, and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as she works through her list. But like Snack Shack, the film has a sweet core message about the value of real relationships.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a lonely, introverted freshman still reeling from a friend’s suicide and his own mental health struggles. He finds acceptance from a group of quirky seniors, including free-spirited Sam (Emma Watson) and her flamboyant stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller).
Based on the beloved novel, Perks is a more serious take on teen issues than Snack Shack. But it shares the film’s compassion for the challenges of growing up and celebration of the friends who help us through. With its stellar cast and infinitely-quotable script, Perks is a modern coming-of-age classic.
6. Booksmart (2019)
On the eve of high school graduation, academic overachievers Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) realize they’ve missed out on fun by spending all their time studying. They set out to cram four years of partying into one epic night.
Like Snack Shack, Booksmart lets its teen girl leads be just as hilariously raunchy and clueless as their male counterparts usually get to be on screen. But it’s also a poignant story of female friendship and the panic of feeling left behind. Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut is a fresh, feminist spin on the teen party comedy.
7. Lady Bird (2017)
Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is an eccentric, rebellious senior at a Catholic high school. She dreams of leaving her hometown of Sacramento for an East Coast college, clashing with her mother (Laurie Metcalf) who thinks she’s ungrateful. Over her last year of high school, Lady Bird navigates romances, friendships and family tensions as she tries to figure out who she wants to be.
Like Snack Shack, Lady Bird authentically portrays the restless angst of a teen desperate to move on to the next chapter. With her colorful thrift store outfits and strong opinions, Lady Bird is the kind of spunky, original protagonist we need more of in coming-of-age films. Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut is funny, moving and painfully relatable for anyone who’s survived adolescence.
8. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
High school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) already feels like an awkward outsider when her only friend starts dating her popular older brother. Lonely and depressed, she forms an unlikely bond with a sarcastic classmate (Hayden Szeto).
The Edge of Seventeen has the rapid-fire, whip-smart dialogue of a classic teen movie, but with the nuanced characterization of a drama. Nadine could easily be a Snack Shack character with her self-deprecating humor and sympathetic struggles. Come for Steinfeld’s star-making performance, stay for Woody Harrelson’s scene-stealing turn as Nadine’s long-suffering teacher.
9. The Spectacular Now (2013)
Sutter (Miles Teller) is a charming, hard-partying high school senior coasting through his last year on his wits and charisma. After a break-up, he wakes up on a stranger’s lawn and meets Aimee (Shailene Woodley), a kind, bookish girl who’s never had a boyfriend. As they start a tentative romance, Sutter has to confront his fears about the future and his drinking problem.
Based on the YA novel by Tim Tharp, The Spectacular Now is a disarmingly honest look at first love, addiction and the cusp of adulthood. With their tender, naturalistic performances, Teller and Woodley make you ache for these characters. Like Snack Shack, it’s a coming-of-age story that lets its teens be flawed, vulnerable and unsure.
10. Dope (2015)
High school senior Malcolm (Shameik Moore) and his friends are nerdy 90s hip hop-obsessed outcasts in their rough LA neighborhood. A chance invite to an underground party leads to a wild adventure involving drug dealers, hackers and a huge stash of MDMA.
Like Snack Shack, Dope balances big laughs with a sincere affection for its oddball characters. The 90s setting, soundtrack and fashion are a nostalgic millennial dream. But it’s also a smart, stylish story about being young, black and geeky before it was cool. Come for the pitch-perfect dialogue and surprising plot twists, stay for A$AP Rocky’s hilarious turn as a philosophical drug dealer.
11. The Inkwell (1994)
It’s the summer of 1976 and 16-year-old Drew (Larenz Tate) is sent to stay with relatives at Martha’s Vineyard. Shy and awkward, Drew struggles to fit in with the wealthy black elite crowd his age, especially his confident, popular cousin Junior. As he pursues a beautiful, troubled girl (Jada Pinkett), Drew starts to come out of his shell and gain a new perspective on class and race.
The Inkwell may have more romantic drama than Snack Shack, but it shares its affectionate, nuanced look at a teen’s pivotal summer. With its gorgeous beachside setting, swoon-worthy young cast and pitch-perfect 70s soundtrack, it’s a underrated gem of black cinema ripe for rediscovery.
12. Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
In the last days of summer before college starts in the fall of 1980, Jake (Blake Jenner) moves into the house he’ll be sharing with his new college baseball teammates. The group of rowdy, hyper-competitive jocks spend the next few days cruising campus for girls, going to discos and philosophizing about life.
Billed as a “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some!! perfectly captures the giddy rush of newfound freedom before adulthood really kicks in. Like Snack Shack, it’s an affectionate portrait of male bonding in all its immature, ridiculous glory. With its killer cast of up-and-comers and authentic 80s details, it’s an instant retro classic.
13. The Last Summer (2019)
This ensemble Netflix rom-com follows a group of Chicago teens through the summer before they leave for college. There’s Griffin (KJ Apa) and Phoebe (Maia Mitchell), childhood friends who realize they may want something more. Nerdy Erin (Halston Sage) tries to complete a wild bucket list with her edgy new friend Alec (Jacob Latimore). And Audrey (Sosie Bacon) and Foster (Wolfgang Novogratz) struggle to make their long-distance relationship work.
Like Snack Shack, The Last Summer understands the bittersweetness of savoring your last moments with high school friends while looking forward to the future. It’s a bit soapy and contrived at times, but the cast is very appealing. Sometimes you just want to watch pretty people fall in love in the sunshine, you know?
14. The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010)
On the last night of summer in a Detroit suburb, a group of teens go looking for love and adventure at various sleepovers. There’s Rob, who crashes a sleepover to pursue a crush. Then there’s Claudia, who ditches her friend’s sleepover to hang out with some cool older girls. Maggie meets a handsome stranger at the grocery store. And Scott roams the streets pining for his ex-girlfriend.
With its dreamy cinematography and poetic dialogue, The Myth of the American Sleepover is like a hazy memory of youth captured on film. It perfectly evokes the restless longing of adolescence, when every night crackles with possibility. Like Snack Shack, it’s a love letter to the fleeting magic of teenage summers.
15. The Kings of Summer (2013)
Fed up with their overbearing parents, 15-year-old Joe (Nick Robinson) convinces his best friend Patrick (Gabriel Basso) to run away and live in a house they build in the woods for the summer. Along with their strange new friend Biaggio (Moises Arias), the boys revel in their independence. But their friendship is tested by family conflicts and a shared crush on a local girl.
With its lush cinematography and quirky humor, The Kings of Summer is like Moonrise Kingdom meets Stand By Me. Like Snack Shack, it perfectly captures the giddy freedom of a teenage summer, while acknowledging the inevitability of growing up and growing apart. Robinson, Basso and Arias have an easy, hilarious rapport that anchors the film’s flights of fancy.
16. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
No list of classic teen comedies is complete without this iconic John Hughes film. Charming high school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is determined to have one last legendary day of fun before graduation. With his anxious best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), he races around Chicago in a “borrowed” Ferrari, trying to evade his suspicious principal and angry sister.
Packed with infinitely quotable lines and fourth-wall-breaking asides, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the gold standard for teen wish fulfillment movies. Like Snack Shack, it’s a love letter to those perfect summer days when anything seems possible and your whole future is ahead of you. So twist and shout, take a day off and enjoy this timeless ode to misspent youth.
