Musicals and coming-of-age movies have their own fandoms, and when you combine both you will get 13: The Musical or simply known as “13”. Directed by Tamra Davis and screenplay by Rober Thorn, 13: The Musical is based on a 2007 musical by Dan Elish and Jason Robert Brown. 13 focuses on the life of Evan Goldman, who is struggling to fit in at the new place in Indiana and has to leave his old life behind in New York. Evan Goldman is also sad because of the divorce his parents are having. The movie is filled with middle school struggles, such as losing friends, trying to be popular, crushes, and many more things, and all these things are in the form of a musical. What can be better than this?
Every character is learning something as they are growing up, and the music in the film is great as well. The people who are fans of comedy, coming-of-age movies, and musicals surely loved the movie, and if you are also on that list, you also might be searching for some that give just the same feeling as 13: The Musical, and we are here for the rescue, presenting 17 movies like 13. You can watch the movie when you are in just the mood for it, as all the movies mentioned are perfect and easy to find.
1. Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect is definitely the movie of 2012, all the actors and the storyline are as perfect as they can be. The story is about Becca Mitchell played by Anna Kendrick, she is an introverted and passionate person about Capellas. She and her group known as the Barden Bellas are set for a competition but it is not going to be easy as they have a lot of problems in front of them. The movie is hilarious, the role of Rebel Wilson’s character “Fat Amy” can create a smile on anyone’s face. Throughout the movies, all the girls learn something new about themselves and each other, and the ones who looked like they can not stand each other for more than one minute end up creating happy memories, which they will surely not be able to forget all through their lives.
At the end of the movie there are a lot of lessons one can find, and oh! About the music, all the scores in the movies are great even after so many years, all of them are really great singers, and the “cup song” was definitely a trend thanks to Pitch Perfect. If you loved 13: The Musical, Pitch Perfect is a great movie, and everyone should watch Pitch Perfect once in their life just to get that good playlist on their phone the experience Pitch Perfect gives clearly makes the whole movie pitch perfect.
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2. Blinded By The Lights
Blinded By The Lights is a coming-of-age story just like 13: The Musical, it is about a British-Pakistani teenager Javed who seems to experience a new part of life after he got to know about music deeply. This movie is based on the memoir of Sarfaraz Manzoor who is a journalist, he fell in love with Bruce Springsteen’s work and thus wrote a memoir. Blinded By The Lights talks about the racism and missed opportunities in the life of Javed in 1987. He has a love for music and writing but the circumstances around him such as his parents not being supportive of him, poverty and racism make him hopeless and frustrated but when he listens to Bruce Springsteen’s work he relates to that and decides to write poetry and articles, he also lives his family where his father always criticizes him for his passion.
Javed is writing in hopes to get some recognition despite all the negative stuff about Muslims, he submits an article about Springsteen in a newspaper and it gets accepted, but the issues are still there as Javed’s sister Yasmine is getting married but the family does not have enough money, the struggles of Javed in a new land where his family also does not support him, he learns about life, and himself. Blinded By The Lights shows the problems in a beautiful way about a teenage boy and his passion, the struggles of a minority community in a foreign land, as the story grows Javed learns about his family from a new perspective, and as Javed learns about life the viewers do too. It is a great movie that anyone can try and clearly should try at least once.
3. High School Musical
High School Musical is about Troy and Gabriella and their passion for music and singing, when Gabriella moves to the new town she meets Troy and finds their one common passion, there are a lot of problems in front of them but the way they fight all the obstacles is fascinating to watch, the lessons and their situation is relatable to many. High School Musical is the perfect movie for teens to try at least once in their life, as the movie teaches about life and everything. The music of High School Musical has been featured on the Billboard top 100 charts.
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4. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a classic and iconic movie that is based on a novel that was written in 1964. The musical and fantastical journey takes everyone on an exciting ride, the movie stars Johnny Depp as the main character. The story is about a young boy Charlie who loves his family and chocolates too, his grandfather Joe used to work in a chocolate factory but the chocolate factory gets closed and his father also loses his job, and his family is not well off. One day Willy Wonka the owner of the Wonka chocolate factory announces a competition so that he can rise up his dying sales, he states that the Wonka chocolate bar will have a ticket inside it, and the ones who find the ticket will get the tour of Wonka chocolate factory and one special winner will get a special prize.
There will only be five winners, one winner is Augustus Gloop who is gluttonous, the second winner is Veruca Salt who is a spoiled girl, the third winner is Violet Beauregarde who is arrogant and the fourth winner is Mike Teavee who is ill-tempered. Charlie tries to win the ticket but even after trying two times he did not win, he also does not have more money to buy more Wonka chocolate bars, but somehow Charlie is able to find €10 and buys the chocolate bar as he thinks the winner is already decided but to his own surprise Charlie wins the fifth and the last ticket inside the chocolate bar. He gets the option to trade his ticket for some other prize, but his grandfather Joe convinces him to just go to the factory and live his life. It is exciting to see how Charlie changes his life and what Willy Wonka does to increase his sales.
5. Boyhood
Boyhood portrays the story of a boy from his early childhood to adulthood, the effects of divorce in a kid’s life are portrayed in this, just like 13: The Musical showcases that. Mason and Samantha live with their mother and solemnly meet their father. The way Boyhood touches on the subject of divorce is emotional, it is great to see the whole story and Boyhood should definitely be on your watchlist.
6. Almost Famous
Almost Famous is a teen comedy-drama movie about a young writer in one of the famous magazines Rolling Stone. The movie is set in the early 1970s, where William Miller does not fit in and he is always worried about that, he is not able to make friends and function properly like his peers, he feels bad about himself but finds that he is helpless. William Miller likes rock music but her mother Elaine who is a college professor thinks that pop culture will have a negative effect on her children, and does not let William listen to rock music.
When Willam’s 17-year-old sister Anita moves to San Francisco so that she can pursue her career as a flight attendant, that is when Willam finds the secret rock cassettes in Anita’s room. He is influenced by those cassettes and decides to be a rock journalist and starts writing for an underground newspaper in San Diego as freelance work. When rock journalist Lester Bangs finds out about William Miller’s work he gets impressed and offers him some money to write about a Black Sabbath concert. William gets to go behind the stage and meets a band called Stillwater. Rolling Stone’s editor is impressed with William and offers him to go on the road with the band so that he can interview them. Almost Famous talks about the life of a 15-year-old teenager who is a journalist now, the trip with the band has many obstacles and enemies, it is interesting to see how William fights with them and learns. Almost Famous is a must-watch.
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7. Heart Beats Loud
Heart Beats Loud is a movie about a father-daughter relationship and music. When the music they recorded becomes an instant hit the father wants the daughter to stay and make music but the daughter is keen to become a doctor, it is fantastic to see how they both come to terms with their own passions. Heart Beats Loud is an underrated indie movie that is perfect to watch on a weekend afternoon, the story is simple, sweet but influencing.
8. The Cheetah Girls
Disney definitely has really great musicals and coming-of-age stories, one such movie in the long list of musicals is The Cheetah Girls. This movie is about four girls- Aqua, Dorinda, Chanel, and Gabriella all of them have their own struggles such as non-supportive parents and poverty, each of their parents is concerned about their life and wants them to do something stable. Dorinda is a foster child and works as a janitor at the community center, Chanel’s mother does not give her time and only focuses on her boyfriend, and the other two girls also have to maintain both their music careers and personal lives as well. The Cheetah Girls, which is the name of their band, perform at small events such as children’s birthday parties. The cheetah girls get the opportunity to get signed by a record label, that is of their school senior Jackal Johnson, but after their official meeting everything seems to be changed between the girls. Gabriella says that she is the leader and the other girls are not happy about it. The girls go through a growth period where they learn about friendships and family, their friendships get a little weak but it is exciting to see how the cheetah girls grow and also mend the broken relationships.
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9. Sing Street
Coming-of-age movies can hardly be boring and Sing Street is definitely not a boring movie. The boys in the movie start a band so that they can impress a girl named Raphina. Conor is a young boy who comes from a poor family and is also not able to fit in in the new Christian school. Conor meets Barry, Darren, and Eamon, they all have a crush on the above-mentioned girl Raphina. They all say that they have a band and need a modal for that, they shoot the music video and realize their passion for music. Throughout the movie, Conor tries to be friends with Raphina, and all the boys also end up having a great friendship. Conor is struggling with the divorce his parents are going to have but his friends support him and urge him to play. Sing Street is a great light-hearted movie anyone can try.
10. Dear Evan Hansen
Social anxiety is something millions of people suffer from, they all can not show their talent because of their fear but they always carry a great passion. Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of Evan Hansen who suffers from mental health issues, his life gets a little weird when his classmate Connor Murphy dies by suicide. He is happy that he gets to spend more time with Connor Murphy’s sister Zoe, but then he also ignores his therapy and everything. The suicide of Connor Murphy strikes a conversation in their town about mental health issues and everyone is supporting the fund the students have created. Dear Evan Hansen talks about mental health issues beautifully and the way all his issues come in front of his family is also something that will touch everyone’s heart. The songs in the movie Dear Evan Hansen are really fantastic. As the movie, Dear Evan Hansen is based on a stage musical of the same name, someone who has watched the musical will feel the essence of love and passion. The movie is great as it talks about real issues and is filled with great music for your next playlist.
11. Better Nate Than Ever
Broadway holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts and that is the same case with Nate Foster, a 13-year-old boy who is obsessed with Broadway and wants to perform in one according to his brother Anthony he is a little weird. Nate does not listen to other people and only focuses on his dream, he gets bullied in school and also is not able to get some roles in school the only person who supports him is his friend Libby who also loves to sing but she has stage fright. When Libby tells Nate about the Lilo and Stitch Broadway audition they both decide to leave for New York without telling anyone. Now when Nate and Libby are in New York without telling anyone it becomes interesting to see how Nate tries so hard for the role. He has to get over a lot of stuff like bullying from other people and he thinks his brother finds him embarrassing. The story of Nate is definitely something everyone can try.
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12. Keeping Up With The Steins
Just like 13: The Musical, Keeping Up With The Steins follows the life of a 13-year-old boy who tries to mend relationships. The movie is packed with comedy and one can possibly not get bored by all the scenes and drama. The movie is about a Jewish family and their obsession to look cool in front of others while they will throw a bar mitzvah for Benjamin Fiedler. When Adam and Joanne Fiedler, the parents of Benjamin Fiedler, attend the bar mitzvah of Arnie Steins, they see that their party was held on a cruise ship with a Titanic theme, they both get jealous and decide to throw a much bigger and better party for their son.
The Fiedler family decides to throw a party in a stadium and invite movie stars, Neil Diamond is supposed to sing the national anthem, but Benjamin Fiedler is not able to understand all the tantrums of his parents. Benjamin decides to invite his grandfather Irwin without telling his parents, Benjamin’s father and grandfather do not align with each other, and they both are not that close. In the movie, Benjamin tries to get his father and grandfather close, and he is also trying to understand what his life is going to be like. Keeping Up With The Steins is packed with family lessons and teachings, it is a great movie if you are searching for something light-hearted.
13. Hannah Montana The Movie
Who doesn’t know about Hannah Montana if someone doesn’t, they should try Hannah Montana The Movie once. Hannah Montana is a popular and iconic show and the movie is great as well. The way Miley connects to her hometown and learns about the music from a country perspective is a lovely sight. The comedy in this film is top-notch. Hannah Montana The Movie is great for a light-hearted watch.
14. Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist
This movie is it movie for romantic movies, teenager Nick is heartbroken because of the breakup with her girlfriend but he meets Norah in a simple setting soon their journey becomes adventures and filled with memories they both get to know each other and realizes that how much they are alike are the one day they spend together for the first becomes a memory for both of them, their admiration for one band makes the whole night memorable. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is a great movie to watch on a weekend when you just need something light to watch.
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15. The Last Song
Ronnie who lives with her divorced mother is not doing great after the divorce of her parents, her behaviour is not good and she is alienated from both of her parents. Ronnie used to love piano and singing but after the divorce, it was hard for her and she blames her parents. After looking at the issues Ronnie’s mother decides to send her and her brother so that they can spend some time with their father. Ronnie is not happy but agrees anyway, she learns a lot of things that summer and also meets a boy who makes her feel trusted. The Last Song is a heart-touching movie that you can try.
16. West Side Story
West Side Story is a romantic musical drama based on a 1957 musical. Directed by Steven Spielberg, West Side Story is a great movie to try. The love story of two people Maria and Tony become dangerous when they are the fuel in the fire of rivalry between two groups Jets and Sharks. Tony spots Maria at a high school party and since then can’t forget her it is beautiful to see the love story of both. West Side Story stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zeigler, their connection in the movie is great. It is good to see classical music as it cuts the time and the viewers forget about the time difference as they are living in the movie.
17. Coda
Coda is a movie that will surely touch anyone’s heart with its innocence, it is a comedy-drama that is packed with emotions. The movie is about a family of deaf adults where Ruby Rossi a young teen girl is the only hearing member of the family, her parents Frank and Jackie, and his elder brother Leo are deaf. Ruby loves to sing and clearly has the talent for it, but people kind of bully her, and she is also not able to fit in because her childhood was different from others, and she talks in sign language as well, when Ruby sees that her crush miles are auditioning for a music competition she also applies, but her family does not have money and rely on Ruby to interpret in their fishing business.
While on one side Ruby is learning to get rid of her stage fear so that she can sing on the other side her family is struggling really hard without Ruby not available all the time, as sign language is not that common and rarely anyone understands them, they also rely on her so that she can be at meetings and spread the word about their new fishing business. Ruby wants to go to college but she decides to not leave her family, her brother Leo fights with her to convince her that she should live for her passion. Her growth and learning are beautiful, how she helps her family and also tries to be good at music is emotional to see. Coda got the attention of many people at prestigious awards such as Academy Awards and Screen Guild Awards, etc. The movie is great and really emotional, small scenes like when Ruby sings in sign language so that her parents can understand is beautiful, to say the least. Coda is definitely a heartwarming movie that everyone should try.