The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): Back to School

September 9, 2025

Who is feeling a little depressed about back to school season? Who is worried about making friends and fitting in? Who is dealing with deeply repressed trauma? Well have I got the back to school movie for you. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age movie that speaks to mentally ill teens in a way that few others do. I was a little past the demographic when this film came out, but I know that if I had been in high school when this came out I probably would’ve been insufferably obsessed with it.

This movie follows a group of friends as they navigate high school together. Charlie is a freshman who befriends Sam and Patrick, two senior step-siblings. Patrick is gay and Sam is manic-pixie-dreamgirl-ish. They take Charlie under their wing and help him start to enjoy life after a series of traumatic events. However, the group has their ups and downs and Charlie’s obsession with Sam leads to some awkward moments. Such is life.

This film is set throughout the school year, and has very relevant back to school moments like dances, parties, and the stress of applying to college. The movie also feels like fall almost the whole way through, it’s a little chilly (i’m not sure how else to describe it - it just feels like a gloomy October day). The movie doesn’t pull punches surrounding serious issues, but still brings an air of hope for the future. I think this is a great movie for the emotional teen who is hoping for a good year this year.

Available on: HBO Max

Holiday rating: 7 backpacks