Puberty Blues is an Australian coming-of-age drama film released in 1981, based on the novel of the same name by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette. The story revolves around two teenage girls, Debbie and Sue, who live in the southern suburbs of Sydney during the 1970s. They dream of being accepted by the popular surf culture of the area, which is dominated by male surfers.
The girls meet a new group of boys who are also into surfing, and they quickly ingratiate themselves with them. The boys are initially skeptical of the girls, but they eventually accept them into their crowd. The film follows Debbie and Sue's adventures as they navigate the often turbulent world of adolescence, trying to fit in with the boys and gain acceptance from their peers.
As the girls become more involved with the surf culture, they begin to experience the darker side of their newfound acceptance. They are pressured into engaging in sexual activity with the boys, and they also witness drug use and violence. This causes them to question their desire for acceptance and fitting in, and they struggle to find their own place in the world.
Throughout the film, Puberty Blues explores themes of gender and class, teen sexuality, peer pressure, and the search for identity. The film was well received upon its release and is now considered a cult classic in Australian cinema. It has since been adapted into a popular television series and has continued to resonate with audiences as a timeless portrait of teenage life.