Dustin Hoffman’s mother/daughter fixation in “The Graduate,” Christian Slater’s avenging slayer in “Heathers,” and Alicia Silverstone’s quintessential Beverly Hills princess in “Clueless” — there have been some indelible cinematic examples of adolescent confusion.

In “Dare,” opening Friday, teenage sexual angst is freshly explored in the independent debut feature by writer David Brind and director Adam Salky, two Philadelphia-born alums of Columbia University’s graduate film school.

Based on their short of the same name, the movie follows three upscale Philly teens in their last semester of high school: Alexa (Emmy Rossum), an overachiever who dreams of being a great stage actress; Ben (Ashley Springer), Alexa’s nerdy best friend, who is struggling with his sexuality; and Johnny (Zach Gilford), the boorish bad boy with tons of money and no real friends.

Unfolding as three chapters to the overall drama, the film opens with Alexa undergoing a gynecological exam, through which we learn in passing that her chastity remains intact.

As she is merely 17, this is not much of a revelation; but it does provide a set-up for Alexa’s trajectory, as she has a geek moment with Ben on the school steps, and then comes to rehearse a scene with a surly Johnny in drama class.

Alexa is annoyed that he hasn’t bothered to learn his lines for a scene in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” It’s especially galling since the drama teacher, Ms. Davis (Lucy McMichael), has arranged for celebrated stage star and former pupil Grant Matson (Alan Cumming) to critique their work later that evening.

Thus, she confronts Johnny in the cafeteria, but is crudely dismissed and things get worse when they perform the scene for their illustrious guest.

Her rather mannered delivery is painful, while Johnny’s cool, understated performance draws praise and prompts a wickedly funny pep talk from Cumming.

Emotionally undressing her on stage, he rips into Alexa about how acting is about feelings, and how can she can possibly hope for to excel in the profession when she’s never lived, never loved and “never even had sex.”

The critique floors Alexa, but the response is swift and the next night she tags along with her cool girl BFF Courtney (Rooney Mara) to a party at Johnny’s mansion. Sporting blonde highlights and a sexy black dress, she sets out to pad her life experience.

That takes us seamlessly into Ben’s story, as he bristles with jealousy at the couple’s newfound closeness. But finding himself at Johnny’s one night, having given him a lift, he drunkenly dares them to make out in the pool.

Although Johnny is reluctant, they do that — and more — leading to a third chapter that will intensify the bond between the three of them.

Unlike Alexa and Ben, who fleetingly interact with their well-meaning, liberal parents, Johnny is the archetypal angry kid, with an absentee father and the latest stepmom, who looks like a high schooler herself.

Helping or hindering his emotional growth are sessions with a shrink (cameo by Sandra Bernhard) and an apparent addiction to prescription drugs.

“Dare” is certainly not a John Hughesian take on teenage melodrama, although Brind’s script is laced with shafts of irony and wit to go along with Salky’s arresting visual detail.

That’s especially true in the pivotal pool scene between Gilford and Springer, when their unexpected moment of connection is both voyeuristic and touching.

The performances of Rossum (probably best known for her sweet-natured performance in “The Day After Tomorrow”) and relative unknowns Gilford and Springer are spot-on.

Aside from the obvious moral about the need to take chances in life, the film captures a very raw intensity to that period of our lives.

Admittedly, here it’s a fairly privileged existence. However, the general themes of anxiety, intimacy and sexual awakening will be instantly recognizable to audiences of every background.