Boyhood: Movie Review

Richard Linklater is one of my favorite filmmakers working today. Past projects like the “Before” trilogy with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and “Dazed and Confused” allowed us to connect with the characters that were completely believable. Some of the best writing I have ever seen in film comes from Linklater’s “Before” films. The acclaimed filmmaker even brought out the best in Jack Black with “School of Rock” and “Bernie”.

In 2001. Linklater and crew began shooting a film unlike anything seen before. “Boyhood” is a narrative that not only takes place over a twelve year period, but it also was shot over twelve years. So many things could have happened over that length of time which could have seriously hindered the project, but thankfully the end result is an absolutely fascinating and wonderful movie that is bound to be loved by most film lovers.

“Boyhood” centers on 6 year-old Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who throughout the film deals with the joys and pains of growing up. As the story begins, Mason and his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) are uprooted by their mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette) when she lands a job in Houston. At the same time, Mason and Samantha’s father, Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) returns to Texas from Alaska in hopes to be part of their lives.

What is so amazing about “Boyhood” is watching the actors age 12 years within 3 hours, especially Mason, who grows from a sweet and curious young boy, and into an artistic and sensitive young man. It isn’t just the transformation of Mason, but that of his family. Samantha who was the bratty older sister, goes through her own changes and Olivia grows into a stronger woman after dealing with a couple more failed marriages and raising two children. It is Mason Sr.’s transformation into a responsible and caring father that really stuck with me. Hawke’s character is the one who has grown the most and has one of the greatest influences over young Mason.

I was floored by how wonderful “Boyhood” was and it deserves the nearly three hour runtime. If I am going to be sitting in a theater for 3 hours, I want to be taking in something like this, not a special effects laden robot-fighting smash-fest. Go see “Boyhood” this weekend.

By: Marc Ferman