Director Richard Linklater took a huge risk in filming a movie that takes the measure of a boy’s life from age six to age eighteen. Fortunately, the risk paid off. In 2002, six-year-old Mason Evans, Jr. (played by Ellar Coltrane) and his older sister Samantha (played by Lorelei Linklater–the Director’s daughter) together with their divorced mother Olivia (played by Patricia Arquette) move from a small town in Texas to Houston. Olivia wants to attend the University of Houston so she can get a better job. When they get to Houston, Mason Sr. (played by Ethan Hawke) takes Mason and Samantha bowling which hints at the level of their father’s involvement. Boyhood presents an episodic journey of a young boy growing into a teenager in front of our eyes. Olivia makes another disastrous mistake marrying one of her college professors. Mason and Samantha deal with growing up with Mason, Sr. showing up erratically in their lives. With a nearly 3-hour movie you have to expect some tedious patches, but Linklater keeps them to a minimum. Linklater also captures on film the beauty of Texas. Boyhood is an astonishing technical and artistic triumph. It’s well worth seeing. GRADE: A-
Really desperate to see this one – just truly amazing.
Sergio, in our instant gratification world making a movie over 12 years is truly incredible!
Finally caught up with it – what a wonderful experience it was. very touching and if occasionally a bit fuzzy round the edges, and extraordinary achievement.
Sergio, I had the same reaction to BOYHOOD. It should do well at OSCAR time.
On the whole I thought it was quite good–almost brilliant. Although the tedium, I thought, was there to show you what teenagers have to endure, the same platitudes tossed off from teachers, parents, etc. And I thought his relationship with his Dad was really realistic. His Dad had things to say to him–his mother did not despite being the parent who stayed. An a- for me too. Phil found the kid too aware of himself but so what. A lot of kids are.
Patti, you and I are on the same wavelength grade-wise lately. The final scene with Mason and his mother on the day he was leaving for College really told it all.
Honestly, the whole project sounds tedious.
Rick, BOYHOOD is an awesome cinematic achievement. No one has pulled off a movie like this before.