"Boyhood" is a Masterful Piece of Art Unlike Any Other Film
"Boyhood" is simply the life story of a boy named Mason from age 5 to 18. No, it's not a documentary. It's a thoughtful, poignant approach to the everyday life of an average boy. So what's so amazing about it? For starters, the film took 12 years to make. Odd, right? Why, you might ask? Because Richard Linklater set out to do what no one else (as far as I know) has attempted to do. He wanted to make a film about a family's journey over the space of 12 years where the entire cast of the film stayed the same from start to finish. It's pretty dang cool. There are plenty of films that cover many years in the span of the story within the few hours of its running time. Every time, a young character would be played by a different actor later in the film when that specific character is older. Not the case in "Boyhood". Young 5 year old Mason at the start of the film is played by 7 year old Ellar Coltrane. At the end of the film, 18 year old Mason is played by 18 year old Ellar Coltrane. We literally see Mason grow up on screen through the growth of Ellar. He's not the only one mind you. Every character is played by the same actor throughout the entire film. Ethan Hawke plays Mason's father, Patricia Arquette plays his mother, Richard Linklater's own daughter Lorelei Linklater plays Mason's sister Samantha. All of which age with the film.
There isn't much to the story other than the exploration of themes such as experiencing life, family drama, growing pains, and many of life's milestones, which is seen through Mason and his sister's experiences. What keeps you engaged is that as you watch Mason and Samantha and their family grow year after year, you really feel connected to them. How many times have we seen movies where either through a flashback or some other plot device that the younger versions of the protagonists just don't look like or seem like the character you've been invested in all throughout the film? Sometimes that can be a turn off. You don't have that with "Boyhood". You connect with them right off the start and aren't set back when a completely new face turns into the character you've been following. It's such a unique and special way of telling such a relatable story.
The movie is just under 3 hours and there are moments where you feel the story dragging just a little, but overall you find yourself really being able to journey into Mason's world and experience things with him. The cast around him is great. Patricia Arquette plays a struggling single mother striving to support her kids while her ex-husband, played by Ethan Hawke, fills the stereotypical divorced dad, only seeing his kids a few weekends a month. As the years pass we see how these characters grow individually as well as family units. "Boyhood" is the most "real" film I have ever seen, and I applaud Linklater and his highly devoted cast and crew who labored over the course of 12 years to bring us a truly brilliant film.
"Boyhood" isn't playing everywhere, but it should. If it's in a theater near you, check it out. This is a movie that shouldn't be missed. There's nothing new about the story it tells other than how it tells it. For that reason alone, it's worth checking out. Going into this movie I felt like it was going to be like a more realistic version of "The Truman Show". I was wrong. It's so much more. It's a one-of-a-kind film that will leave you smiling, laughing, and maybe even more appreciative towards the art form of film-making; for this movie truly is a great work of art. Oscar Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Ethan Hawke
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Patricia Arquette
Best Directing, Richard Linklater
Best Film Editing
Best Writing-Original Screenplay
For more Oscars 2015 info go to oscar.go.com/nominees
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