Looking at: Boyhood

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The Long Game.

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Boyhood features a revolving cast of characters as Mason grows older.

Boyhood is an incredibly impressive movie. Really, from every angle, it's amazing that not only is it good, but that is simply exists. It's a technical marvel, and a feat rivaling the Marvel Continuity in scope. It's also one of the best, most grounded movies I've ever seen.

The movie revolves around Mason (Ellar Coltrane), his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), his Mother (Patrica Arquette) and his biological Father (Ethan Hawke) as he grows up from six years old to eighteen. Their lives are presented in short vignettes, occasionally broken up by an extended scene of particular importance. We see Mason as he works through elementary, middle, and finally high school and experience the various changes that his, and his family's lives go through.

Going Through Changes

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Mason as he grows older. Fittingly, he really resembles Ethan Hawke.

Despite being named Boyhood, and with Masion being the main focus, the movie is so much bigger than that. Really, it's mostly about the world around Mason, specifically his parents, as they change through his life. It's Mason's story, there's no doubt, but it's a story of him observing other stories. Much of the plot is formed around Mason just observing how everyone in his life changes around him. The film even makes him a photographer in the latter half to reinforce this. We're watching him as he's watching everything else.

There are a host of stories that Mason finds himself involved in, and they often only tangentially involve him specifically. Everything is so real, and completely believable that at times Boyhood looks like it's stitched together from home video footage, rather then an actual movie. Everything that happens to Mason and his family has, at some point, happened to someone watching. While you won't always be able to, there's bound to be a moment where you replace Mason with yourself, and that's the true magic of this film.

12 Years a Kid

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Mason and his family move several times throughout the movie, acting a visual metaphor of the stages of life.

Let's talk about the most impressive aspect of this movie, ie the fact that it even exists. Rather then constantly swap in new actors to play the characters as they age, Boyhood was literally shot over the course of twelve years, with all of the actors growing as their characters did. That's the equivalent of the entire Harry Potter series, plus three or four extra ones added. Obviously, it was shot piecemeal, with many of the vignettes centered in one or two locations, often over the course of a few hours, but it's still impressive.

Perhaps the biggest gamble was on the kids themselves. Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater were each about six years old when production started (although in the movie Linklater's character is two years older). What if these kids sucked? What if something happened to them? There are so many angles at play here that I shudder at the thought of the production meetings that surely went on.

Thankfully the performances are fairly decent throughout the film. Coltrane is clearly the main attraction, and it almost feels like he's becoming more comfortable with Mason as he grows up. This is't a character we're watching, this is a real human being. Similarly Linklater, who's father wrote and directed the film, gives a decent performance, becoming a less annoying character as she herself matures.

Ethan Hawke is great as the kid's biological father, trying to play the voice of reason, despite never really having one himself. The true standout is Patrica Arquette, who completely steals the show. Watching her character evolve over the years, and seeing what she puts herself and her kids through is enthralling.

Coming of Age

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Patrica Arquette gives a standout performance as the Mother.

Boyhood is a rare treat. It's a movie that knows how good it is, and how high concept it is, but doesn't dwell on it. This is a movie that anyone could, and probably should, watch. it's a movie with actual heart, made for the love of telling a story and making a movie.

It's a reflection of childhood, and a biting commentary on the American family. It's also a reflection on what being a kid in the 2000's was like, and what growing up feels like. It's painful, it's funny, it's sad, and it's happy. It's a great story, and definitely one worth watching.

This is an extremely short review, but only because Boyhood is a movie that's worth seeing. Movies this well made are few and far between in modern Hollywood, and watching it is well worth your time.