Starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke
Directed by Richard Linklater
The passage of time never fails to fascinate, with even the most sensible amongst us guilty of looking at a decades-old photo of someone and marvelling, “You look so young back then.” Rather than looking back, Richard Linklater has enthrallingly explored how the advancing years and accompanying experiences reshape us. His deservedly acclaimed Before trilogy has charted a couple's 18-year evolution from uncompromising idealists to clear-eyed realists. Remarkably, his newest film proves even more ambitious
Filmed in increments over 12 years, Boyhood follows Mason (Ellar Coltrane) – a child of divorced parents – from first grade through his first week in university. The overt drama comes courtesy of his mother's (Patricia Arquette) unfortunate habit of welcoming ill-tempered men into their home. But even more involving is the veritable time lapse study of an observant young man witnessing various models of manhood – including his man-child father (Ethan Hawke) – and ultimately forsaking their influence in order to establish his own identity.
By constantly reworking his script in order to tailor it to Coltrane's own development and incorporate Arquette and Hawke's respective parenting experiences, Linklater achieves an astonishing level of realism, with the details of the relationships and interactions only heightening the film's exhilarating intimacy. Despite the usual array of 3D environs on offer this summer, there's nothing that rivals the immersive quality of Boyhood. Over its runtime, you live Mason's formative years along with him, experiencing every heartache and hard-won victory.
Through uncommon commitment to his craft and compassion for his characters, Linklater has crafted a film that feels revolutionary and yet remains relatable at every turn. All told, it’s one of the most accessible masterpieces ever made.
