Review: Boyhood

A mind-boggling twelve years in the making, Richard Linklater's quietly monumental new film, Boyhood (2014), is a must see. Following the maturation of six-year-old Mason (a constant Ellar Coltrane) all the way up to his first day at college, never before has a coming-of-age tale been played out on such a large canvas. For once, at least, the hype is to be believed.



Introduced to the strains of Coldplay's Yellow, music plays a big role, as he gazes up longingly towards the clouds, child of divorce Mason lives with his big sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater, daughter or the film's director) and mother Olivia (Patricia Arquette) in their small Austin abode. His father (Ethan Hawke) has just returned from a stint working in Alaska, and is keen to reconnect with his estranged offspring despise the obvious hostility between himself and his ex-wife.

Mason's physical and emotional growth is something to behold, Linklater effortlessly capturing the zeitgeist of the passing years through pop culture references to movies, music and video games, as well as significant real world events. As the film progresses, so does the filmmaking skills. Boyhood can also be looked at as a timeline snapshot of a director's growth.

One can't help but imagine the myriad of technical and logistical obstacles that Boyhood must have had to overcome during its twelve-year production. As it is, the history behind this filmmaking feat should find itself the topic of industry discussion for months and even years to come. The film stands on its own separate from all of that. It's a moving and thrilling experience.