Saturday, August 23, 2014

Boyhood


Boyhood is written and directed by Richard Linklater.  It stars Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater, and Ellar Coltrane as Mason. The film is a coming of age story, that takes us from when Mason is young boy, to a young man.

Few films can say they've achieved what is accomplished in this film. The fact that it was completed over a span of 12 years, is amazing onto itself.  It's best to walk into this work, with an open mind. As in life, sometimes it's exciting, and sometimes it's just day-to-day happenings.  There aren't any dramatic cues, to let you know that it's time to tear up, and get emotional.  Even when one thinks a tragedy might occur, it just moves on.  While I felt cheated at times, due to the lack of said tragedies, I realized, this film wasn't going for the conventional response from it's audience. Honestly, most films these days are the equivalent of Smell-o-vision. You are "told" when to experience reactions in a movie.  The music swells, and a Pavlovian response is supposed to follow.

The pacing of the film, takes some getting used to, but it's best to keep in mind that every scene, is a jump forward.  The cast, is believable, and definitely noteworthy.  I walked away loving Patricia Arquette after this film.  I've never been a big fan of her work, but she was absolutely brilliant as the family matriarch.  I think we all see a bit of our mother in her.  Ethan Hawke, well, he's Ethan Hawke.  He excels at making the audience love an imperfect character. I even grew to love Lorelei Linklater, who plays Mason's sister. As for Ellar Coltrane, well, I don't even think of what he is doing on screen, as acting.  He just simply is, and this journey, that he takes us on, makes us all grow up with him. Together they create this environment that feels like home.

My only big complaint about this film, is a scene towards the end, involving a waiter. That's the only time I felt it was trying to reach too far.  It felt like it had been shoehorned into the film, and was really unnecessary.

This film has earned every bit of the praise it's received, and I truly hope it's not forgotten, come awards season.