Boyhood

3

pacame13Jan 20, 2015

It's fun to see how the character played by the same actor develops in the film. But in my opinion the experiment did not produced positive outcomes, what you are left with is with a movie without any feeling with mediocre acting and evenIt's fun to see how the character played by the same actor develops in the film. But in my opinion the experiment did not produced positive outcomes, what you are left with is with a movie without any feeling with mediocre acting and even worse writing. It is unbelievable that this much effort and time was invested so we could compare a movie with looking at a family's photo album.

I don´t recommend watching this movie, a complete waste of my time.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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0

iluluJan 19, 2015

Unbearably boring, I can't believe I wasted 3 hours of my life watching someone growing up as everyone else did, no story, no action, no drama, no nothing, it would have been a lot better if it was documentary movie with the character acting normal

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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9

AkashVijayJan 19, 2015

Okay I may be in the vast minority in this one but I feel Boyhood is tremendously overpraised. It's not, by any means, a bad film, just not nearly as good as most critics claim it is. The problem I have with this film is its glaring lack ofOkay I may be in the vast minority in this one but I feel Boyhood is tremendously overpraised. It's not, by any means, a bad film, just not nearly as good as most critics claim it is. The problem I have with this film is its glaring lack of substance. There is not a single character in this film that goes through some kind of character arc. The minor changes they undergo are left obscure and there are no hints as to what brought about those changes. None of the characters are likable. The entire film almost is a passive observation of this family's uneventful progression through the years. Although that worked very well in the first half of the movie the second half seemed superfluous. It brings back some of the most overused cliches (honestly if I had a nickel for every time a movie showed the divorced dad as cool and buff and the divorced mother as the complete opposite). The kid actors are great but as they age they seem less and less convincing. The dialogue as well suffers from cranky and mawkish moments. And on top of all that it lacks lacks a narrative structure. If you look at the Tree of Life, which is just as unstructured, Malick took advantage of that and turned it into a meditation on human behavior. Boyhood didn't even attempt to achieve anything of the sort. Tree of Life was poetry; Boyhood is just product. All the reviews I've read so far seem to be obsessed with the concept of the film rather than the final result. To me, Boyhood is yet another film that didn't come close to justifying its overblown hype.

Re:Edit: But now that the hype has settled, I do agree that it's a great film. It explores the notion of growing up, our ethical definitions about what is right and wrong and the truth behind the social "code" for well-being. Mason (Ellar Coltrane) starts of as a young boy who enjoyed spraying paint in the corner of streets and collecting arrow heads. As the film continues he grows into a deep and thought-provoking teenager who's obsessed with understanding human behaviour, the significance of our actions and the value of life itself. He's able to express his emotions though art. Ethan Hawke's character grows responsible and matures as the film progresses. His conversations with Mason transcend from talking about the next Star Wars movie to understanding the purpose of life and living. Patricia Arquette is very very good as the mother obsessed with the idea of "fixing" her family through marriage (and she does marry men of all sorts). She grows up to realise that chasing the conventionality of society is a pipe dream and does not lead to a better life. On the contrary it's a burden to her and her children for the most part.
Life doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be lived.
The true genius of Boyhood is how it's able to juggle all these characters, in one go and still provide them depth, clarity and most importantly an identity.
At the end of the movie. Nicole asks Mason if he believes in the expression "seize the moment". Mason replies, "It's the moment that seizes you" and he's absolutely right.… Expand

13 of 25 users found this helpful1312

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9

Le__XenomorphJan 19, 2015

Probably the most realistic family movie ever made. You literally grow up with the actors as the movie took 12 years to make and you can see a huge transition in the actor's ages. Boyhood is an instant and heartwarming classic that tells aProbably the most realistic family movie ever made. You literally grow up with the actors as the movie took 12 years to make and you can see a huge transition in the actor's ages. Boyhood is an instant and heartwarming classic that tells a grand story about a boy's life. 9/10 (Awesome)… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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8

jotaesecheJan 18, 2015

The idea and project were dangerous, extremely ambitious, risky, unusual and cleverly original, and proved triumphant results. On the other side, the premise just tries to reflect real life and its undeniable movement, and it shows it atThe idea and project were dangerous, extremely ambitious, risky, unusual and cleverly original, and proved triumphant results. On the other side, the premise just tries to reflect real life and its undeniable movement, and it shows it at perfection: sweet, moving, happy and sad, but also steady, boring, sometimes tasteless or useless, and common. These are the most important characteristics and, still, the most evident mistakes this movie holds. It's great, but very overrated.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

BillyBobBeavisJan 18, 2015

For me it doesn't get much better than this. Zero melodrama. No annoying crescendos. Just some poignant moments in people's life. Nothing added. Nothing taken away. Fantastic writing!

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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8

WheelzFourReelzJan 18, 2015

While I don't think Boyhood is quite as strong as everyone says it is, it's still a fantastic drama that has achieved something amazing that no movie has ever done- being filmed over the span of twelve years.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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10

POPTJ47Jan 18, 2015

I didn't know what to expect from this story about growing up, life and humanity in general shot over the period of 12 years with the same cast and has been garnering rave reviews.
With that premise and clocking in at around 2 hours & 45I didn't know what to expect from this story about growing up, life and humanity in general shot over the period of 12 years with the same cast and has been garnering rave reviews.
With that premise and clocking in at around 2 hours & 45 mins, I reckoned it would be boring to say the least. It was anything but that. I neither felt the time fly away nor did I wanted this to end.
My favorite movie genres pretty much reflect that I watch movies to experience fiction - be a part of something that just won't happen in real life (at least not according to what we know as of now).
But this movie proved that our 'ordinary' lives are far more interesting than we give credit for.

It is one of those movies every time you watch it after awhile, your perception of it will change and you will probably reflect your own life in it. I was pleasantly surprised about how hard it hit home at some parts.

This 'Technical Masterpiece' wouldn't be complete without top notch acting all round and its narrative prowess. It is not just some movie that took twelve years to shoot, it is much more than that. I'm sure it will be a Classic in the future.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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10

Abuelheiga7Jan 17, 2015

The film's greatest strength arguably lies in how real it feels as you watch it. It takes a simple, but intriguing concept, and utilizes it in the best possible way.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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3

AidanLockhartJan 17, 2015

Linkleter is the first auteur in history to transcend the temporal limits of film making. And the results are spectacularly underwhelming. This masterbatorial pilgrimage down memory-lane cheaply stiches together stale iconography and sourLinkleter is the first auteur in history to transcend the temporal limits of film making. And the results are spectacularly underwhelming. This masterbatorial pilgrimage down memory-lane cheaply stiches together stale iconography and sour nostalgia. The Hawke-Arkette duo is compelling but the satisfying ripples of their humanity quickly dissipate into the boring nihilism of so-called ‘boyhood’. While we are meant to celebrate his triumph over first-world inconvenience—all we are given is his privileged, self-indulgent paranoia.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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0

sambenaJan 17, 2015

I want to say something positive about this movie but I can't. This is basically some hipsters crazy dream to make a move that took over a decade to make just so he could use the same actors to play all the roles.

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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1

EdenJan 16, 2015

This moving is nothing. All the rave reviews are another instance of those who are afraid to say the emperor has no clothes. The gimmick of following a boy over 10 years is squandered on a BORING storyline, and 2 hollywood actors trying toThis moving is nothing. All the rave reviews are another instance of those who are afraid to say the emperor has no clothes. The gimmick of following a boy over 10 years is squandered on a BORING storyline, and 2 hollywood actors trying to bring some life to it. NOTHING HAPPENS. People change physically and emotionally, but rarely is this worthy alone in the making of a motion picture.… Expand

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

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10

VaesdoJan 16, 2015

From start to finish, boyhood touches all the empathy notes. Moving at the same pace as real life, and not relying on cheap action tricks, Linklater managed to produce not only an imitation of life, but a testament of what was being a boy ofFrom start to finish, boyhood touches all the empathy notes. Moving at the same pace as real life, and not relying on cheap action tricks, Linklater managed to produce not only an imitation of life, but a testament of what was being a boy of this generation, breaking cultural, racial and social differences.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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3

MythoughtsonlyJan 16, 2015

I very much agree with AkashVijay. This movie is best as a documentary, and even then I'm not sure it would hold anyone's attention. I believe it is getting all this recognition because it was uniquely done. The only character having anyI very much agree with AkashVijay. This movie is best as a documentary, and even then I'm not sure it would hold anyone's attention. I believe it is getting all this recognition because it was uniquely done. The only character having any substance was Ethan Hawke's. I don't believe Ellar Coltrane even wanted to be there the last few years. There was no story, no substance and absolutely no payoff in the end. It's been hard to find a really good movie the last few years but they are supposed to be entertaining not watching grass grow, everyday life. A waste of 3 hours in my opinion.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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10

HoneyHeliaJan 16, 2015

An impeccable movie you'll never regret watching twice.
A real pearl inside the oyster of the world cinema.
Undoubtedly, that is the best picture of the real flow of life ever made.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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0

danielb613Jan 15, 2015

I just spent 5 minutes making this account, just so I could diss the 3 hours I wasted on this awful, boring movie. I think I could've filmed an equally good movie about day to day life

10 of 13 users found this helpful103

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2

FranklinLeonardJan 15, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For all of its epic-like efforts at continuity (over a real-life 12-year marathon shooting schedule), I was utterly disappointed by the meandering, largely superficial dialogue, going-through-the-motions acting and largely minimal scripting of dramatic story arcs -- all of it being a bit shocking given the stellar "100"-score critic reviews globally here. Technically, Llinklater has achieved a unique, impressive milestone in the "yearly time-lapsed aging" of the characters in "Boyhood," but the hoped-for progression of their life experiences in the forms of "maturity" and "wisdom" entirely fails to materialize in Linklater's over-indulgent trivializing and cliched patchwork scripting.

Although he has relatively little screen time in this family storytelling, Ethan Hawke's "Daddy/Mason Sr." role is perhaps one of the few compelling, enlightened and nearly fully-evolved "progressive" characters. Sadly, for a nearly thee-hour exercise for me (and other viewers, I'm sure) trying to fight off new-found bouts of narcolepsy, there is really no "back story" as to why Hawke's daddy character divorced his ex-wife/"Mom" (Patricia Arquette) way before the timeline narrative of the film starts off. What we get from Arquette's role as a soon-to-be university professor who supposedly grows into becoming an intellectual woman but has the continued worst taste in subsequent husbands/live-in partners -- one husband is a cariicature alcoholic and the other is a live-in prison correctional guard who is always getting on stepson, Mason Jr. (Ellar Coltrane) for his rebellious, "artsy" ways!

MINI-SPOILER ALERT HERE: Alas, we are left to watch is Ellar Coltrane's Mason Jr. "slowly" growing up from a cute, largely likable curious boy (who also must also deal with his mother's very real life struggles with broken marriages and moving to new towns) to later become a largely mumbling, whiney adolescent that must confront every teen's dreaded "first love lost" with the prolonged looks of a shaggy, lost, pouty dog for something like 10 scenes or more.

What is another sad loss for this film is how Mason's precocious and likable slightly older sister, Samantha (played by the director's daughter, Lorelei Linklater), sees her screen time steadily shrik to cameo-style appearances for the second half of the film. In one of the rare funnier and cute scenes early into Samantha's early adolescence is how her estranged father Mason Sr. (Hawkes) so awkwardly discusses (in a bowling alley in front of Mason Jr.) the need for "her" to buy condoms while trying to pry information about her similarly 15-year-old "school boyfriend" (whom we never get to meet on-screen). And from there, Samantha all but disappears from the narrative of the film.

Certainly, it is welcoming to see any kind of movie with this kind of level of "genuine human dialogue" written into a long-form movie free from whiz-bang action and the over-the-top CGI effects all too much a fixture of today's Hollywood's big-box-office comic fanboy flicks, but Linklater's linear and overly-monotone caricatures of adults and kids interacting in a family drama like this pretty much devolves into a very prolonged melding of "The Stroud Family" meets "Seventh Heaven."

Frankly, this 2-hour, 45-minute "exercise in patience" just seems to entirely embrace the most trivial, mundane and cliched narratives on American life today -- little more than grabbing your cell phone or iPad to text an 8th-grade friend to cry about how my "first crush" is breaking up with me to date the "high school jock!" Wait, did Linklater crib that story arc from an episode of "Wonder Years" some 20 years earlier?

Yet, I'm sure given how "Boyhood" has won over critics with its unprecedented "time-lapsed filmmaking" and grabbed a Best Movie Drama Golden Globe, the bandwagon effect is likely to spell even more accolades and an Oscar statue for Best Picture of 2014. I guess I'll just be whimsically smiling when the awards are being handed out on Oscar night, but still trying to figure out how the nation's critics all drank the Kool-Aid from Richard Linklater's fish tank-sized punch bowl.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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8

BradySmithJan 15, 2015

Boyhood is a really interesting and engrossing movie. I liked how much it felt like real life, and I really appreciated the ambition and time that went into it. Watching this family grow up and grow old together was a completely differentBoyhood is a really interesting and engrossing movie. I liked how much it felt like real life, and I really appreciated the ambition and time that went into it. Watching this family grow up and grow old together was a completely different movie experience than any I've ever had before. I don't however, think it's as incredible as the hype that came before its release, or the praise which came after its release. There are some scenes and ideas in the movie that I can't agree with, especially a few scenes that seem to slightly laugh at Christianity. These scenes take up very little space in the massive running time, but I feel like they should still be addressed. I also think a little more emotion could have went into the movie, and I felt like it ended on a curiously flat note for such an expansive film. But the movie remains a fascinating, affecting, and for the most part, realistic look at life. The acting is solid across the board, with great turns from Hawke and Arcquette, clichés are scarce, and it's a movie that will stick with you for a long time. I also felt like the movie was better for being longer in its running time. Too many movies trying to replicate real life rush by too fast to become completely engrossed. 2014 was a great year for movies. Was Boyhood the best? In my opinion, maybe not, but if it wins best picture, you definitely won't see me complaining.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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1

5thStFreddieJan 15, 2015

Everyone knows this is a film made over 12 years, with the same cast - shot one week or so every year. Other than that, what's the story? The mom has bad taste in men, the son has the worst hair cuts in history, and that fake, "nobodyEveryone knows this is a film made over 12 years, with the same cast - shot one week or so every year. Other than that, what's the story? The mom has bad taste in men, the son has the worst hair cuts in history, and that fake, "nobody understands me" angst that should pass for drama. This is what's happening to American film - even the alleged good movies are awful. This is a great film like what - On the Waterfront, To Kill a Mockingbird? Amadeus, Chinatown? It's like every year was written a different writer, or by Linklater trying to figure out what to do. There's no central theme/plot or problem: a story line that challenges, tears them apart, shows a real portrait of a family in the midst of struggle. Nothing. Without the 12 year gimmick, this film has nothing going for it. Four of us, all film fanatics, could not wait for it to end.… Expand

8 of 10 users found this helpful82

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10

keith-sJan 14, 2015

Amazing. The arc of a boy's childhood from ages 6 through 18 is portrayed in real-life-feeling events. They are dramatic in the way signposts and experiences in our own lives are, and not in the way movies generally create drama (violence,Amazing. The arc of a boy's childhood from ages 6 through 18 is portrayed in real-life-feeling events. They are dramatic in the way signposts and experiences in our own lives are, and not in the way movies generally create drama (violence, disasters, etc). I love director Richard Linklater's 'Before Trilogy' and I waited for this movie with great anticipation. It did not disappoint. The acting was top-notch across the board. If you want a unique and satisfying movie, this is it.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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7

smd9Jan 14, 2015

I saw this movie because of all the hype, and while it is pretty fascinating to see the kids grow up in the film and be played by the same people, that's basically all the film has going for it. The story, while not necessarily bad, isn'tI saw this movie because of all the hype, and while it is pretty fascinating to see the kids grow up in the film and be played by the same people, that's basically all the film has going for it. The story, while not necessarily bad, isn't particularly interesting either. It's just the life of a boy, and many scenes will leave you wondering "what was the point of showing that?".

It's worth seeing for the novelty of being shot over 12 years, but that's about it.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

JoshFriesenJan 13, 2015

Richard Linklater has proven himself to be our primary guide to cinematic time travel. Whether it’s in his Before Trilogy which captures the arc of a relationship over a decade or his lighter fare like Dazed and Confused which looks back onRichard Linklater has proven himself to be our primary guide to cinematic time travel. Whether it’s in his Before Trilogy which captures the arc of a relationship over a decade or his lighter fare like Dazed and Confused which looks back on our teenage years through the lens of nostalgia, he has shown an uncanny ability to demonstrate on screen the subtleties of how time affects us all. Boyhood, which was shot over twelve years, following characters as the actors that play them literally age, is Linklater’s magnum opus. The persistence and determination of the all involved in the production is admirable and they deserve the attention they are receiving, however what is more remarkable is the film itself. A film so modest, light, and carefree and yet so powerful, Boyhood is the antithesis of the modern Hollywood blockbuster (Interstellar) characterized by their pomposity and heavy handedness. Here is a film that never claims it is telling us anything and yet in the end tells us everything.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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7

DokaluJan 12, 2015

I can’t deny that this is a film one of a kind. I’ve never seen a movie that has so much character development as this one has. It’s just amazing watching how the kid actually grows up and gets older in front of your eyes, and all the actingI can’t deny that this is a film one of a kind. I’ve never seen a movie that has so much character development as this one has. It’s just amazing watching how the kid actually grows up and gets older in front of your eyes, and all the acting is pretty great. I can’t imagine all the commitment that everyone had to put in this movie during all those eleven years of shooting. That’s more than enough to go watch this movie one time. Sadly, besides that, the movie is a little boring. Yes, it’s very cool to see the kid get old, but the film itself is not breathtaking. It’s just about a normal kid’s life in the USA, since he is in school, until he goes to college. I’m very happy because I watched this film a first time, but I wouldn’t watch it again.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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1

unionjack26Jan 12, 2015

Well, no matter how much work you put into it, if it's not good, it's not good... and doesn't deserve accolades for effort...

I've seen some of Linklaters and Malicks films and I'm not a fan... not to say I have to be, but if you're goingWell, no matter how much work you put into it, if it's not good, it's not good... and doesn't deserve accolades for effort...

I've seen some of Linklaters and Malicks films and I'm not a fan... not to say I have to be, but if you're going up for an award some things should be paramount... (Tree of Life is still the worst award nominated film I've ever subjected myself to)...

A plot would be nice... a story... a payoff... consistency... competent acting... believable dialogue... character development... motivation are just a few things I'd expect in an award nominated film... It didn't take me on a journey... It showed me a series of pointless scenes to show a passage of time... Seemed like a lot of it was written (or ad-libbed) as they went (later confirmed to a degree by his daughter)...

The liberal agenda (which I mostly agree with) was stuck in there too obviously and made it feel even more like a really bad LIfetime movie...

Reading the reviews, it comes across as people pretending to like or understand the film to fit in, be in the know or appear smart... I prefer to take a serious look at this and be truthful...

I was looking forward to the film... I read the hype, was excited about the premise and am fan of new exciting film ideas... but they have to be well executed... (that's the thing)...I'd like to know what about this film was done well?

Linklater had 12 years to plan out a script, story, plot... to direct the actors to better performances... he had a $4 million budget (with no stunts, SFX, costumes, sets, etc)... He made the most basic of films types: I dialogue-driven drama with no costly name actors... There is no excuse...

If I come across harsh, it's because this film received so much unwarranted or deserving hype and rave reviews... Had this won at a film festival and went to DVD, great.... good for them... For this to be beating out other great films for awards (and for acting and directing too?!?!?!), it deserves some questioning into what the hell are people liking about it?

Is Linklater blackmailing everyone? Were all the critics bribed? Is he best friends with Kim Jong Un?

This film fails to exceed in any of the categories set forth by the awards shows... I'm so glad the SAG Awards are coming soon, so I can gauge how it'll do up against some other greats films... I don't think I can stomach the Oscars if Boyhood is a frontrunner...

Does this film have any rewatchablilty for anyone not involved with the production? Were they any "positive" stand-out performances? Powerful moments? Surprises/twists? Engaging story? Characters to care about?

One last question I'd like to pose...Taking out the fact that all the main actors were available to work at various points within a 12 year period; that is, no one died or decided to quit (though Linklater's daughter wanted her character killed off because she didn't want to do it anymore, to which he said 'no, it would be too powerful for the film' - so instead, nothing happens)... What exactly about his movie was done well or successful?… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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3

virginiaproudJan 12, 2015

I am convinced that all the critics are giving this bouquets because they are scared not to. I mean, it's Linklater and it's a 12 year project and it's so frightfully "well observed". But did we observe anything interesting, orI am convinced that all the critics are giving this bouquets because they are scared not to. I mean, it's Linklater and it's a 12 year project and it's so frightfully "well observed". But did we observe anything interesting, or insightful...really? Come on, really? The early promise that we'd see the boy grow through the emotional impact of divorce and domestic violence and being slightly unconventional, but it never eventuates and ultimately it all just leads to your common or garden teen's self indulgent prattling. There were some terribly clever things going on, especially the editing of the time jumps, and I was always curious to see how the actors had aged, including the next hairstyle choice.
On the positive Linklater didn't take us down conventional routes, there was no 'coming of age sex scene" for example, or any 'teen makes bad judgement call and gets into trouble' scene. But neither has he built any significant conflict. I wouldn't call this film an utter waste of my time, but I've no idea what people are raving about.… Expand

18 of 21 users found this helpful183

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9

csw12Jan 11, 2015

The strength of Boyhood is how real it felt, every conversation, every scene and every moment. Ambitious, ground-breaking and truly something special.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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1

Beardfull1Jan 11, 2015

Booooooooring!
It was like watching three hours of your nephew's life slide show.
No plot, no script, no great acting... Nothing!
I gave it a 1 cause it takes a lot of guts to film something so forgetable for 12 years!!!

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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0

royphishoohJan 11, 2015

I have just wasted nearly three hours watching this tedious self-indulgent drivel. If this awful tripe beats "Theory of Everything" at the Oscars it will be a disgrace. This incredibly over-rated film is another example of a writer-directorI have just wasted nearly three hours watching this tedious self-indulgent drivel. If this awful tripe beats "Theory of Everything" at the Oscars it will be a disgrace. This incredibly over-rated film is another example of a writer-director having nobody to say "That's a bad idea"… Expand

7 of 13 users found this helpful76

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7

LynJan 11, 2015

Totally understand the raves for the groundbreaking technique -- filming over so many years -- but I found this film pretty depressing. One critic says it "hold(s) up a mirror to the human condition," to which I can only lament that I HOPETotally understand the raves for the groundbreaking technique -- filming over so many years -- but I found this film pretty depressing. One critic says it "hold(s) up a mirror to the human condition," to which I can only lament that I HOPE not all boys are surrounded with adults who are pretty much screwed-up a--holes. The casting also falls short, as the children do not look at all as if they were produced by Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. All that said, it IS really interesting to see the characters age and change, though the profundity (to me) falls short of Linklater's "Before Sunset." Final note: The soundtrack is extremely well done. It doesn't hit you over the head with songs of the different eras, but weaves music together artfully.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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7

deanableJan 10, 2015

Good movie. Using the same actors over a 12 year period was very interesting but something was missing. I'm not even sure what it was but it wasn't there.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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6

gxm143Jan 10, 2015

On the one hand, being so eliquently reminded that life is what it is, that our own daily struggles are shared and relevant, is certainly worthwhile. That the film is getting so much acclaim is suprising, given the lack of any crisis andOn the one hand, being so eliquently reminded that life is what it is, that our own daily struggles are shared and relevant, is certainly worthwhile. That the film is getting so much acclaim is suprising, given the lack of any crisis and somewhat tedious screen time of nearly 3 hours… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

RewriteJan 9, 2015

Wow -- what a major disappointment!
I knew going in that this movie would have a hard time living up to it's reputation (universal acclaim), but it didn't even come close.
The idea is fantastic, but the execution wasn't. Some of the actingWow -- what a major disappointment!
I knew going in that this movie would have a hard time living up to it's reputation (universal acclaim), but it didn't even come close.
The idea is fantastic, but the execution wasn't. Some of the acting was mediocre at best, especially the sister (who it turns out is the director's daughter). [Note to directors: Ad-lib dialogue is really challenging, and if is not done right it's pretty terrible].
The story line left a lot to be desired - it didn't feel natural.
This was a great idea that could have been so much more, but one cool concept can't carry a movie.
It's still worth seeing, just don't expect the movie of the year or anything close.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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10

ajarias96Jan 8, 2015

Boyhood is a true treat. The audience is taken on a journey as we follow the growth of a boy who becomes a man. As someone who is the same age that Mason would've been, I couldn't believe the realism of the film. Everything about the film isBoyhood is a true treat. The audience is taken on a journey as we follow the growth of a boy who becomes a man. As someone who is the same age that Mason would've been, I couldn't believe the realism of the film. Everything about the film is perfect including even a soundtrack that includes hit songs from the different years of Mason's life. Boyhood is a passion project of Richard Linklater and it shows in its thorough attention to detail throughout. When I read about Boyhood and its development process I am even more impressed by this film as a whole. The true highlights of the film come from supporting turns of Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette who play their parts of mom and dad to perfection. They both hold the movie together at different points, especially in the earlier parts of the film as they had to work with children that weren't even really acting but just behaving. As the film progresses and Ellar Coltrane adds his own spin to the character of Mason the movie becomes even more of a treat. Linklater gives the audience a great depiction of what it's like to grow up and it works against all odds. Boyhood is a movie that everyone should see.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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8

BrianMcCriticJan 6, 2015

While respecting the achievement I couldn't help feeling that some of the supporting actors took away from the film. All the pop culture references were perfect and threw me back to my teenage years. No question that Boyhood should be seenWhile respecting the achievement I couldn't help feeling that some of the supporting actors took away from the film. All the pop culture references were perfect and threw me back to my teenage years. No question that Boyhood should be seen and by the end of the film you will really feel the impact of what you watched. A-… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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8

martins1977Jan 6, 2015

una gran pelicula, con condimentos de todo tipo, mas alla del formato, nuevo y la paciencia de todo el elenco mas el director que innovo en todo sentido, muy recomendable.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

BrushedRedJan 6, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You either simply love this movie or loathe it. Personally I loved it. Definitely 2014 movie of the year by far. I agree that sometimes it can be dull and its a little long, but such is life. You're watching a boy grow up and figure out what he wants to do with his life, especially after some of the experiences he's seen/lived through. The first 30 minutes are probably the worst part of the movie, after that it's really good. I suggest sticking with it. Lots of good quotes all throughout the movie and I feel like it's gotten a lot of praise for accuracy. I'm a little older than Mason but growing up, it was similar. I enjoyed some of the things he did/played when I was younger. Kinda the way Forrest Gump did to baby boomers back in the 90's. I feel it's relevant to call Boyhood "This Generation's Forrest Gump." There's a lot to love in the movie. I'd give it more along the lines of an 8.7-8.8 but figured I'd bump the rating a bit. Deserves higher than an 8.1… Expand

8 of 10 users found this helpful82

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5

RipperskiteJan 5, 2015

Coincido con muchas de las otras criticas, me parece muy bien que se rodara en 12 años, pero la película en si es lenta y aburrida. Es interesante ver a los mismos personajes creciendo, pero no tiene sentido. Simplemente una vida. UnCoincido con muchas de las otras criticas, me parece muy bien que se rodara en 12 años, pero la película en si es lenta y aburrida. Es interesante ver a los mismos personajes creciendo, pero no tiene sentido. Simplemente una vida. Un principio, y no nos cuentan el final.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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10

Nemesis30Jan 4, 2015

The perfect movie, that's all I can say. The story, the actors, the music, every scene... The feeling it makes me feel is awesome, immersive. Watch it, buy it... doesn't matter the person you are or your taste; you won't feel regretful.

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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10

bleedsblue96Jan 4, 2015

People who call this movie boring need to learn that not all movies are supposed to appeal to the viewer through action, sex, or second rate space travel with love and emotions. This is one of the realist movies since Shawshank RedemptionPeople who call this movie boring need to learn that not all movies are supposed to appeal to the viewer through action, sex, or second rate space travel with love and emotions. This is one of the realist movies since Shawshank Redemption that I can deem perfect. It captures the life and world around Mason along with him, as he grows he is constantly changing, adapting, molding into the person he thinks and might finally believe he wants to be. Not to mention being accepted, before the final act hurting him deeply and causing him to question what he really is, before realizing that in life, you not only seize a perfect moment, but it seizes you.… Expand

2 of 33 users found this helpful231

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0

MikefromAngusJan 3, 2015

A really "cool" idea about shooting the film using the same characters over 12 years. But its pointless! The movie is boring, slow and just drags on and on.

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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7

TheApplegnomeJan 2, 2015

Boyhood is a coming-of-age drama film 12 years in the making. It´s emotional powerful, dramatic and wonderful.

This is one of the best films that made me think of my own childhood at a big scale, and all the great and bad things thatBoyhood is a coming-of-age drama film 12 years in the making. It´s emotional powerful, dramatic and wonderful.

This is one of the best films that made me think of my own childhood at a big scale, and all the great and bad things that happened during those years. I felt much younger while watching it, while all my memories as a child were popping up in my head. Therefor is this film really good, it gives the people that watch Boyhood something to think about. Boyhood is about a boy from in his early years, to his 18th birthday during an almost three hour film. It totally success with that, without missing anything. Boyhood gives a great insight on our society and how families can look like, and how they change over time. The characters are stunning, especially Mason and his mom. I really felt close to all the characters, mostly Mason. And to see him grow up during this three hour film is wonderful. There are some moments that made me cry, because there have never been another film that show how parenting really works. The film truly is impressive, and one important aspect is that Boyhood is about Mason, and only from his perspective. Another impressive thing is that the film took nearly 12 years to make, and seeing all the characters getting older is so spectacular. Seeing the actors develop at the same time and watch them getting more and more professional is also great. The actors are all incredible in Boyhood, especially Patricia Arquette.

This coming-of-age drama film broke all my expectations, I thought it would be boring, and incredibly slow but I’m so glad that I did watch it. As a big sci-fi fan do I surprisingly like Boyhood. It really is a flawless film. Of course are there some slow scenes, and the ending is a bit to rash. But I still love this film.

Boyhood gets an 7.8/10.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

OtakutacoJan 2, 2015

I don't understand why this movie had so many awards and praised thrown upon it like it was the most revolutionary movie since Star Wars.The movie was slow and blandly written and long as HELL(unlike interstellar, which was slow, but wellI don't understand why this movie had so many awards and praised thrown upon it like it was the most revolutionary movie since Star Wars.The movie was slow and blandly written and long as HELL(unlike interstellar, which was slow, but well written).Unfortuanetly it doesn't have too much of a plot too back it up,my expectations were also really high because of the awards.It's MASSIVE con is the fact that it is almost 3 hours long,if it were 1 hour and 30 minutes long, it probably could have been better. I also fell asleep during 3/4 of the movie, so I had my mom explain the rest of the almost non existent plot.
Over all, this movie is a bore, and you should instead spen your time watching the godfather, Star Wars, or kill bill (which are great movies by the way) over this movie… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

StevieGJDDec 31, 2014

Great film. Ambitious project with actors committed for 12 years. One of the most interesting movie projects every made. Without question the best movie this year. Great direction and editing. It's interesting how many people ostensiblyGreat film. Ambitious project with actors committed for 12 years. One of the most interesting movie projects every made. Without question the best movie this year. Great direction and editing. It's interesting how many people ostensibly disliked this movie. I wonder how many of them really saw it or if they did, whether they even graduated high school?… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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10

BrettBGowenDec 27, 2014

This film is an absolute masterpiece. Being about the same age as Mason, I found that this film and his story reflects my entire generation. It has its dull moments and its exciting moments throughout this story, but that is what life is;This film is an absolute masterpiece. Being about the same age as Mason, I found that this film and his story reflects my entire generation. It has its dull moments and its exciting moments throughout this story, but that is what life is; it's subtle at times and game-changing at other times. And if you had to pick one film that showcases life, it's "Boyhood." No matter what age you are, you can't help but seeing aspects of your own life in the lives of this family.

These actors put TWELVE years of their lives into the portrayal of these original characters. And if that isn't the performance of a lifetime, I don't know what is. Patricia Arquette deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Olivia, Mason's mother; her acting has a perfect combination of subtlety, realism, and emotional depth.

It was so difficult to put my feelings about this film into words, because it is just that remarkable and revolutionary. Richard Linklater has the right to call this film his "Mona Lisa."… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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10

squeezingsDec 26, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Easily the best movie I have watched in a long time. It's deep, thoughtful, realistic, but not heavy-handed. I like how there's really no moral to the story. As someone who had a somewhat disjointed childhood (like Mason), this is what actually happens. When you grow up, things are generally fine. You bear some scars from the experience but overall you just move on.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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10

heeldavidDec 25, 2014

This is the first Richard Linklater film that i have watched, he's got a lot of noteworthy films like Dazed and Confused, School Of Rock and Before Sunrise. Boyhood is such an inspirational take on life in general and it gets standoutThis is the first Richard Linklater film that i have watched, he's got a lot of noteworthy films like Dazed and Confused, School Of Rock and Before Sunrise. Boyhood is such an inspirational take on life in general and it gets standout performances out of Ellar Coltrane, Patrica Arquette and Ethan Hawke.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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10

papeadojhonDec 17, 2014

Maravillosa, impresionante y excelente, Boyhood es una película que sin duda quedará en la historia, es una increíble inspección al crecimiento de la mayoría de los niños hoy en día. Además también cuenta con un muy talentoso elenco queMaravillosa, impresionante y excelente, Boyhood es una película que sin duda quedará en la historia, es una increíble inspección al crecimiento de la mayoría de los niños hoy en día. Además también cuenta con un muy talentoso elenco que ofrecen actuaciones de primera.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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9

BHBarryDec 14, 2014

"Boyhood" is a film I delayed in seeing because of its 242 minute length and revolutionary but, to me, at the time, unappetizing concept of watching a boy grow over a 12 year period. Nevertheless, on a rainy day in the desert with nothing"Boyhood" is a film I delayed in seeing because of its 242 minute length and revolutionary but, to me, at the time, unappetizing concept of watching a boy grow over a 12 year period. Nevertheless, on a rainy day in the desert with nothing much else to do, I went to see the film. To my pleasant surprise, my flexibility in viewing choices turned out to be one of the best movie decisions I ever made. The film, written and directed by Richard Linklater, is a unique exercise in film making where, for over a 12 year filming period, the same actors continue their roles as mother (Patricia Arquette), father (Ethan Hawke), son, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and daughter, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) and we literally watch them all grow and age on screen right before our eyes as if some magic time lapse mechanism was employed. True, the idea of watching family members grow over the years is not especially new except that other projects used different actors to play the same people in different stages of their respective lives. Here, we see the aging of the same actors, not only of the children, but of the parents and other adults as well, as they meet and deal with the various problems that befall them.
An unexpected result of having the same actors throughout is that it gives the film a legitimacy and authenticity even though it is a work of fiction.
One marvels at the logistical problems that could have occurred had one or more of the four principal cast members passed away or suffered significant life changes during this 12 year filming span (not to mention coordinating the professional availability of all or any of them throughout this over a decade shoot). I give the film a 9.5 and thank the powers that be for making it rain the day I went to see it. Whether or not you enjoy the film as much as I did, it is worth seeing if, for no other reason, in order to experience the unique and innovative technique it employs.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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7

nicholasbertDec 14, 2014

Were one to review Boyhood solely for its cinematic pleasure, it wouldn't make much of a fuss. Actually, I think it would score rather poorly. But that's what I wanted to do, at first: watch this film forgetting the way it's made and meant toWere one to review Boyhood solely for its cinematic pleasure, it wouldn't make much of a fuss. Actually, I think it would score rather poorly. But that's what I wanted to do, at first: watch this film forgetting the way it's made and meant to be and just measure how good it was that way. Turns out, the "documentary" feeling soon comes into place, sneaking in naturally and unprovoked, until you realize you're not watching a normal film.

That was the very point of Boyhood, I hope, and it has managed to achieve it quite effortlessly, so much so that it constitutes a huge part of the viewing experience and does so without you having to even know it beforehand.

On the other hand, the script was average and the story setting the writer chose for the life of Mason is quite the anvil, dragging the 10/10 down quite a bit. All that is featured in the film feels very natural, like something that would happen in reality and something you would say in reality. All does, except for the succession of abusive father figures Mason gets. It gave the impression the writers were trying to shove this (I'd say irrelevant) background into your mouth and make you sorry for Mason. Writers, I did feel sorry for Mason, but for other reasons. I also felt angry at you for spoiling what would have otherwise been a thunderous cinematic experiment, and very close to a masterpiece.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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1

ckremerDec 12, 2014

I did not like this movie and found the dialogue to be insincere and hard to believe. I have a ten year old son and am around a lot of boys and the conversations and dialogue just did not ring true. The teenage years were totallyI did not like this movie and found the dialogue to be insincere and hard to believe. I have a ten year old son and am around a lot of boys and the conversations and dialogue just did not ring true. The teenage years were totally un-relatable. He sounded like a throwback to the 70's. Not a real boy to me. Overall, the movie seemed formulaic and contrived - not at all innovative or unique.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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10

thisiswater95Dec 11, 2014

With every viewing I become more certain that Boyhood is one of the greatest films ever made. Both an affirmation of the inherent meaningfulness of life and the capacity for film to add to enrich its meaning. A true masterpiece and a subtleWith every viewing I become more certain that Boyhood is one of the greatest films ever made. Both an affirmation of the inherent meaningfulness of life and the capacity for film to add to enrich its meaning. A true masterpiece and a subtle emotional roller coaster that cements Linklater as one of the great artists of his generation. Somehow, at almost three hours, it doesn't seem long enough, as not even a lifetime could hold the power and resonance of its participants.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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10

ElGuampiroDec 10, 2014

Boyhood made me want to enjoy life, to get off the couch and really find what I want to do with my life. It made me want to get out of my house and meet new people. Thanks to this film I´m now really scared of dying knowing that there´s a lotBoyhood made me want to enjoy life, to get off the couch and really find what I want to do with my life. It made me want to get out of my house and meet new people. Thanks to this film I´m now really scared of dying knowing that there´s a lot for me to experience.
I have never been able to relate to a story and its protagonists as much as I did with Boyhood and while some people may find it "boring" or "too long" but for me it was perfect. And the fact that they used the same actors for all the film just adds more to the awesome this film is.
So thank you everyone who contributed for this. Thank you… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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0

animexionDec 8, 2014

boring, very slow, the cure for imsonia, waste of time, really 100 points? what happend with the people, for sleep just see this movie, boring boring

8 of 21 users found this helpful813

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7

francisrgoDec 7, 2014

The movie is about the reflection of time and how people live their daily lives. It focuses on how we manage pain and love. Though regrettably the only thing I find wrong about the movie is over more than a decade Olivia Evans, played byThe movie is about the reflection of time and how people live their daily lives. It focuses on how we manage pain and love. Though regrettably the only thing I find wrong about the movie is over more than a decade Olivia Evans, played by Patricia Arquette, has never really learned or come to terms her mistakes and past. The movie is done over 12 years and wouldn't in that time frame she have learned anything.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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10

OpinionatedGuyDec 3, 2014

When I first heard that there is a movie that took 12 years to shoot, I was amazed as an aspiring filmmaker but I remain a bit worried that the movie is more of a gimmick. When I saw the trailer, I was wrong. And when I saw the movie, I wasWhen I first heard that there is a movie that took 12 years to shoot, I was amazed as an aspiring filmmaker but I remain a bit worried that the movie is more of a gimmick. When I saw the trailer, I was wrong. And when I saw the movie, I was totally wrong as well. This movie is not a gimmick at all.

Even though this movie felt like a cinematic experience because of the way it was made, this movie felt real. Like this is the realistic film I have ever seen.

The plot of the movie was realistic and well-paced from start to finish. They used the really long 2 hour and 45 minutes length really well. Despite how long it was, when the movie ended I got sad that I won’t see these people ever again because seeing them grow up is like a journey with them.

As this movie’s plot heavily rely on character development, the movie had the most realistic character development ever. It’s like I am watching these people grow up and loving them no matter how much they change.

The script feels amazing in this movie. The dialogues in this movie is also really realistic. They felt like real people talking to each other realistically.

The acting in this movie makes the actors don’t look like they’re actors playing their characters but rather they’re playing themselves and that’s the main factor why the movie felt realistic to me.

The emotional appeal in this movie do not feel manipulative to me. It made me care for the characters without trying too hard to do so. It feels like the actors have real emotions in this movie.

Lastly, the direction from Richard Linklater is amazing in this film. He manages to keep the movie’s quality consistent for each scene for 12 freaking years! I give props to his experimentation value in this movie.

2014 has not ended yet but I think it’s safe to say that Boyhood (for now at least) is the best 2014 film I have ever seen and it’s also the most realistic movie I have ever seen thanks to it’s cinematic experience, well-paced plot, brilliant character development that makes you care about the characters, realistic acting and an amazing direction experimental value from Richard Linklater.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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9

geedupDec 2, 2014

I can't say more than the opther nearly 600 reviews have not said about this movie. I liked the premise of the movie, which I don't remember seeing/knowing about-same cast for multi years as they grow up in a movie. Also I liked Ethan's roleI can't say more than the opther nearly 600 reviews have not said about this movie. I liked the premise of the movie, which I don't remember seeing/knowing about-same cast for multi years as they grow up in a movie. Also I liked Ethan's role in the movie as well as the mother's changes in the movie. What I didn't like, or expected more of (thus the 9 rating) was better acting. The main character/boy, along with others, couldn't seem to pull off any thing-like crying or anger. None the less I will keep this one in my movie collection.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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10

tomymgNov 29, 2014

One of the most revolutionary movies of the cinema history. . As you watch and see how people change you progressively fall in a more deep enchantment. Boyhood is simply a masterpiece that you will remember for ever and that will become aOne of the most revolutionary movies of the cinema history. . As you watch and see how people change you progressively fall in a more deep enchantment. Boyhood is simply a masterpiece that you will remember for ever and that will become a classic cult movie as time goes by. 10/10… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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8

lasttimeisawNov 29, 2014

This much hyped 12-YEARS-A-FILM distils a boy and his family’s 12 years lifetime into a 2h45m feature film is Linklater’s genuine brainchild which silckly blurs the line between documentary and theatrics, finally arrives after the sublimeThis much hyped 12-YEARS-A-FILM distils a boy and his family’s 12 years lifetime into a 2h45m feature film is Linklater’s genuine brainchild which silckly blurs the line between documentary and theatrics, finally arrives after the sublime closure of his BEFORE trilogy (BEFORE MIDNIGHT 2013, 9/10), and it is a sure-fire pinnacle in his resilient career with a marked traction into the Oscar race as one of the front-runners.

In the past 12 years, each year, Linklater assembles the same cast, the centre four are Mason (Coltrane), his divorced parents (Arquette and Hawke) and his elder sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), to shoot a string of shorts about their life, mainly Mason’s as the title denotes, which Linklater has scripted before, and when Mason reaches 18, the film ends with his first day in college, signals a finish-line for his boyhood and augurs an unmapped future into adulthood.

continue reading my review on my blog: google cinema omnivore, thanks… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

notyourheroNov 28, 2014

If you can't already tell by the overwhelming praise this film has received, Richard Linklater has sculpted a masterpiece. Every single second of this movie tells the story of what shaped the main character Mason with suck striking fluidityIf you can't already tell by the overwhelming praise this film has received, Richard Linklater has sculpted a masterpiece. Every single second of this movie tells the story of what shaped the main character Mason with suck striking fluidity that has never been achieved in the realm of cinema. I can proudly say I witnessed this masterpiece in theaters and since then have seen it 7 different times. Although this movie captures the essence of the American childhood, anybody anywhere can relate to the life of Mason Junior. There is a part in near the beginning of the film where Mason finds a dead bird in his backyard, you can tell just by looking at his face that exactly what the child realized, that nothing anywhere can live forever, no matter how high you can fly. Every performance in the movie is spot-on, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette seem to learn just as much from Mason Jr. as Mason has learned from them. Speaking personally, I can relate to every seen in this film having grown up with divorced parents and viewing life from a perspective similar to Mason's. Linklater speaks to an entire generation of dreamers and children everywhere. I could take up the entire 5000 character max limit just by talking about the cinematography of the film but I won't bore anyone who actually stuck around this long to read my personal opinion, but I will say this; every child about to graduate high school deserves to sit down with both of their parents (or guardians) and let Linklater take you on a reflective journey of what it really means to grow up. Oh and before I close, 69 people on this website that posted negative reviews and the 22 people that wrote mixed reviews all need TO GET THEIR HEADS OUT OF THEIR ASSES and truly appreciate this work of art for what it really is, LIFE ITSELF.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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7

NerdConsultantNov 22, 2014

the film is very well put together and is a remarkable achievement in film making and i'll admit is a good movie and i enjoyed it but i would like a bit more of an actual plot rather than the concept of life itself. it has very good dialoguethe film is very well put together and is a remarkable achievement in film making and i'll admit is a good movie and i enjoyed it but i would like a bit more of an actual plot rather than the concept of life itself. it has very good dialogue and the charters very well played i feel like this is a real family. but i felt it was too long and with little plot i didn't feel as invested as i could be… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

LaraRNov 17, 2014

I had high hopes for this film but it just ended up being too drawn-out and anticlimactic. I'll certainly give the director a 10 for his commitment creating this in a period of 12 years, although, I think that was the only unique aspect aboutI had high hopes for this film but it just ended up being too drawn-out and anticlimactic. I'll certainly give the director a 10 for his commitment creating this in a period of 12 years, although, I think that was the only unique aspect about this film. It didn't leave me inspired and I felt like I wasted 165 minutes of my life. But, I processed what I had just seen and I guess, it was alright. This film is way overrated but the director definitely deserves praise for all his work.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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6

AtariBabyNov 16, 2014

It's an interesting movie with a clever gimmick that I won't give away, but that wasn't enough for me. The movie has fascinating characters and performances, but it lacks too many key elements I want in a film, including pacing. It plays likeIt's an interesting movie with a clever gimmick that I won't give away, but that wasn't enough for me. The movie has fascinating characters and performances, but it lacks too many key elements I want in a film, including pacing. It plays like it was heavily improvised and the best bits were kept in. And it's LONNNNG. I don't share the obvious love that most people felt with this film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

beingryanjudeNov 9, 2014

Boyhood is a journey through one of the most stunning, honest, and brutal time capsules ever made. To see Ellar Coltrane grow up before our eyes... it's one of the most inventive pieces of film in recent history. Richard Linklater has made magic.

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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10

TotallyEpicHDNov 8, 2014

A magnificent film all together! Experimental and different, Boyhood director Richard Linklater knows how to make a documentary topic into an amazing film, not to mention the excellent screenplay and acting! :-)

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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10

Mei208Nov 4, 2014

At the end of the movie, as the main character Mason Jr. (Ellar Coltrane) is sitting with an attractive young girl named Nicole. Nicole suggests that instead of people seizing the moment, the moment seizes the people. Mason smiles, andAt the end of the movie, as the main character Mason Jr. (Ellar Coltrane) is sitting with an attractive young girl named Nicole. Nicole suggests that instead of people seizing the moment, the moment seizes the people. Mason smiles, and agrees. This is Boyhood. That one little dialogue summarizes the entire movie, and if used applicable, life itself.
When one watches this film, you don't think towards what's going to happen next, you are completely enraptured in whatever scene is going on. You are fully and totally devoted to the movie and the characters in it. As you watch the movie, you begin to get attached to Mason and by then end of the movie, you start rooting for him unlike any other character. You not only want him to succeed, you want to make sure that he's taken care of, and that he finds his way down the right path in life. This movie captures you like no film has, or ever will… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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5

soylinda21Oct 25, 2014

When I heard that this movie was shot for 12 years, I thought it was a brilliant idea. I was ready to be mind blown like the time I watched Gravity.
But when I finally watched it, I thought the film was aimless for the most part. I worriedWhen I heard that this movie was shot for 12 years, I thought it was a brilliant idea. I was ready to be mind blown like the time I watched Gravity.
But when I finally watched it, I thought the film was aimless for the most part. I worried this might be the case when I learned that the movie didn't have a set story and adapted itself to the lead actor's real-life experiences as it went along. My worry turned out to be true: it's basically just a bunch of unrelated events clumsily put together. I don't think even Linklater himself knew where the movie was going, until maybe the very end. I felt like the movie was wandering a lot. At the end of the day, I believe that the 12-year-long filming thing was mostly a gimmick.
Some people might argue that the very fact that there is no point in this movie is the good thing about it because the movie is life itself. Well, I'd rather watch a movie that has a clear beginning, middle, and end and actually knows where it's headed, because my own life is enough for a lifelike experience so to speak.
And another thing, I thought the movie was trying too hard with its political agenda. Sure, filmmakers can incorporate their politics into their work. But it only works when their political views are carefully interwoven with other things, which isn't the case in this film. And I'm a liberal like Linklater so that's saying something.
That said, I think Patricia Arquette gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the movie. She really saved the film for me.
I wouldn't necessarily call this a bad film, but it certainly doesn't deserve the hype and praise it currently gets.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

VorheesOct 23, 2014

From the opening scene this film emphasizes all of the minute intricacies of everyday contemporary adolescence upbringing through a lens incorporating the last decade and, ultimately, of the nostalgia-esque feelings that associate themselvesFrom the opening scene this film emphasizes all of the minute intricacies of everyday contemporary adolescence upbringing through a lens incorporating the last decade and, ultimately, of the nostalgia-esque feelings that associate themselves with a millennial generation. This film, at face value, seems to inherently alienate every other subsequent generation (perhaps the most important generation to appeal to in order to receive cinematic praise today). Being a millennial myself, yes, there were contextual aspects of the film that other generations would need a good long while to explain to (and even then it wouldn't do justice to the feelings of nostalgia and life-support meaning). The most important aspects (namely, parenthood, sibling-hood, alcohol abuse in a domestic setting through an adolescent's eyes, divorce, etc,) tersely bridges every single generation together- and the ending meditation on living life as memento (very reminiscent of Whitman's meta-analysis in "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry") "Closer yet I approach you; What thought you have of me, I had as much of you I laid in my stores in advance; You furnish your parts toward the soul." No cliches to be found in this film whatsoever.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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1

hockeymaniac87Oct 15, 2014

I saw this movie with my girlfriend on the account that the concept of it was very intriguing, but I spent over 3/4 of the movie curled up in a ball groaning, yelling, hyperventilating, and biting my arm hair because it was overwhelminglyI saw this movie with my girlfriend on the account that the concept of it was very intriguing, but I spent over 3/4 of the movie curled up in a ball groaning, yelling, hyperventilating, and biting my arm hair because it was overwhelmingly painful to watch. (I do that at bad movies.) THE CONCEPT IS GREAT! Good job! That's it! Like others have said about it, if I wanted to watch a movie about life I'd strap a cardboard box to my body and view things through it like it was a TV set. We all enjoy reliving experiences outside of our own life, like in driving games when you decide you want to actually drive the speed limit and use your turn signal, BUT IT GETS BORING REAL QUICK! This movie is not only extremely boring, but inconceivably pointless. "Oh but they had abusive step dads!! That's dramatic!" The first step dad spent 5 minutes in one scene talking about chores and overacting his drunkenness. In another scene, the main character talked about why he didn't like Facebook for ten minutes. The acting is atrocious across the board, except for when Ethan Hawk plays a more respectable middle aged dad towards the end. Every line was forced and seemingly read off of a cue card written from a script that I feel like one of my old depressed Navy friends never finished.

There is literally only one scene worth mentioning that can be considered well written: The first time the main character comes home late as a teen, he arrives at a small party that his mom and new (second) step dad are having. The step dad says "Do you know what time it is?" At this point the viewer believes that there's going to be a fight, but when the main character says that it's sometime after midnight, the step dad says "Happy birthday." OF 3+ HOURS of horrible writing, THAT ONE SCENE is the only thing remotely well written and heartfelt!

People, I'm doing this as a public service because I spent 20 minutes of the movie googling on my phone why this film got good reviews. Don't be roped in by this nonsense. They did a great job taking 12 years to film something with all the same actors, I'll give them that. Unfortunately, they couldn't time travel forward to see how horrible those actors would become.

Do yourself a favor and spend twelve years with an actual human instead of Boyhood. It will probably be way more interesting and will seem a lot less shorter than this movie.

Rating: Garbage
Favorite line: "I'll email these to everyone!"… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

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9

jppl1999Oct 12, 2014

You're watching a life develop inside of that screen and everything it carries and accompanies along its development is what you get to learn from it.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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7

PoundthoOct 12, 2014

Well executed throughout, yet lacking powerful insight or inspiration. Linklaters dialogue is continuously entertaining and interesting and mostly truthful and while the strategy in this filmmaking endeavor is admirable it's not inherentlyWell executed throughout, yet lacking powerful insight or inspiration. Linklaters dialogue is continuously entertaining and interesting and mostly truthful and while the strategy in this filmmaking endeavor is admirable it's not inherently meaningful in the way that it's tone, title and running time seems to suggest.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

Frosali16Oct 9, 2014

More of an experience than a movie. It was brilliant to see the cast grow and develop over twelve years. Last year the winner of best picture was 12 Years A Slave seems funny that Boyhood the front runner to this years race had its cast andMore of an experience than a movie. It was brilliant to see the cast grow and develop over twelve years. Last year the winner of best picture was 12 Years A Slave seems funny that Boyhood the front runner to this years race had its cast and crew be slaves to the film for 12 years.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

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8

rricetalksOct 3, 2014

For those of you who don’t know by this time, Richard Linklater’s film Boyhood started principal photography 12 years ago. And, over the course of those 12 years, Richard Linklater kept returning to his actors, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette,For those of you who don’t know by this time, Richard Linklater’s film Boyhood started principal photography 12 years ago. And, over the course of those 12 years, Richard Linklater kept returning to his actors, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, his real-life daughter Lorelei Linklater, and new-comer Ellar Coltrane, who was 6 years old when the filming started, to craft a story over time about the challenges of a family growing up and changing as the parents try to survive and raise their children in the world. The film is long, clocking in at almost three hours.
The act of filming a story over 12 years creates challenges of its own that standard film schedules avoid. And one of the most remarkable things of the film is the manner in which passing time and the aging of the characters has been handled. There are no jarring jump cuts forward in time. No supers imposed on the screen to tell us it’s 2004. Or 2008. No jump cuts into the middle of the expected and well-worn rites of passage, the traditional indicators that mark the progression of life. High School graduation, College, first loves. There is so much more as each sequence slips into the next that the aging of the characters becoming almost incidental.
This is not a film that is concerned with the paradigms of Hollywood story structure as taught by screenwriting books. This is a film whose story structure and form has more in common with a documentary than it does with the traditional form of family drama. This is not the family dramas of the fifties and the sixties wherein some dark family secret has to be exorcised out from the family closet and dragged into the light of truth. This is a family drama that doesn’t plays itself out so much as just piles itself on event by event in continuous layers. Quite possibly, docudrama has finally found its true definition.
The film’s story starts with Olivia (Patricia Arquette) struggling as a single mother to bring up and support her two young children, Mason and Samantha. Money is always an issue for this young family and, in the opening of the film, it is clear the children’s father is absent. The issues of the material well being of the family are contrasted and played out against the family’s emotional needs and well being.
Mason Sr. returns from working in Alaska after being absent for a year and a half. The true nature of Mason Sr.’s role as the children’s father during his year and a half absence seems to be left intentionally ambiguous. The clashes between the two parents early in the film over past issues are also left deliberately vague. The mother and father don't play out the roles of protagonist and antagonist as they fight over their children. Richard Linklater has deliberately avoided that in favor of a storyline that is much broader than those story strictures would allow. It isn’t easy to pick a villain and a hero between the parents in this story. There are other villains that appear and disappear throughout the long arc of this film but the parents seem to grow closer and develop a respect for each other as they pursue independent lives.
This isn’t a story where the main character has a dream and pursues it. This is a story where characters have their dreams and must abandon them for their own good and the good of others.
It is evident that Mason’s father comes to maturation slowly. He is still a “boy” in the beginning of the film struggling to hold onto his adolescent ambitions of being a song writer and a musician while the demands of fatherhood pressure him to give up that pursuit . In the end, the best he can do is hand down the remnants of his adolescent ambitions to his son.But even in Mason Sr.’s delayed growth to full adulthood, there is value to be had. The still-alive boy in Mason Sr. allows him to connect to his children emotionally in a very vital and important way.
His willingness and demand to connect to his children on their emotional level and to feed his own emotional needs with theirs contrasts sharply with the disciplinarian and authoritarian figures of Mason’s stepfathers.
In this, the destructive power of misunderstood masculinity is on display in the role of fatherhood.
There is a dramatic circular parallel between Mason Sr. and Mason Jr. at the end of the film because all of this may well be the same for Mason. We leave Mason at the end of the film at the age of 18, one foot still in boyhood and one foot firmly on the path of his adult life. He is now studying to be a photographer in College and it remains to be seen as to whether or not he will be able to pursue his artistic ambitions or will he repeat the cycle of his father, relenting his artistic ambitions late in life by the necessities of survival.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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3

benuttyOct 3, 2014

Boyhood should never have been a feature film.

Feeling wholly episodic, Boyhood fails to resonate as a story--its thematic through-line is unclear and each episode lacks the transitions necessary in drawing any sense of a story together.Boyhood should never have been a feature film.

Feeling wholly episodic, Boyhood fails to resonate as a story--its thematic through-line is unclear and each episode lacks the transitions necessary in drawing any sense of a story together. There are certain scenes that make me believe Boyhood would have worked really well as a 12-part miniseries, wherein every episode delves deeper into each year of the 12 years it took to film. Provided it contained more depth, better chemistry between the actors and a clearer focus to the tale being told (that a longer series could have afforded), this would have been a remarkable achievement.

Instead, Boyhood succeeds as a gimmick. I fail to see how any positive review of this film isn't relying on exactly what the film relies on--the wonder that an entire cast & crew had the patience to take 12 years to film a "passion project."

And just a project it surely is.… Expand

17 of 24 users found this helpful177

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7

NitishSep 30, 2014

It's just a simplest story of an American boy growing up..what so special in it..? the story is told in a good way, the cast is same during the whole time period, that's cool..But this doesn't make this movie a legend..!!

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

maspicsSep 28, 2014

If a movie gets all great reviews, you have to question if it is really that good. Yes, this movie was a feat in filming a life of a boy and his family over so many years, but it was not worth sitting 3 hours and watching the young manIf a movie gets all great reviews, you have to question if it is really that good. Yes, this movie was a feat in filming a life of a boy and his family over so many years, but it was not worth sitting 3 hours and watching the young man question what it was all about and then not coming up with an answer. It's a good movie to take a needed nap.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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7

prabhuSep 25, 2014

The name 'boyhood' is kind of misleading although the movie's shown
only about the boyhood of Mason until he goes for his graduation to some college and get interested in photography.
Critics really liked more than people do! Because theThe name 'boyhood' is kind of misleading although the movie's shown
only about the boyhood of Mason until he goes for his graduation to some college and get interested in photography.
Critics really liked more than people do! Because the project had
enough risks for a successful execution but Richard Linklater did it,
its really something that have never seen before something unique and
risky. From 2002 to 2013 total of 45 days of shooting until the boy
grew up from his age 7 to 18. Such a long contract with the crew and if
Richard dies then who'd manage the such long project! Of course Ethan
Hawke, one of Richard's favorites but Linklatet did it. It shows what
happens to our life with every passing time and according to him
nothing. You grow up, you struggle, you baffled, you are taken care of
then fall in love, get married, have kids..and what happens? Life goes
on...but nothing really happens. To illustrate this he took the life of
a 7 years kid, Coltrane and changed his name to Mason in the movie. I
like Ethan Hawke, he's the first choice of Richard's movies especially
for his before sunrise series, most of Richard's movies which are
usually dramatic so Ethane was perfect to be a jobless dad who tries to
direct the right path for his son and every year with Coltrane he shot
the movie.

I really like the father-son scenes in which they talk about everything
and Mason gets advices from his father. They talked about movies like
star wars if there's a possibility of it to another one and that
happened too, what they predicted in 2008 that came true!!, brilliant.
Excellent achievement of the director and how realistic the movie
is,what a potential remains in the movie! 12 year project doesn't or
couldn't contain some top rated actors especially the theme
character,Mason. Coltrane was a risky, unpredictable one. I can't say
he did that great as the movie deserves but It was such a great risk if
the main character would have failed! But he did well not like the
growing characters of harry potter movies but OK for the slow soothing
unpredictable 12 years project. Various changes in a decade can happen!
That altered number of changes to Mason, in her character, attitude.
Except him even in our life cool electronics stuffs like no one uses
the old phones or old vintage saloon cars new smartphones and beautiful
cars are everywhere. His dad finally sells his Pontiac GTO although he
loves that! There's something called emotional attachment, kids are
like that! Especially kids are attached, so Mason stared a horrible
perplexed look at his dad's most loved car when he sold that so he
could by a new car for his son when he turns to 16. Again, a baffled
look while her mother meets the professor, Bill and talks like she's
getting attached to him Why does that happen? Doesn't dad love his mom,
but its the responsibility the capability that control's you and like
every creatures on the earth human too get attached to those who can
give them a better environment and then what happens? Nothing! Life
goes on. This is the most important essence the movie stands upon.
Nothing really happens in the movie. His mom then gets married to
another guy till she stands upon her own feet becomes what she wanted
to be and then in the ends she asks what shall happen to her, she
sacrificed most of his life for her kids and in the end what happens to
her? Of course, the answer is nothing. But 2hr 45min can be really boring if you're not that into drama movies or even if you are you can still feel it because of this boring but true factor 'nothing'. There isn't anything in the storyline to be entertained or inspiring but the direction and the labour in the movie, the time it took the pain isn't that possible for every directors. Its a new style a unique and significant one of movie direction. That's what everyone loves about. The story isn't epic rather boring, the actors aren't that great rather unknown, the movie is what that everyone's life is about, nothing but the project is fascinating yet magnificent by Richard Linklater.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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10

aguyglobalSep 22, 2014

The films greatest strength lies in how ordinary, yet at the same time, unique it is. The dialogue feels very natural, nothing about the film drags on for too long, and it doesn't resort to the usual Hollywood cliches. It's definitely one ofThe films greatest strength lies in how ordinary, yet at the same time, unique it is. The dialogue feels very natural, nothing about the film drags on for too long, and it doesn't resort to the usual Hollywood cliches. It's definitely one of the more touching experiences I've had at the cinema.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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9

anshimanSep 19, 2014

Life is a crazy thing. It's not something that can be properly represented by words, or even a picture. However, 'Boyhood' is the closest we'll ever get to that hopelessly distant reality. We're talking about a film so encapsulated by realityLife is a crazy thing. It's not something that can be properly represented by words, or even a picture. However, 'Boyhood' is the closest we'll ever get to that hopelessly distant reality. We're talking about a film so encapsulated by reality that ,as a member of the audience, we feel as if we're looking over our shoulders into a life that we once had, like a forgotten dream on the tip of our tongues. We follow the subtly changing life of a growing boy as he wrestles with the most fundamental questions in life. For every second we watch of the film, we're rewarded with quiet (yet brilliant) wisdom that looms over every frame of the movie. Ferociously philosophical, reflective and unforgettable, 'Boyhood' is a provocative meditation on the nature of life and reality as we know it.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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9

the_dude81Sep 18, 2014

First thing to know about this movie is that it is different. And I'm not talking about being filmed over 12 years with the same actors. More importantly, this movie is extremely understated and there is no discernible plot besides 12 yearsFirst thing to know about this movie is that it is different. And I'm not talking about being filmed over 12 years with the same actors. More importantly, this movie is extremely understated and there is no discernible plot besides 12 years in the life of a boy and his family. Thus, there are no arcs and climaxes - this movies IS plodding, as some have described it. This movie is first and foremost about life and in being so moves at the pace of life - not the pace of a hollywood blockbuster.

That's not to say there is no rhyme or reason to this movie. There is no defined plot but the scenes are not random. The movie is a collection of vignettes which build on each other and important aspects of life are all there but none of them are so overwhelming to replace the central theme which is simply life. In this sense, Boyhood is a profound achievement.

I finished watching this movie with a lingering and deep sense of emotion and reflection. I don't really know how to describe it but I feel like every other movie I've watched before this one was relatively contrived or overproduced. I think this is the power of this movie.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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10

applescruffSep 18, 2014

Absolutely staggering achievement. How this movie exists is beyond me. Consider for a moment all of the elements that have to fall into place in order to walk away with a finished product. Then consider that Richard Linklater directed 8 otherAbsolutely staggering achievement. How this movie exists is beyond me. Consider for a moment all of the elements that have to fall into place in order to walk away with a finished product. Then consider that Richard Linklater directed 8 other films during the process of making this movie. That's right. 8 OTHER MOVIES over the last 12 years, including Before Sunset, Before Midnight, School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly and Bernie. The man is a film god.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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9

NovastreamSep 16, 2014

Sometimes movies are bland, boring, rushed and nonsensical. They are made to turn an investment into profit. Other times a story is so rich that is carves a small place in your heart, nudged fondly beside the classics.

And in truth, withSometimes movies are bland, boring, rushed and nonsensical. They are made to turn an investment into profit. Other times a story is so rich that is carves a small place in your heart, nudged fondly beside the classics.

And in truth, with no exaggeration, Boyhood is a modern classic.

Three months have passed since my first screening as part of NovaStream’s coverage of the Sydney Film Festival. Before the film a scruffy teen walked in front of a theatre of thousands and waved awkwardly. The star of the film, Ellar Coltrane, was on another leg of his world tour after widespread acclaim at the Sundance International Film Festival. He didn’t appear to be a rockstar or a bigwig actor. He just seemed like an extremely genuine and humble person. The lights dimmed and he shuffled offstage and did not return.

The acclaim is universal. Rotten Tomatoes awards Boyhood 99%, the same rate as the Wizard of Oz and one step down from Citizen Kane and Toy Story 2 and one above Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It has won multiple awards at Sundance, SXSW, Berlin, Seattle and San Francisco International Film Festivals. A previous cover photo on the film’s Facebook page lists reviewers quotes beginning with “the best film of the…”. USA Today said the summer, Rolling Stone gave it a year, The Guardian believed a decade and The New York Times stated the century. At the end of the century they may be correct.

Filming occurred usually four days a year over twelve years, with Ellar Coltrane originally portraying a six year old child and gradually growing into an adult on screen. This allows the scope of the film to be far greater and the narrative to flow more authentically, save casting a different actor for the schoolyard scenes and the college scenes. The aesthetic of the film also shifts almost glacially, from fashion to furniture to language to politics. One thing that stood out for me was the technology, progressing from a Gameboy to a PlayStation 3 to an XBOX One seamlessly. Not even the set designers of Downton Abbey could replicate this level of detail.

Many elements of Coltrane’s real-life slipped into the film too, including his first car, his piercings and a bad string of acne he chose not to cover up. Director Richard Linklater (School of Rock) stated he never asked Coltrane to do something he knew the actor hadn’t previously experienced.

The four primary characters are Mason Jr (Ellar Coltrane), his mother Olivia (Medium’s Patricia Arquette), his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater, daughter of director Richard Linklater) and Mason Sr (Ethan Hawke, Predestination). Their plot is simple – make it through as best you can with the hand you’ve been dealt.

For Olivia in particular this is heartbreaking as a string of unhealthy and outright dangerous relationships culminates in a confronting scene between herself and Mason. The film is not a depressant though. There are comedy bites here and there and the tone is generally upward, especially in scenes with Mason Sr. Ethan Hawke is a fiercely talented actor and his secondary plot gives his a nice avenue, transforming the musician father with a muscle car into a worker with a minivan. At the beginning of Boyhood the adults are only slightly older than the children at the film’s conclusion. There is definitely a full circle trope going on.

There is an intangible warmth to the film that cannot be assigned to the everyday blockbuster. Each shot looks like a painting and there is an obtuse or inventive shot to enhance the story. The edit is smoother and kinder. A great deal of care went into every detail of this film.

Due to the original filming method the financiers were limited and contracts were zilch. It was the cast’s prerogative each and every year to return and each of the primary cast have called this their ‘cool summer camp’ despite having other films and television shows in progress.

While I would easily rank this inside by top five films of all time, there is one beat that struck me foul. A conversation between Mason and a high school photographer teacher about the difference between potential and actuality was immensely irritating. It felt redundant and shoehorned.

Aside from that, the scope, commitment of all involved, acting talent and direction all make for a compelling adventure. The international releases are still rolling out with Paramount International acquiring the rights to a hopefully broader home release.

Boyhood is screening in limited release now.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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4

MrSaturn21Sep 15, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie is definitely different than any other movie that you've seen. Does that mean it's good? Not for me. I love Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke too. Before Sunrise, and the sequels were great. A Scanner Darkly, School of Rock, are great. This movie falls short, in my appraisal.

The movie chronicles the adolescence of a young boy named Mason. He faces a lot of things. His parents are divorced, and they argue a lot. There is a countless array of bad step-fathers that are abusive. He falls in love and deals with a breakup.

My problem with the movie is that Mason doesn't evolve. Throughout the movie he seems to stay his lazy slacker self, regardless of how many people tell him he's got to shape up. The movie ends with Mason walking through Texas with a group of new friends, including an attractive young college student who gives him flirty eyes and conversation when she onscreen. They sit on the site of a mountain and the girl tells him her ideas about how time (the day) isn't something to be seized, but something that seizes you.

While that message may be something that is quite profound, it tastes sour when told by someone so young with so little experience. Mason quickly agrees with her (of course he does) and they just sit there. I don't know why it bothers me so much. Maybe it's Mason's scruffy demeanor. I'm just sort of tired of teenagers who like to wax intellectually about time and the human condition as if they are Nietzsche. I'm of the Louis C.K. way of thinking when it comes to acclimation of wisdom. Wisdom is gained through experiences, through decades of observation and thought. Mason hasn't really transformed as a character at all. He hasn't really gone through anything that changes him, he hasn't come to any sort of realization about him or his life. He's kinda just floating through his life.

Maybe this movie wasn't made for me. Maybe it was made for people Mason's age who can relate to him. Maybe the movie was made for people who are a product of divorce. Maybe it was meant for parents who wonder what it might be like to grow up at the turn of the century who want to compare it to their own childhoods.

I didn't really get anything out of the movie. It wasn't for me. I still look forward to Richard Linklater's work. Maybe next time he'll catch my inspiration.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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0

Anonymous_1Sep 15, 2014

Synopsis: Basically a left-wing, misandrist propaganda movie about the life of a drug-abusing, alcoholic, womanizing teenage delinquent; his airhead single mother; and all of the bad, disposable father figures the boy had in his life.Synopsis: Basically a left-wing, misandrist propaganda movie about the life of a drug-abusing, alcoholic, womanizing teenage delinquent; his airhead single mother; and all of the bad, disposable father figures the boy had in his life.

Score Breakdown: Plot 0.2/10, Left-Wing Agenda -100/10, Total Score 0/10… Expand

9 of 44 users found this helpful935

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10

disorrisoSep 13, 2014

This is, right there, a top 5 movie in my opinion. It express from the normal issues to the most delicate of them and it feels good to watch. I just can't believe how ingenious the creator is, I mean this is history of art being made just inThis is, right there, a top 5 movie in my opinion. It express from the normal issues to the most delicate of them and it feels good to watch. I just can't believe how ingenious the creator is, I mean this is history of art being made just in front of us. I belive my point is that I want to thank you all who have participated in the creation of this masterpiece, this kind of thing that keeps me believing in humankind.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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1

lisagailSep 13, 2014

weak acting, weak writing, trite themes, could not believe the high ratings this film received. total waste of time and money. only positive was the unique filming over 12 years, but wasted on this particular film.

6 of 12 users found this helpful66

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1

3bytheseaSep 11, 2014

Oh my... Where do I start other than to say than this movie took 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life I can never get back! Boy did Linklater really miss an opportunity here to capture what was really going on for this young boy who turns teenOh my... Where do I start other than to say than this movie took 2 hours and 45 minutes of my life I can never get back! Boy did Linklater really miss an opportunity here to capture what was really going on for this young boy who turns teen who turns young adult. You see a mom who twice makes poor choices in men and we never really know the depth of the impact this has on not only this boy but his sister. How did it feel for them to leave their step siblings so abruptly...no one knows, the movie transitioned and never dealt with the psychological repercussions for all involved. The bullying that is often so pervasive for boys in middle school...bathroom scene took all of a couple minutes of a 2 hr. 45 min movie...really? Boys have their own complexity and this movie was nothing but superficially going through the motions for far too long. Where was the editor? While Ethan Hawke was a like able character and perhaps in the end the most put together adult, couldn't help but feel his role and style of his dialogue was a mere extension of his character in Linklater's trilogy Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight. If you want insight as to the depth of how boys really feel...You will NOT find in in this movie. The critics lack depth by rating this movie so high. Pay attention to the user reviews, not the critics...if you do, it's at your own risk!… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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6

downwithdragonsSep 10, 2014

Eh. That's really all I can say. There was nothing offensive or particularly wrong with this movie and there were many things to admire (not the least of which is the dedication of everyone involved for 12 years!), but I left underwhelmed. IEh. That's really all I can say. There was nothing offensive or particularly wrong with this movie and there were many things to admire (not the least of which is the dedication of everyone involved for 12 years!), but I left underwhelmed. I thought Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette were outstanding. The "boy" was actually pretty uninteresting. I certainly wouldn't recommend people not see it if they're intrigued, but I might temper their expectations. My expectations were so high and perhaps that was the issue.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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2

Mike_MSep 10, 2014

I am a fan of Linklater, but I am just not seeing the love for this movie. I will give this movie its due for not being about empty bs, but it's definitely a melodrama for most scenes, and with very performatory acting on top of it. There'sI am a fan of Linklater, but I am just not seeing the love for this movie. I will give this movie its due for not being about empty bs, but it's definitely a melodrama for most scenes, and with very performatory acting on top of it. There's not a lot of depth or nuance here.… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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7

JacobSep 6, 2014

Really interesting film. Like the realistic feel of the film and natural story and dialogue. Feels like life. Good use of product placement to help show passage of time. Really enjoyed the relationships in this film especially the one betweenReally interesting film. Like the realistic feel of the film and natural story and dialogue. Feels like life. Good use of product placement to help show passage of time. Really enjoyed the relationships in this film especially the one between the father and the son. Could really connect with the characters especially in the first two thirds. The film is a little choppy at points and glosses over certain aspects of characters lives. The low point of the film is the last third which is generic and feels like every other teen movie out there. This is where you feel the films length. Put for what its worth I'm glad I saw it its a unique film that is worth checking out.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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3

ItaiSep 6, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In one word- Boring!
Instead of giving us something different and exciting than the reality we experience every day, I had to sit down at the theatre and watch it all over on fast forward.
My expectations were high, but even if not the movie was really bad.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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10

hbgomez2Sep 5, 2014

Smart, moving, and profoundly realistic, Boyhood is not just the best picture of the year, but the defining film of a generation.

When someone tells me "words cannot express..." I typically laugh at the absurdity. As a writer, ISmart, moving, and profoundly realistic, Boyhood is not just the best picture of the year, but the defining film of a generation.

When someone tells me "words cannot express..." I typically laugh at the absurdity. As a writer, I conceitedly believe that there are always words for everything. However, I must bow to this cliché. Words cannot express what I think of Richard Linklater's Boyhood. Given that it's been a little over 12 hours since I saw the film and I'm still speechless, I ask you to bear with me in this review. I WILL MONOLOGUE! To state that Boyhood is the best film of a year that's not but ¾ of the way through is a stretch, but I find myself limber in this instance. Boyhood is the best film of the year. Now time to stretch some more... Boyhood is the best film of the decade. Still limber. No stretching needed. This movie is THAT incredible.

It all began with an innovative idea from the already innovative Richard Linklater. What if we see a family grow and age through the eyes of a child? And what if we shot it in real-time? From there a spark was ignited and eventually came to a glorious flame. We do see a family age, for 12 years! This idea is already a selling point for the film, but then throw in Mr. Linklater's usual touch of heart and authenticity and you'll have something undeniably special. You'll have an intimate epic. A film that is so large in a technical scale, and equally large in emotional sale is something hardly seen. Especially in the past 12 years. So when Boyhood premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, there was a lot hype. And this excitement hasn't expired after several months. Instead it has grown. It has travelled through America crafting an astute reputation for the film to follow. So for film-goers like myself, who live in small, un-artistic towns, find ourselves overwhelmed with praise for a film we must wait for. And we did. I personally waited a full month-and-a-half for this film to hit El Paso. But 6 weeks is nothing compared to 12 years, so I shall cease my complaining. Instead I shall say this, Boyhood's reputation precedes itself.

To scrutinize the plot would be to write an 11-15 page review. There is so much going on within each year of the film that the 12 year story is impossible to break down into a simple synopsis. After the first 12-15 minutes of the movie, the film cuts to a new year, 2003, and we find the characters have moved on from the last. This process is continued t

There is something so psychologically groundbreaking about this film. Never before has a film been so relatable, so memorable, and so poignant. As each year appears on the screen, we the audience subconsciously immerse ourselves into the same time period. We recall what we thought and did in that year, and find ourselves nostalgic. This feeling is especially effective for members of Mason's generation, like myself. We recall the same thought patters and experiences Mason goes through as we went through them. With this intimacy, we find ourselves reliving our childhood. This beautiful feeling is something no other film has caused. This is why Boyhood is so groundbreaking, because it is able to captivate its audience and allow us to have a relationship with it. What Mr. Linklater has done is not only craft a work of art, but allow the audience to view the crafting of the work of art. Brick by brick, line by line, side by side, for anybody involved in this film, whether it be the filmmakers or the audience members, there is an intimate, one-on-one feeling that transcends both time and reality. And for that, we are indebted to the filmmakers. Being Mason's age myself, I find Boyhood to be a very special film that is incredibly close to my heart. As I sat in the theater, watching Mason head off to college, I suddenly realized that that was me. I too had just transitioned into adulthood, and started a new chapter in my life.

Epic in both a technical and an emotional scope, Boyhood defines a generation by allowing the audience to go on their own intimate journey with the characters. Though the film is a rough 3 hours long, you feel as if it lasts the whole 12 years, simply because you are reliving the period yourself. And when it ends, you feel that the whole 12 years was a simple 3 hours, because life's that fast. Boyhood is the type of movie you don't want to end because there is something so deep in the connection it made with you. To stretch again... Boyhood is the best film of the year. Boyhood is the best film of the decade. Boyhood is one the greatest films in the history of cinema. This I can say with no reservation. Boyhood is one of the most unique, personal, and authentic films I have ever encountered. A true classic.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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6

atmanSep 2, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have to give points for the creative idea behind the film. Filming every year for twelve years is quite the feat, especially when it involves children. And without a doubt, the film was very compelling and it strongly resonated emotionally with me. But there were a few glaring flaws that prevent me from giving it the fawning reviews some other people have given it.

For starters, we never find out what happens to the stepsiblings. Did their dad kill them? Did they kill him? Did they run away from home? Did he lose custody of them? Did the whole family die in a housefire from when the dad fell asleep drunk on his bed smoking a cigarette? Here we spent half an hour getting to know these kids and see their connection with the main children, and yet they're not even mentioned a single time in the second half of the film?

Another thing that REALLY bothered me was how the second stepdad just vanished. In one scene he's telling the boy "I pay for you and your mother to live in my house" and by the next scene he's nowhere to be seen. No mention of a death, divorce or separation. The mom talks about selling the house because "I can't afford it." Seriously, how is there NO mention of her husband after that?

Finally the last thing that bugged me was the scene where the boy is in 8th grade and is hanging out in the house with his friends, his friend's older brother and the brother's friends. Honestly this scene had the worst acting I can recall ever seeing in any movie. It honestly seems like they only did a single take of the scene.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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6

AffableParadoxSep 2, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There were some really beautiful and insightful moments in Boyhood...very brief moments...book ended by hours of mind-numbing nothingness. Unfortunately, overall, it feels like Linklater turned out the equivalent of breaking out some dusty photo albums and showing them to strangers who don't have much in the way of contextual background. The characters are generally have no depth and aren't particularly like-able.

It was a neat project. I applaud the effort and the idea. It really just doesn't work as far as making a great film. It was good...or it was better than OK, and the novelty added a bit more spice to the otherwise bland movie. The critics are going to LOVE this movie!

I love the idea of the movie. I even love the moments that took me back to relive some of my own childhood. It just felt like it belonged in an extended (and probably very boring) Lifetime Network television series instead of crammed into a movie that was more than just a little disjointed.

I read somewhere (I wish I could quote where) that Linklater really avoided cliches with this movie. He was either lying to the author of the article or himself. His main character, Mason, Jr., ended up becoming the Indie movie darling stereotype...Brooding, disaffected, artist, loner, philosopher...who somehow scored a Photography scholarship to college after giving every indication he might fail out of school due to apathy...poof...movie magic...Ugh.

The fact that this is fiction and not a documentary following a real family for 12 years makes it even more frustrating...Where is the story? Where is the character development?… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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10

jawiegand13Aug 31, 2014

Filmed over a 12 year period, "Boyhood" is the simple, relatable and extraordinary journey of a boy and his family. The wonderful premise and Richard Linklater's outstanding direction make "Boyhood" the year's best film, as of yet, and a sureFilmed over a 12 year period, "Boyhood" is the simple, relatable and extraordinary journey of a boy and his family. The wonderful premise and Richard Linklater's outstanding direction make "Boyhood" the year's best film, as of yet, and a sure contender for best picture. One of the best qualities of "Boyhood" is how well the audience can relate to the characters. I found myself transported back to my own childhood while watching Mason grow up before my eyes; whether it was in watching the interactions and typical sibling disputes between Mason and Samantha or just seeing Mason acclimate to the challenges of growing up. Another refreshing aspect is how the film's plot doesn't revolve around a sinister villain, winning a championship game or surmounting impossible odds, but rather is simply about the beautiful and thoroughly entertaining adventure of "Boyhood."… Expand

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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5

rodsAug 31, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I will be very disappointed if this film wins the best picture academy award... it was a real downer for me... o.k.... but, not at all what I was hoping for... in fact, I was rooting for the girl who dumped he main character when she did.... and hated the mescaline induced ending...… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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4

LaggravateAug 31, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is far too overrated, I get that it's filmed over 12 years and that's pretty cool. The acting is TERRIBLE, the character development was barely a 5. There were multiple plot-holes and the relevance to actual Boyhood and growing up wasn't very much. I know this because I'm a 14 year old boy and I went to watch this film with various other friends who are also my age and gender.

The reason that this movie is rated so highly is because most, if not all, major critics are a lot older than I. They don't experience this movie the same way that my friends and I do. People my age are still experiencing "Boyhood" and are far more informed about movies like this, if you were to ask me I'd say that major companies should hire younger critics. Our opinions are more in sync and much more relevant. Don't praise the young actors for their "talent," I guess they were okay for their age but that shouldn't change how you rate it. Even when the main character's actor was 18 he was still pretty bad.

The thing that annoyed me the most in this film was when they tried to make the characters sound all philosophical. It doesn't fool anyone, it just sounded extremely corny.

I honestly enjoyed watching the actors grow but that was about it. Don't believe the hype, I had more fun making fun of this movie with my friends than actually watching it. It was okay.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

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10

BraveLToasterAug 28, 2014

Richard Linklater created the most realistic representation of high school on film in Dazed & Confused nearly twenty years ago. Now he trumps that with a film that can't even claim to be a facsimile of what it means to grow up, because itRichard Linklater created the most realistic representation of high school on film in Dazed & Confused nearly twenty years ago. Now he trumps that with a film that can't even claim to be a facsimile of what it means to grow up, because it actually is documenting over 12 years the same actor as he changes from a child into a man. Years from now people will look back at this movie as a record of what it was like to be a child in this new century.
A perfect time capsule of a film.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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10

B-RAXAug 27, 2014

Once in a while a film comes along that not only makes you step back and look at the way movies are made, but forces you to reflect on how your own life is unfolding; Boyhood is one such film. Boyhood took 12 years to create, and the uniqueOnce in a while a film comes along that not only makes you step back and look at the way movies are made, but forces you to reflect on how your own life is unfolding; Boyhood is one such film. Boyhood took 12 years to create, and the unique storytelling style is a refreshing break from many recently released movies.

Boyhood tells the story of a family going through a string of milestones. The film is easy to relate to because many of us are currently experiencing, or have already reached, each of these phases.

As time goes on, the film grows with the characters, further captivating the audience. Scenes mature along with the cast, gradually becoming more intimate and open. The vision, dedication and follow-through it took to create such an epic project is clearly evident on screen. We’ve had some great films come out in 2014, but nothing even remotely close to Boyhood. The film-making technique that is showcased in this piece of art is truly something special.

As for Boyhood’s near three hour runtime, I would change nothing. The few minor complaints I had during the movie were washed away after seeing the perfection in this touching story.

Boyhood is easily the best film of the year, a masterpiece I wish every person could experience. It’s a life-impacting creation, and when people ask me, “What’s one of your favorite movies?” I will reply Boyhood, for years to come.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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9

ryanneevmanAug 25, 2014

Even though he does succeed in doing so, Linklater's goal is not to impress, but rather tell a story about an average boy's life, and tell a story he sure does.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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8

kevinpark14Aug 25, 2014

Great film. I loved almost everything about it. I wasn't as much about the end as I was with the rest of the film, but it was overall amazing. Would definitely recommend.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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Boyhood

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