Boyhood

10

FrankBakkerJul 15, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. -spoiler alert-
I saw the movie without ever even heard of it during one of my 'Amongst Frieds' evenings (Ketelhuis, Amsterdam, Holland) where they just show you a movie they want you to see for whatever reason. (saw great movies that normaly are not topprio to me, like Enemy and All is lost.)
Everything is being said about this movie. It's so epic in all it's smallness.
I only want to ad a few scenes that hit me hard, amongst others:
The soldier sitting on the porch drinking his beer, after the heroic stories he told the crowd a few years earlier. Normally it's "And then they live happily ever after." Now you see what really happens to a guy.

The moment where mom leaves her teacher/husband with both her kids, but have to leave the other (his) 2 kids behind. That is about the most cruel thing to whitness. Living night and day with the other kids as if they are your own. Ghosh.

And last but not least of course the monologue of mom sitting in her kitchen at the near end. Keeps me thinking...… Expand

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10

EdorkAug 15, 2014

As someone who's around the same age as Mason (21) I really related to his character and the US he was growing up in at the time. The acting across the board is flawless (Patricia Arquette better get some award attention), Linklater'sAs someone who's around the same age as Mason (21) I really related to his character and the US he was growing up in at the time. The acting across the board is flawless (Patricia Arquette better get some award attention), Linklater's direction is so detailed I kept getting nostalgia whiplashes from the music to the events (summer 2005 HP: Half Blood Prince book release, anyone?), and the dialogue makes all these characters seem fleshed out and real. If anyone's going to have a problem with this film it's the ones who NEED a strong plot (or any plot, really) which the movie doesn't really supply. You're watching a kid grow into a young man through the coarse of a 3 hour movie. Basic drama. It's both about nothing and about everything.
I feel like Boyhood, much like other films like Avatar and Cloud Atlas, is going to be remembered more for its technical scope and ambition rather than it's narrative. Which is fine for me because I love those films and I feel like this is going to go down as one of my favorite films. It's definitely going to be my favorite of 2014, that I can guarantee!… Expand

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10

NWV1979Jul 31, 2014

You either get the beauty of this simplistic yet masterpiece which has greater deep meaning layered within the 2 hr and 40 min movie or you don't. Sadly those who don't get this gem of a film are the movie goers who fuel the 80 million dollarYou either get the beauty of this simplistic yet masterpiece which has greater deep meaning layered within the 2 hr and 40 min movie or you don't. Sadly those who don't get this gem of a film are the movie goers who fuel the 80 million dollar opening weekend grosses of "popcorn" mainstream films made for the masses. While there is nothing wrong with supporting those big budget summer type flicks, I gotta applaud folks who see and appreciate a movie like Boyhood. I only wish more independent films that make you think we're more commonly made by Hollywood studios. Regardless I thought this movie was absolutely incredible and had a lot to say, a film that has stayed with me now weeks after seeing it.… Expand

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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

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

BshopAug 14, 2014

Great movie, it's been a while since a movie stuck with me a few hours after watching. Really taken by the way you felt as if you were watching a family grow apart, back together, and deal with some really tricky issues. Felt as if the actorsGreat movie, it's been a while since a movie stuck with me a few hours after watching. Really taken by the way you felt as if you were watching a family grow apart, back together, and deal with some really tricky issues. Felt as if the actors were actually growing up while watching the movie. I felt like it was what Tree of Life should have been (that one was too strung out and too out there). Boyhood strikes a nice balance between getting deep in feelings and staying in the moment as well.
[Spoilers ahead]The high-school senior Mason has the most profound realizations, but when he gets to freshman year of college the real relate-able conversations happen: son wanting to get away, mom scared of moving on, and everyone genuinely taking everything in once the last kid leaves the nest.

In summary, will probably buy this movie to experience the feelings over again, almost like recalling them like they happened to me. That's how close it comes to a real human experience.… Expand

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10

MovieGuysAug 2, 2014

Boyhood, simply put, is a grand cinematic achievement. It chronicles a boy's life over a 12 year period, and the actor is the same the whole movie (they filmed a couple of scenes every year). This is Linklater's best film, as well as his mostBoyhood, simply put, is a grand cinematic achievement. It chronicles a boy's life over a 12 year period, and the actor is the same the whole movie (they filmed a couple of scenes every year). This is Linklater's best film, as well as his most ambitious. But, it's not a perfect movie; it doesn't tie up every loose end, it doesn't resolve the same way average Hollywood fare usually does. However, that's not how life works: sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, it twists and turns, and not everything comes out the way you wanted it to be. If the movie didn't have flaws, it wouldn't have been as realistic. The movie us touching, and has a hefty emotional payoff. Experience it for yourself; it's well worth it.… Expand

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10

JCouch777Aug 23, 2014

An instant classic. This groundbreaking film brought to us by Richard Linklater is an emotional story of a dysfunctional family, all revolving around the boy. Filmed over 12 years, the transitions from year to year in the film are recognizedAn instant classic. This groundbreaking film brought to us by Richard Linklater is an emotional story of a dysfunctional family, all revolving around the boy. Filmed over 12 years, the transitions from year to year in the film are recognized by the different looks of the actors and the music that plays from each year. Best of the year so far. Truly amazing.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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10

oolevityooAug 25, 2014

Incomparable. this film is by no means "perfect" in terms of 'enjoyment from watching', but I think that's the point, it's like a documentary of normal life. It takes on an epic task of recounting childhood linearly with honesty. It may notIncomparable. this film is by no means "perfect" in terms of 'enjoyment from watching', but I think that's the point, it's like a documentary of normal life. It takes on an epic task of recounting childhood linearly with honesty. It may not be as eventful as you wanted, a little dry in places, flat in the ending but if you want an honest portrayal of Westernized coming-of-age then that to me is pretty close to how it would look. For me, not as emotionally moving as Linklater's other works but leaves you reflective and slightly nostalgic.… Expand

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10

kasperlovborgJul 26, 2014

A brilliantly observed slice of Americana about rites of passage, examining what it means to grow up. As much as I adore 'Before Sunrise', this unique, ambitious work about being a child and becoming an adult might top even that gem.A brilliantly observed slice of Americana about rites of passage, examining what it means to grow up. As much as I adore 'Before Sunrise', this unique, ambitious work about being a child and becoming an adult might top even that gem. Linklater's auteur traits are authenticity, recognizability and an ability to be moving and resonant in unforced ways. 'Boyhood' triggers our memory, thereby (like madeleine cakes and a portion of ratatouille before it) bending time and space, and makes us reflect.… Expand

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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

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10

NRF_VancouverJul 29, 2014

A unique offering from one of America's most original directors. This is not the sort of film imagined by neophyte filmmakers, stuck on the three act structure with predictable conflicts, crisis points and final resolution. Linklater exploresA unique offering from one of America's most original directors. This is not the sort of film imagined by neophyte filmmakers, stuck on the three act structure with predictable conflicts, crisis points and final resolution. Linklater explores influences that contribute to lives built. It is not merely children who grow and change; the adults central to Boyhood are as different after 12 years as their offspring. Linklater allows time to roll by without hitting us with title cards or other obvious signposts. The transitions tend to be subtle, involving, haircuts, music, technology. It's a lengthy film but I found it captivating and fulfilling. Kudos to Linklater but also to IFC Films. Founded in 1999 means that Boyhood has been a work in progress throughout most of its existence. A brave company that does not take the roads most followed.… Expand

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10

TimmyBobBoBamJul 31, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What a beautiful film..wow.

I am so connected to these characters, almost as if they were real people I grew up with. I am not insane either; I can differentiate reality from a movie. I also relate to the simple fact that Mason is pretty much the same age as me so I grew up in the same, almost exact, time period he did. There were so many Easter eggs, if I can call them that, that I saw in this movie. I was smiling through a lot of this movie. It flashed me back to so many memories of mine.

It is funny how much I relate to this movie because everyone is unique, even if they only have eight categories for selecting roommates, and Mason went down a different road than I did growing up, but we still saw the same signs and hit similar bumps along the way.

This movie is long, and nothing monumental happens. I loved that about this movie. It did not force drama down your throat like a lot of the not-so-good melodramatic T.V. Shows. There are people who want more and more drama in these shows, and sometimes movies, but it just is not real life. Yes, there were some dramatic and big things that happened in Mason’s life, in his perspective we cared for him and sympathized, but these characters were not over-dramatized with romances and other problems like many shows are. That goes back to what I said about these characters feeling so real they pretty much are real people.

The conversations were so smart and eye-opening. There are so many things in this movie that I could talk about; it is so good. I wish I could remember everything it has to say; that is a lot. I immediately want to see it again. There are so many brilliant and clever scenes ranging from being a kid to intellectual conversations.

One thing in particular that I found funny was how they portrayed high school relationships in this movie at first glance. The director showed Mason with his girlfriend as a junior and they were all lovey-dovey, and he made it look like they were meant for each other and what not with conversations, but than he fast-forwarded a year in Mason’s life, and Mason and his girlfriend have broken up and are pretty much done with each other. I thought it was funny how ridiculous can be. No one came right out and said it either they just showed it through time. Well, I mean Mason and his dad talked about it later.

I loved this movie. I provoke you all to see it. Don’t expect a high-octane thriller because obviously it is not. Just relax as you watch this movie. Enjoy what it is trying to say, and I feel like anyone who watches this movie will take something different out of it. There is so much great material in this movie. What a lovely movie. This is an instant classic.… Expand

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10

HekateAug 6, 2014

What an absolutely beautiful film. I was worried that at 2h 40m and a couple of glasses of wine I'd fall asleep, but the movie was utterly engrossing. There has never been a film that evoked in me such strong memories of growing up, theWhat an absolutely beautiful film. I was worried that at 2h 40m and a couple of glasses of wine I'd fall asleep, but the movie was utterly engrossing. There has never been a film that evoked in me such strong memories of growing up, the hopelessness of a childhood depending on parents who constantly get it wrong and the subsequent explosion of feelings as you enter adolescence. With the exception of Mason's first stepdad, the stereotypical alcoholic husband, every character in the film was very well developed and loveable despite their endless flaws. Indeed, this was this rare breed of film that can increase one's understanding and ability to forgive family members, old lovers and friends who have inevitably caused hurt by being human. The performances from Ellar Coltrane (the boy of the title) and Lorelei Linklater (his sister and also the director's daughter) were faultless, helped by being given two brilliant characters to develop. Definitely going back for another view!… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

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2

moviespotAug 7, 2014

Surprisingly Uninspiring! Boyhood was a unique idea but lacked excitement and feeling. The movie played like a long (166 minute) documentary focusing on the coming of age of two kids who face divorce, mixed family , alcoholism and theSurprisingly Uninspiring! Boyhood was a unique idea but lacked excitement and feeling. The movie played like a long (166 minute) documentary focusing on the coming of age of two kids who face divorce, mixed family , alcoholism and the struggles of life. Do not waste your money unless Aunt Rose gave you a free pass. The acting was poor, the plot (if there was one) was scattered and the emotions were few and far between. I continuously was waiting for something that would move me but Boyhood did not meet those needs. I go to movies like this to feel something emotionally. The only thing I felt was anger that I paid $ 7.50 to get in.… Expand

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10

HeadroomAug 9, 2014

This is the type of film that warrants highly individualized reactions. It's clear that the film was made very well and the acting was incredible, but in many cases the viewers will not be able to relate to the content. It was a monumentalThis is the type of film that warrants highly individualized reactions. It's clear that the film was made very well and the acting was incredible, but in many cases the viewers will not be able to relate to the content. It was a monumental undertaking and it was pulled off very well. I'm really looking forward to the behind the scenes / director's cut to come out.… Expand

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10

funnyrobAug 11, 2014

Not recommended for short attention spans, adrenaline addicts, lovers of gratuitous sex or violence, car chase scenes, or cheap, sleazy humor. This will painfully bore such people because this film has none of that. In fact, this film doesn'tNot recommended for short attention spans, adrenaline addicts, lovers of gratuitous sex or violence, car chase scenes, or cheap, sleazy humor. This will painfully bore such people because this film has none of that. In fact, this film doesn't have a story or plot in the traditional film sense. It's simply three hours about a boy, his sister, his mother, his estranged father, and the other people they encounter in their lives over 12 years, all filmed in real time. Potentially boring to some viewers? Certainly. But I didn't want it to end, and I'll be seeing it for the fifth time tomorrow night. A masterpiece, a miracle, a gorgeous work of art which accomplishes nothing less than transcending the medium of film. I hope Richard Linklater makes a sequel that runs at least through the main character's first divorce...… Expand

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10

umairalamAug 15, 2014

Richard Linklater weaves magical elements to create a film so silent yet so powerful. A dozen years in the making, the final product is nothing short of sophistication and joy, teaching the viewer to notice and appreciate the little things inRichard Linklater weaves magical elements to create a film so silent yet so powerful. A dozen years in the making, the final product is nothing short of sophistication and joy, teaching the viewer to notice and appreciate the little things in life as well as all the people who help you through the difficult times. With Arquette in the lead as the mother who seems to be guiding her children in the right the path through life as her's spirals in different directions altogether, to Hawke, as the runaway father who learns the responsibility of fatherhood from family (the old and new), one of the greatest strengths of this film lies in the acting talents of its superb cast. The narration and direction fall into the "awards worthy" category, and I truly hope this film gets all the accolades coming its way,as the film truly meets and surpasses all the hype and hoopla surrounding it.… Expand

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1

realscoopAug 17, 2014

A great concept with no there there. Like taking a 3 hour bath with none of the pleasure of the first 30 mins of that bath... painful after the first hour. Maybe that's a form of water torture - boring scene drip after boring scene drip.A great concept with no there there. Like taking a 3 hour bath with none of the pleasure of the first 30 mins of that bath... painful after the first hour. Maybe that's a form of water torture - boring scene drip after boring scene drip.

Imagine if your friend's parent was a movie or commercial director & filmed him with pro gear over 12 years. Then imagine he showed you & some complete strangers 3 hours of dull to modestly interesting moments that they captured. Now imagine your friend told you beforehand it was a masterpiece that expanded the boundaries of film making & the best thing you'll see all year.

That's all you need to know about how you'll feel after watching this boring, lazy, overhyped waste of time. Yes, life is made up of tiny little moments. But life needs editing, and people need to form their own opinions instead of following meekly what they are supposed to like. Shameful it was so fawned over by critics.… Expand

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10

ehirtAug 20, 2014

There are times when you watch a movie where you feel privileged to experience these characters. Boyhood immerses you fully in the lives of its characters as you see them grow up before your eyes, experiencing real and relatable events.There are times when you watch a movie where you feel privileged to experience these characters. Boyhood immerses you fully in the lives of its characters as you see them grow up before your eyes, experiencing real and relatable events. They quickly become like your next door neighbors and you are curious and care what happens to them. It's a testament that life itself doesn't have to have big moments to be memorable and impactful.… Expand

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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

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0

DarkMoonGamingMar 19, 2015

This is very boring. If it took 12 years to make well that means... You wasted 12 years. It is just real life so nothing interesting. It is not a movie. Im giving 0 because it isnt even a thing. Go watch some transformers, whose who like thisThis is very boring. If it took 12 years to make well that means... You wasted 12 years. It is just real life so nothing interesting. It is not a movie. Im giving 0 because it isnt even a thing. Go watch some transformers, whose who like this have no taste.… Expand

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0

bluesberryFeb 22, 2015

This was an ambitious project, but it turned out a very dull cliché. Nothing in the film felt genuine, except for Arquette's performance. The guy in the main role shouldn't have been forced to return to filming since he so obviously lacksThis was an ambitious project, but it turned out a very dull cliché. Nothing in the film felt genuine, except for Arquette's performance. The guy in the main role shouldn't have been forced to return to filming since he so obviously lacks talent. The result was very bland and a stereotypical American coming of age story. The writing and the acting the whole result was terribly bland. Those claiming that this is not for mainstream audiences, because it is an artistic concept film overestimate the film. And possibly underestimate the audience.… Expand

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8

MattyiceAug 9, 2014

Boyhood is not worthy of a 100 metacritic score, but that doesn't mean that this movie is a mediocre film, because it is absolutely not mediocre. This film is still fantastic. The beginning of the film was easily the best. From the age ofBoyhood is not worthy of a 100 metacritic score, but that doesn't mean that this movie is a mediocre film, because it is absolutely not mediocre. This film is still fantastic. The beginning of the film was easily the best. From the age of 6-14, the movie was a work of art. Powerful, funny, and touching, giving you a sense of great emotion and feeling for Mason Jr. The movie felt worthy of a 100. However, the second half felt unrealistic, not as emotionally powerful, and less entertaining than the first 1/2 of the film. It felt like a bit of a drag to get through the 15-18 years of Mason Jr.'s life. Linklater should have focused more on the childhood rather than the teenage life. Also, I feel like the length of the film could have been cut about 20 minutes. However, the film was still worth seeing and was very entertaining (at least the first half).… Expand

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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

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

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9

CDMatthewJul 14, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The couple of folks that don't "get" this movie, such as Mancunian2014, more than likely aren't familiar with Linklater or simply don't like his other films. Linklater's movies are rarely "plot-driven" with emotional highs and lows. Rather, he explores the significance of everyday moments, and how transcendence and wonder can be found in seemingly mundane incidents. As for the boy, Mason, I found it fascinating that for much of the movie he was introverted and rather hard to "read" while the characters around him (such as his older sister) were much more "out there" and demonstrative. Mason is by nature an observer, which is why it makes sense that he takes up photography. But later in the movie he starts to open up and express his thoughts and feelings, while the other characters became more contained. This was one of the many beauties of the film: documenting not only of the actors' physical changes, but the changes in their characters and personalities over time. And I've known plenty of kids like Mason who on the surface seem shy and inarticulate, but who possess inner depth and imagination.

Simply put, this is simply not a conventional movie, and can't be experienced or viewed in the same way that one would view a typical Hollywood film. I thought "Boyhood" sounded like not much more than a stunt when I first read about it, but the experience of seeing it was for me, overwhelmingly beautiful and moving. It evokes so many memories and reflections of one's own life (as a child, as a parent, as a wife or husband), even as it stays within a very specific, personal world.

So from my perspective, all the professional critics' plaudits are well earned. Linklater has achieved something entirely unique in cinema (Michael Apted's "Up" series notwithstanding), a meditation on the passage of time that points toward the beauty and importance of life's everyday moments.

Then again, I know the vast majority of filmgoers found Malick's "Tree of Life" transcendently beautiful and meaningful, while I thought it was the biggest piece of pretentious crap ever brought to the screen. So it goes with cinema.

I would add that the only reason I didn't give the film a "10" was the reappearance late in the movie of a character that had been influenced by Patricia Arquette's character. This seemed a bit contrived to me, one of the only false notes in the film. But it's a minor quibble about a major, risk-taking work of movie art.… Expand

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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

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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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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

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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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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.

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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.