Often film critics throw around such phrases as “unlike anything you have seen before” or “a cinematic marvel.” Since we hear these or similar phrases so often the words and their meaning begin to lose any significance. I tend to over think at times when writing about films to the extent that I don’t want to throw in just any word unless I want its meaning and connotation to be truly felt. The point of me explaining this is because Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD truly is unlike any film you have seen before. Much has been said about the making of the film, and rightfully so for that matter. In only 36 days but over the course of 12 years, Richard Linklater gathered the same actors every year to film bits and pieces of the film that we have today. It’s an astounding feat that is all the more impressive since this cinematic experiment works. But BOYHOOD is more than just a clever gimmick put to celluloid (yes, he actually filmed on 35mm film). In capturing the growth of a young boy as he matures into a young man, Richard Linklater has transcended the “coming-of-age drama” and has in fact achieved a cinematic marvel.
BOYHOOD chronicles the life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) starting at the young age of 6 and following him until he graduates from high school at 18. Over the course of 12 years we are introduced to his sister (played by the director’s real daughter Lorelai Linklater), his divorced parents (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke), and a number of teachers, stepfathers, and friends. Life is full of love, pain, and new discoveries, and as Mason encounters all of this over the years, we too (the audience) are reminded of our own childhood memories. In a way it’s hard to talk about the performance of Ellar Coltrane because you feel like you’re watching a documentary on his life and not necessarily a performance. He’s a new actor that was discovered by Linklater many years ago and I guess it’s almost luck that the director was able to find someone that continued to feel so natural on screen as he aged. Clearly he’s fantastic in the film but critiquing his performance seems like I’m critiquing him more as a person than an actor given the format of the film; which is sign that shows that Linklater’s film clearly works. The more can be said about Patricia Arquette. It’s not even a question that this is the performance of her career. I would not be surprised to see her join the Best Actress or Supporting Actress nominees come early next year. She creates a whole character that is filled with so much emotion and energy. Every scene she’s in she completely demands the screen. The film in many ways could have just as easily be called MOTHERHOOD due to her significance in the film.
In the simplest of terms, BOYHOOD is about growing up. And yet, the film also shows that we don’t always necessarily grow even when everything around us is changing. The idea of change is an important aspect in Linklater’s symbolic language. Precise music cues as well as the evolving fashion and hair trends lets viewers know of the progression of time even when the film glides between years in an effortless flow. One of the plot points that signifies the passing of time is the inclusion of different figures in Mason’s life that try to push or pull him in a specific direction. Linklater seems keen to point out though that the adults don’t always have the answers that are right for Mason. In the end, it is up to Mason to find his own path. The first stepfather Mason butts heads with forces him to cut his long rebellious hair because he thought it made him look like a girl; while he relies heavily on alcohol to fix his own inner problems. A photo teacher tries to tell Mason how to have a successful career even though he clearly is holding some resentment for his current position.
A drunken stepfather tries to tell Mason that how he dresses isn’t as cool in high school as having a good job and a nice car. Constantly there are figures such as the ones I just mentioned in Mason’s life that think they know what’s best for him even though they are still looking for the answers themselves. That’s what’s great about the message of BOYHOOD – there isn’t an easy answer; a set-plan; a specific way to grow from boyhood to… “adulthood” or whatever we want to call it. It’s life. There are complications. Struggles arise. Sometimes there are celebrations. But most of all these are all moments; all connected and yet only existing to complete a bigger picture. When I walked out of BOYHOOD I wasn’t taken back by a specific moment or scene from the film that stuck out to me necessarily more than others. I didn’t recount a specific joke that I laughed out loud at. I only saw the big picture. I saw one long moment. In the dark of the theater I got to know and truly care about individuals and watch them grow before my eyes. Yes, there was a passage of time, but the feeling of getting lost in the moment and letting it wash over you stands out more than anything. BOYHOOD may be labeled as a film, but a more apt description would be an experience. As Ethan Hawke’s father figure responds when Mason inquires about “the point of all this,” it’s as if the whole of the film rests on his response: “You’re feeling things, and that’s what is important.”
Anyone that has seen SLACKER, WAKING LIFE, or the BEFORE SUNRISE series should expect Linklater’s style by now and his inclusion of rambling characters. While I’m partial to his political and social musings, I did feel one or two of Masons monologues towards the last fifth of the film felt mildly heavy-handed and reminiscent of a stereotypical Linklater character. Those unfamiliar with the director’s approach of letting the characters naturally exist on screen might see the 2 hour and 45 minute length to be a bit of a chore to get through. I’d argue though that the time is well spent and absolutely necessary to the point of the film. If you aren’t open to the experience of growing with these characters than you are going to miss out on one of the most rewarding film experiences of 2014. It could be said that this film has a sort of gimmick behind it just by the fact that it was made over a period of 12 years using the same actors. Thankfully the film has a lot more substance than just a long-winded novel idea.
Richard Linklater transports the audience on a journey across ages and shows how small moments in life are connected and carry more significance than we think. You don’t get big moments on screen but are treated to the minor ones that often are more symbolic. You don’t see Mason kiss a girl for the first time but do see him paint over his childhood markings on his bedroom wall after he’s forced to move. You don’t see Mason get his diploma on stage at graduation but see the conversation he has with his best friend after leaving the ceremony. For Mason and most likely in our own lives, it’s the details in these moments that will last longer in our mind than a piece of paper signed by someone who will soon fade from our lives. Over the course of these gathering moments, you become invested in Mason and the other characters to the point that you will wish that you could continue watching their journey. They become family and people that we truly love and care about. Richard Linklater has a way of telling a story that makes you feel like you’re sitting in the room and experiencing these moments that are both cinematic and authentic. BOYHOOD may not have the best line, the most dramatic scene, or the most memorable moment on screen this year, but it just might be the most genuine and unique experience you have in a theater this year.
BOYHOOD is now playing in select cities and opens today in St. Louis at The Tivoli and Plaza Frontenac theaters.
Overall: 5 out of 5
