Saturday, September 6, 2014

Boyhood Review

     Richard Linklater is one of the most unappreciated, and talented American directors working right know. Known for his movies like "Dazed and Confused," "Slacker," "School of Rock," "Bernie," and the "Before" trilogy ("Before Sunrise," Before Sunset," and "Before Midnight"), his unique and engaging style has produced some of the best American movies from the 90s to today; but in 2002, he started his most ambitious project yet. He decided that he was going to film a movie over the period of 12 years. Using the same actors throughout filming, he wanted to show the growth of a young boy up until he goes off for college. Garnering little attention until very recently, the movie first made waves at this year's Sundance film festival and earned more attention and awards at other film festivals in the following months. Once the embargo on reviews for the film ended, critical acclaim doesn't even describe the reviews for this movie. So after waiting patiently I finally got to see it, and it is nothing short of a masterpiece.
   Starting out in the year 2002, "Boyhood" follows the life of a young boy named Mason Jr. from the first grade all the way until college. Mason was born into a tough life; his parents were pretty young when they had him and his sister, his parents also had a divorce a few years before the events of the movie even happen. Mason's mom is pretty high strung; she works a dead end job because she was never able to finish her education and can't seem to date anyone who is any good. Mason's dad is a care free man who was living in Alaska until he moved back to Texas to see his kids more often. Throughout the film, we see Mason go through the trials and tribulations of growing up. Whether it be more common events like moving at a young age and going to a school where you don't know anyone, or tougher things like having to go several years with an abusive step father. In "Boyhood" we see a transformation, not just Mason but all these characters as time moves on and things change; and it is something special to see them find themselves and figure out who they are.
     I'll go ahead and say it, this movie is absolutely stupendous in every way; start to finish this a one of a kind cinematic achievement. This movie is filled with great actors; every person pulls their weight and adds something. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke play the parents and do a fantastic job; I wouldn't be surprised if either of them were up for supporting roll Oscars. But the real stars of the show are Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater who play Mason Jr. and his sister. Both give some of the best performances as children I've ever seen, and it is actually really interesting to see them get better as the film goes on when they are getting older. The screenplay is gold and will likely be up for an Oscar, it manages to be funny and heart-wrenching while at the same time telling a very realistic story. One thing that truly resonated with me was that this movie managed to strike a chord on a person level. The actor who plays Mason Jr. is my age, so I was going through some of the experiences at the same time. It adds an extra level of depth that I think a lot of people can actually relate to. The movie is also shot beautifully; it's done in a subtle way that makes you feel you are right there with the character. I really have to commend this movie on its production; the scope of the film is just epic. It's hard to believe that they spent twelve years shooting a single movie, it nothing else that is just downright impressive. Everything great this movie does can be attributed to one man, Richard Linklater. He directed, wrote, and cast the film and made sure that it turned out great. It's been a long time since I've seen a director take such control of his movie, it's obvious he had a vision and did an incredible job making sure that it happened. In every review I do I always make sure to point out the good and the bad, but I can't do that for this one; I can't think of anything the movie did wrong. I'm sitting through a nearly three hour coming of age drama; I can't say definitively what it does wrong. It managed to grab my interest and keep me interested for the entire time. "Boyhood" is great; it is as simple as that. From the acting, to the writing, to the film's ambition, it is something special. This is a movie that will be studied in film classes and be remembered for years to come. Whether you are someone likes me who sees a ton of movies or just a few a year, this is a must see. There are three certainties in life, death, taxes, and "Boyhood" being on my top ten list at the end of the year. 

Pros: Fantastic acting, some of the best child performances ever, Oscar worthy directing, Oscar worthy screenplay, beautiful cinematography, realistic, struck a chord on a personal level, epic in scope, can be funny and heart-wrenching, always keeps you interested, one of a kind film, a true cinematic achievement.
Cons: ???

5/5 Stars

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