Boyhood (2014)

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Richard Linklater's Boyhood is a true cinematic treasure.  Nothing like it has been created before.  The film is like a home video that's been placed into a time capsule and re-discovered a decade later.  Set to a soundtrack that spans the evolution of the film's main character/actor (Mason, portrayed by Ellar Coltrane), we watch as he grows from age 5 to 18.  We see pivotal moments in his life as well as the seemingly mundane, all given equal importance and weight by Linklater.  Perhaps some impact us as viewers more than others because we are reminded of a similar experience we had in our own childhood.  Not only does Mason grow and change before our eyes, but all the other "characters" around him do as well: parents marry or divorce or re-marry, friends come and go, relationships blossom then fade, siblings fight then forgive, and people you meet along the way shape your life in their own way, too.  I find Ethan Hawke (who plays Mason's dad) to be an immensely likable and believable actor, and he doesn't disappoint here.  His performance (along with Patricia Arquette and Lorelei Linklater) are just as breakthrough as Ellar Coltrane and worthy of high praise.

The film naturally works on so many levels.  It has the scope (and runtime at 2 hrs 45 minutes) of an epic.  It has the "real life" atmosphere of a documentary (and really is almost a hybrid documentary/fiction, capturing the evolution of its actors).  It has the emotional resonance of the best American dramas.  It has comedy, nostalgia, beautiful cinematography, and a killer soundtrack (yes, featuring the timeless Soulja Boy's "Crank That").  Upon repeat viewings, I'd be curious viewings to pay closer attention to how Linklater shot the film in terms of shot choices and camera movements.  My supposition was that he used more handheld camera work as Mason got older, discovered his self more so, and became more in control of his life (think of the last moments of the film).

Boyhood is the kind of movie that makes you sad it has to end.  Maybe it reminds us of a forgotten time when we were growing up and experiencing the world for the first time.  But as the movie suggests, it's not the movie (or the growing up) that's over.  It's a series of moments that combine to form our lives.  One moment is over, and now it's time for the next to begin.

Rating: obvious 5/5, absolutely beautiful