Boyhood

4 out of 4 stars

There are few films this year that have made me both laugh and cry and Richard Linklater's Boyhood is one of those films. Boyhood focuses on the life of Mason and his family over the course of 12 years, which is how long it took Linklater to film, and charting the ebbs and flows of his life: parental separation, his first love, and his first day of college. During the 12 year journey, Linklater chronicles the major events of the last decade (Iraq, the rise in social media, the 2008 election) with subtlety rather than being a major plot point a la Forrest Gump or an episode of The Wonder Years. Combining the wanderlust style of his previous works (Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and Waking Life), Linklater's two hour and forty-five minute epic cuts against the grain of the generic, bloated, coming-of-age films with a visual style and story that is ambitious as it is original.

An  unknown actor from Texas who was 7 when he started the film and 19 when he finished, Ellar Coltrane is amazing as Mason as he gives a genuine and authentic performance. Patricia Arquette gives an incredible performance as Mason's mother as she deals with the hardships of being a single mother and her own journey in providing for her two children. Her performance is reminiscent of Ellen Burstyn's leading role in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore as she does what she can to find happiness for herself and her family. Ethan Hawke gives his best performance as Mason's father who acts as a cathartic release for Mason and the tribulations he faces during his ascent into adulthood while Mason's father grows up as well. Richard Linklater's own daughter, Lorelei, gives an incredible performance as Mason's sister, Samantha.

Boyhood is a film that focuses more on the journey than the destination with a freewheeling style of storytelling that will leave you stunned and holding back tears of sorrow and joy. In short, Richard Linklater has created a masterpiece.