Boyhood has been picking up accolades left and right since its debut at Sundance last year, including the award for Best Motion Picture - Drama at the Golden Globes. It seems, however, that often critics and "normal" viewers differ when it comes to determining whether a movie is good or not. Case in point: The King's Speech won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2011; I had to watch the movie in intervals, is was that boring to me.
I was hopeful about Boyhood because it was not only getting critical attention but praise from regular viewers. And now I see why. Boyhood is perhaps one of the most interesting, compelling films I've seen in years.
Boyhood was shot over the span of twelve years. We watch as Mason Junior and his sister Samantha grow up in Texas primarily raised by their single working mother (Patricia Arquette) and their spontaneous, often absent father (Ethan Hawke). The story deals with big issues like abuse and divorce but also the normal everyday stuff that most kids face like bullying and first-time heartbreak. Though the story was written by Linklater, he altered the story to fit his actors as they grew which is perhaps why the story seems so real. Often independent films rely on the "realness" of reality to give a film depth and often they fall short. Boyhood does not. Watching the characters, old and young, transform before your eyes is as real as it gets.
Precise editing is perhaps the most important reason this movie is as good as it is. The scenes are perfectly timed, no part of the movie seeming like it goes on for too long. Another reason the film is so good is the performances. Ellar Coltrane who portrays Mason Junior and Ethan Hawke both give worthy performances, but it is Patricia Arquette who really shines. Her performance as the mom just trying to get it right is often heartbreaking but perhaps the best, and ironically most joyful, performance in the film.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Boyhood a 9. I've thought about this movie many times since I watched it, and I know I'll still think about it for years to come. It's that good.
You can get Boyhood (rated R) at Redbox right now. So, what are your favorite movies out right now? What one should I review next? Let me know in the comments section below. :)
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