Boyhood(2014)
Writer/Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Lorelei Linklater, Ethan Hawke(Gattaca, Training Day, Before trilogy) Patricia Arquette(True Romance, Lost Highway)
"You how everyone's always saying seize the moment? I don't know, I kind of thinking it's the other way around. you know, like the moment seizes us."
There was a lot of buzz about this film before it came out. I was interested in it, of course... what avid film watcher wouldn't wanna see how a film that took twelve year's to make turns out? But I'm not a huge fan of Richard Linklater outside of the Before trilogy. I think he's a great filmmaker, yes, but I find most of his other work essentially boring at the end of the day. Boyhood looked to be much of the same to me so I went in this managing my expectations. And it turned out this film is as good as it could ever be. I never imagined it would've touched me the way it did. The little things that I would've normally considered a flaws are perfectly encompassed by the overall magnitude of the film. Whether it be the acting that may come off as amateur or spurious, the script coming off as ultra-simplistic or the monotonous cinematography. I'm here to tell you that these things only compliment the film as sincere and realistic elements. You have to remember that life isn't perfectly written, framed or acted. This is less of a drama and more a window into everyday life of regular people. Not characters or actors, but real, complicated people in authentic settings in real-time.
I can relate to a handful of the moments in Mason's younger years and since I had somewhat of a unique childhood, I might hold some of those moments more dearly than others who had them as a given. But Mason's teen-to-later-years I could relate to even more. He was in a such dark place then. And I knew exactly how he was feeling at that time. They didn't dig that deep into it, but they do touch on it via an exchange with his girlfriend where she makes note of his gloom and doom attitude towards life then. "Fuck anyone else, I care what I think of me. Which isn't very much right much right now." he says... that right there was me for a long time. At one point I was so engulfed in sadness and self-pity that it felt like that's all I'd ever feel and all I ever wanted to feel. It was like I was in love with despair. It wasn't easy and I didn't do it alone, but I eventually climbed my way out of that trench. I still have my dark moments from time to time, but thankfully, I'm in a much better place now. And I'm a lot more optimistic about my future.
Before watching this for the first time, I had just found out Robin Williams had taken his own life. After witnessing a staple in mine & many others' childhoods pass away in that fashion and experiencing this film, my self-awareness became eerily high. I'm scared and excited for the future. At 21-years-old still I don't know exactly where my life is headed, but like this film's ending, there is promise shown. Film lover or not, this truly is a cinematic feat to be cherished and never forgotten by our generation. Thank you, Richard Linklater for giving us for this work of art that is not only moving, but has moved with us in a significant way. The moment does indeed seize us.
And in honor of Linklater's masterpiece I've compiled a list of other amazing coming-of-age tales
1. The 400 Blows(1959) dir. Francois Truffaut
2. Los Olvidados(1950) dir. Luis Bunuel
3. Fanny & Alexander(1982) dir. Ingmar Bergman
4. The Last Picture Show(1971) dir. Peter Bogdanovich
5. Tree of Life(2011) dir. Terrence Malick
6. Y Tu Mama Tambien(2001) dir. Alfonso Cuaron
7. Crooklyn(1994) dir. Spike Lee
8. Stand By Me(1984) dir. Rob Reiner
9. The Graduate(1967) dir. Mike Nichols
10. Paper Moon(1973) dir. Peter Bogdanovich
11. Pixote(1981) dir. Hector Babenco
12. City of God(2002) dir. Fernando Meirelles, Katia Lund
13. Almost Famous(2000) dir. Cameron Crowe
14. Dazed and Confused(1993) dir. Richard Linklater
15. The Sandlot(1993) dir. David M. Evans
Extended List Here
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