Boyhood
Dir: Richard Linklater
2014
****
Richard Linklater's Boyhood, which is 12 years in the making, has had its fair share of praise and criticism. Many have claimed that it is fairly shallow and watching young Mason (Ellar Coltrane) grow from boy to adult is nothing more than a gimmick. I think this is unfair, surely anything tried for the first time is a gimmick!? While I can understand why people might feel a little underwhelmed considering the hype, I do wonder if they have missed what is so great about it, and that is its wonderful simplicity. Mason's Boyhood is nothing like mine, this is a personal journey after all, but then there are many aspects of adolescence I can relate to. The film is at its best when Richard Linklater lets things happen naturally. Early attempts at a story (the part of the film whereby Patricia Arquette's character marries a lecturer who turns into a drunk) are less convincing than the kid's reactions and how they interact with one another. In short, this is close to being a reality film rather than a scripted story. There is an organic element to this film that I believe is 100% original and well worth celebrating. While it isn't a perfect film by any means, it is a great achievement and a real one of a kind.