Theodor Geisel, better known as legendary author Dr. Seuss said “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.” Boyhood is a rare film about what life is that completely follows that quote. There may never be another film that is more true to life, or more beautiful about the wonder of existing than writer-director Richard Linklater's groundbreaking drama. This is a stunning, breathtaking, marvelous film from the first frame to the last. The film also has a daring premise, which gives the fact that the overall outcome is so wonderful that much more weight. This is a film that should be seen at least once by everybody. Although it deals with a lot of mature themes, I think the best audience to experience this film are young people. I'm talking 4-12 years old here. This is the kind of film that will open up the mind of young ones and will allow them to get an early start on figuring out what their life may become.
The film stars newcomer Ellar Coltrane in a breakthrough performance as Mason, a normal kid who goes through the ups and downs of everyday life as he attempts to find out what his purpose is. These include a bothersome sister (Lorelei Linklater,) his messed up and resentful to one another parents (Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette,) and even an abusive step dad (Marco Perella.) The great thing about all of these events is that all of them are universal and none are done in the fashion one would expect from a film.
The script proves to be much more than just a series of events from a childhood. By gathering all of these seemingly insignificant pieces of a life together, Linklater has brilliantly shown what growing up is like. It's not fun, as much as most people like to think so at a young age. It involves more and more work as time goes on and one's perspective of the world changes as they grow up. As a youngster, people see the world as a series of events that they are simply observing. However, once people get older, they realize that, unfortunately, a lot of those events, even the terrible ones have a direct correlation to them. This stringing together of these moments brilliant portray what it's like to be young and ambitious only to discover it takes a lot more than simply trying. It takes time, energy, dedication, self motivation and even a lot of luck.
The film works as a time capsule as well. It's cool to see a film in 2014 where kids are riding skateboards and bikes to the long gone rap hit "Soulja Boy Tell 'Em." Also, the acting is phenomenal. Coltrane plays the character of Mason incredibly well, giving him depth and heart that the audience never could have imagined such a normal person could have. He transcends the normality of Mason and turns him into someone extremely fascinating and very special. Hawke and Arquette give nomination worthy work as the parents who can't seem to get their own lives straight. Linklater's daughter, Lorelei is wonderful as the sister who cares a lot about Mason, even if she doesn't have the best way of showing it. Perella is especially nomination worthy, giving a creepy performance as Mason's abusive step dad. Perella makes the audience believe that the character is in the theater with them.
Many other characters pop up through Mason's journey and none of them are looked down upon by Linklater. Even when the audience is under the impression that Linklater is going to point his finger at them and laugh, he does no such thing. For example, Mason's boss at a fast food restaurant is goofy but also genuinely sweet and caring. Another good example are two older teens that Mason and his friend hang out with. At first, it seems these teens will be mean and abusive to Mason and his pal. However, they turn out to be teens who just like joking around with the two to make them feel welcome. This kind of underplaying and remarkable insignificance is what makes Boyhood the most beautiful film anyone is likely to see all year, if not for the rest of the decade.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for language including sexual references, and for teen drug and alcohol use)
**Note: As with the recently released documentary Life Itself, the MPAA has continued to stupidly make films that deal with mature themes rated R while shoot em up action films and mind numbing thrillers get the PG-13 treatment. As with Life Itself and as previously mentioned, Boyhood is a film that will inspire all ages to want to do a lot with their lives and be better people. Apparently, all the MPAA cares about is whether or not it will affect box office scores, or so it seems given their track record. Shame on you, MPAA.
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