I'm sure you've heard about this movie written and directed by Richard Linklater.
(Special note to readers over 65. Your mind has just flashed to Art Linkletter and you're wondering if he's dead or alive. He's dead. He died in 2010 at the age of 98.)
We saw Boyhood yesterday at our little gem of an art theater, the Enzian.
We got to sit in my favorite Enzian seat, the couch on the main floor. Not the angled ones but one of two that look straight on.
Boyhood has received fantastic ratings from just about every reviewer including Rotten Tomatoes which has given it an unprecedented rating of 99. The big deal about the film is that it was filmed over a span of twelve years depicting a fictional story about a boy named Mason and staring a boy named Ellar Coltrane playing Mason. Both Mason and Ellar age from 6 to 18 over the twelve year period.
But, since the filming was actually done over a twelve year period, all of the actors age. Patricia Arquette who plays the mom goes from being a sexy, thin blond with long hair to a matronly looking teacher with short hair. The dad, played by Ethan Hawke, looks better at then end. (The young Ethan Hawke always looked a little too edgy for me.) The sister, played by Richard Linklater's real daughter, Lorelei Linklater, goes from being a bratty/smart little girl to a calmed down, attractive young adult.
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| Ellar/Mason all grown up |
Boyhood is a brilliant, innovative film about a boy who has kind of a humdrum but sometimes miserable, sometimes terrifying life. Much like the way some of us grew up. One of the best things about the movie is that it makes us ask ourselves some questions.
Is Mason's life unusual or is this how most of America lives these days?
What does this teach me about my past and future?
Warning: Boyhood is almost three hours long. Way past my two hour limit. But I stuck it out. After all, I was sitting on my favorite couch at the Enzian.
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