Courtesy of IFC Productions

By Jodi Sterling
New York, N.Y.

In his newest feature, writer and director Richard Linklater captures the life of a typical American kid — from dealing with his older sister annoyingly singing Britney Spears to consuming mushrooms on his first day of college. Linklater’s independent film “Boyhood” is a drama that follows a boy through his 12-year journey from childhood to adulthood.

The film tracks Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he grows up with his struggling mother, Olivia (Patricia Arquette) and his obnoxious sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). Throughout the film, Mason comes face-to-face with many challenges as he tries to figure out the meaning of this thing called life. As Mason grows from year to year, the viewer sees a realistic perspective of a young kid growing up in America, and the ups and downs that go along with it. Continue reading →

By Johnny Flores Jr.
Coachella, Calif.

Filmed over the course of 12 years and utilizing the same cast, director Richard Linklater’s movie “Boyhood” has finally arrived and it does not disappoint.

The movie takes the audience on a captivating journey through the eyes of the main character, Mason (Ellar Coltrane), from his boyhood into adulthood. Alongside Coltrane, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette star as Mason’s parents with Lorelei Linklater featured as Mason’s sister, Samantha.

As we journey with Mason, we experience key moments in his life, such as moving from house to house and constantly transferring schools. Linklater relies on the audience to experience these moments for themselves rather than overdramatizing his characters. Consequently, some critics claim that the lack of emotion makes the characters dull, but instead this strategy illustrates Linklater’s innovation by allowing the audience to determine their own reaction to the events in Mason’s life. Continue reading →

Courtesy of IFC Productions

By Nathan Phan
Rosemead, Calif.

Despite telling a boy’s story from youth to maturity, “Boyhood” exaggerates the journey of growing up and, thus, fails to be memorable because of its reliance on nostalgia.

Featuring a child whose transition to manhood is impeded by trauma, “Boyhood” follows the life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who begins his journey as an introverted child with his mother, Olivia (Patricia Arquette), and his sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater). As his mother struggles to establish a sense of stability and his father, Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke), attempts to atone for his failures, the audience is coerced to enter Mason’s life. Continue reading →

Courtesy of IFC Productions

By Ashley Nava
El Paso, T.X.

The movie theater is a darkroom, and much like a photograph, the characters develop from the negatives before our eyes. The movie “Boyhood,” filmed over the course of 12 years by Richard Linklater, has revolutionized cinematic storytelling.

Told through the eyes of Mason, Jr. (Ellar Coltrane), Linklater modified the film’s script each year to accommodate changing events during the filming process. This groundbreaking method presents “Boyhood” as a literal coming-of-age film.

We see the film through Mason’s eyes, between the ages of 5 and 18. Throughout the film, Mason’s mother (Patricia Arquette) cycles in and out of abusive relationships. They move from place to place as she tries to improve their quality of life. Continue reading →