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 →