Boyhood

When portraying teenage boys, writers often miss the mark on how we think and act, usually putting us into a box, dramatizing certain stereotypes while limiting the substance of the character. Boyhood is the exception. Its portrait of the pivotal moments of growing up is undeniably realistic and genuinely moving.

Mason is a multidimensional teenager with depth, and he is always evolving. The development of each character is so expertly executed because of the innovative way that the movie was created and shot. Linklater intentionally chose two first-time child actors and modeled the characters on their actual lives, capturing how they matured in real life over the course of 12 summers.

The amateurish nature of the cast doesn’t hinder the potential of the movie, but adds to its  realism. Ellar Coltrane perfectly captures the frailty of growing up as a shy, unconventional boy as Mason, and he gives a sterling performance that culminates with his entry into college. He brings a teenage-like curiosity to his character and has reactions and conversations that are reminiscent of true adolescence, understanding when to be quiet and when not to be.

Watching Mason develop throughout each stage of his childhood into adulthood creates a powerful connection between him and the audience; his character is easy to relate to, in part because of his introspective nature. The way that he maneuvers about his familiar yet challenging childhood is redolent of the ways that many kids deal with their difficulties. Moving back and forth between his parents’ disconnected lives, he seems to surrender to his situation. Even when he’s put into dangerous situations, such as when his stepfather drunkenly smashes a whiskey glass on the dinner table, he only reflects upon his experiences in hindsight. When faced with being a witness of his mother’s abuse, he is hesitant to take action until she does so, replicating the innate thought process of a child in a similar situation.

As his vulnerable yet ever-evolving mother, Patricia Arquette earned her Oscar for playing Olivia Evans, a woman who poses thought-provoking, existential questions about her life and her kids while imploring the audience to feel for her. She questions the relevance of specific moments in time and reflects on how life is just a series of milestones.

Mason’s sister Samantha delivers an endearing performance as she illustrates the uncertainties of being an older sibling, and the responsibilities that come with that. As a younger sibling myself, her performance nudged me to reflect on the ways that my older brother acted when we were younger; I connected similarities between the two that I now assume must be somewhat universal.

The way that the movie is directed is not very flashy, which suits the story. It is meant to be grounded as it follows the narrative and arc of the feelings behind the characters as time passes. Watching Boyhood is comparable to watching an entire childhood unfold in front of you as you watch with a familiarity and attentiveness unlike any other movie. The lack of cinematic aesthetics paired with the naturalistic writing style combine to create a very original, genuine feel to the movie — as though the actors were just told to react accordingly to any given line, even though there were very few instances where the actors improvised. It is uncommon to find dialogue that is this realistic.