Boyhood: SXSW 2014 Review

Reviews, Theatrical Reviews

Twelve-year odyssey is also the definitive cinematic portrait of Texas.

Far too often the term visionary is thrown around to describe the merits of a filmmaker undeserving of such praise. However, in the case of Richard Linklater, visionary seems an appropriate descriptor. A director who has dabbled in the mainstream with comedies School of Rock and Bad News Bears, his greatest achievements have been smaller in scale but not in scope.

His debut feature, Slacker, was a day in the life of Austin, Texas residents, particularly the social outcasts who epitomize the state capitol’s unofficial slogan of “Keep Austin Weird.” Linklater would follow that with Dazed and Confused, which chronicled ‘70s teenage youth. Yet his biggest achievement would be his Before trilogy – three films that showed how the passage of time affects and inevitably changes people in profound ways, mainly because of a lack of perspective. In case you didn’t already notice, time and place is a prevailing, if underlying, theme of many of his works.

As momentous as that trilogy is, Linklater outdoes himself with his latest, Boyhood. This is his masterwork. It is thoughtful but presented with ease. Weighty themes come and go but not pushed to the hilt to register a defined emotional response. Moments may make one audience member cry and another laugh for reasons that are difficult to comprehend.

Boyhood is a project that has been twelve years in the making. The genesis is that Linklater wanted to document the growth of a young boy from childhood through adolescence. So starting in 2001, Linklater would reserve time each year to gather his cast to film the story of young boy Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he goes from being a first grader to high school graduate. Linklater had a blueprint in mind, showing the evolution of a child over time as well as drawing on the experiences of Coltrane and the actors around him.

Rather than stand out as a gimmick, believe me when I say the pace of twelve years feels authentic as we see the cast aging and evolving as the film progresses.

Those looking for a traditional three-act structure may be disappointed as Boyhood is more about moments in the lives of Mason and his family. Some incidents are arcane while others remain touchstones in shaping Mason’s views on subjects as far reaching as religion and sex. His parents are divorced from the start. Mason and his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) live with their mother (Patricia Arquette) and are visited on the weekend by their loving, immature father (Ethan Hawke).

In terms of time and changing years Linklater relies not on title cards and instead allows for period-specific songs (from Coldplay’s “Yellow” to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”) to act as pop cultural signifiers to the change in time. It’ll be interesting to see if the songs featured in the SXSW screening will be cleared for its theatrical engagement sometime this summer.

Working with kids is always a difficult proposition for a filmmaker mainly on account that the younger they are the more unseasoned. So for much of the film’s early stages Mason is passive, observing the family dynamic and its single-parent structure. As Mason matures he, along with sister Samantha, become bigger participants. We see first loves and a revolving door of friends as the family moves around. And haircuts. Long and short. But they aren’t the only ones who undergo changes. The mother goes back to school and remarries. Stepchildren are introduced. The part-time dad becomes less of a man-child. Such changes and moments aren’t backed up by commentary. They’re simply observed. It’s all about the ebb and flow of life.

Intentional or not, Boyhood is also a glimpse inside of today’s youth post-9/11. The events of that September morning were transformative with how we – individually and collectively – talk about politics and world affairs. The fact that the film is set in the state of Texas is also not lost. This is illustrated with scenes involving guns and political ideology. As much as Richard Linklater admits the film is universal with its themes it’s hard to ignore the Texas ties. Outsiders may like to view the region as a place where everyone rides a horse to work, or owns a gun, or is Republican, but the land is vast and complex, yet contemporaneous. Still, world audiences will probably be at a loss when watching a scene where young Mason is reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” for both the United States and Texas.

During the time Boyhood was in production Linklater made ten feature films, a TV movie, a short film and a documentary. The decade-long span has also shown how much Linklater has grown as a filmmaker. Now 54, Linklater is more reflective in his storytelling, allowing it to happen organically instead of instigating the action. But without the right set of actors willing to take such a leap of faith in going on this incredible journey the filmmaker is just a man with a camera. Thankfully, then, that the actors involved have performances that come across as effortless. Ellar Coltrane has a natural maturation, obviously, albeit at times there’s a tinge of self-awareness in his character in his early teen years. Special recognition goes to Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke. Both actors deliver career-defining performances as the parents.

At 164 minutes this magnum opus never feels long-winded. If anything I could easily imagine watching this fictional family for four or six hours. Even though we don’t get a grand resolution by the time the proceedings wrap up, we don’t feel deflated or cheated. Observing everyday life is a gift to behold, and thanks to Richard Linklater Boyhood is a cinematic treasure.

Director: Richard Linklater
Writer(s): Richard Linklater
Notable Cast: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Lorelei Linklater

 

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!