Boyhood

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Richard Linklater’s film “Boyhood” opens in a lot of markets tomorrow. My wife and I saw a preview showing Tuesday, and my adult daughter attended another preview a few weeks ago that included a Q&A with Linklater and Ellar Coltrane, the film’s star. All of us – and pretty much everyone who has written about the film – agree that it is stunning on many levels. I think that almost any adult whose interests match up with the discussions on this site would find the film fascinating and moving. I really recommend seeing it.</p>

<p>For those of you who haven’t been hit by the tsunami of publicity, this is a film that was made over 12 years, filming about a week per year on (comparatively) a shoestring budget, using mainly non- or barely-professional actors, many of whom are continuing characters who age over the course of the movie. The central characters are a boy who is in first grade when the film begins and at his first day of college when it ends, and his older sister and divorced parents. The only real plot is that everyone – parents and children – grows up during those years, although “growing up” turns out not to have an end point. It is full of recognizable, realistic, and moving interactions between children and parents or teachers, and among children. Some of these are cringeworthy, others just right. Like in real life. Notwithstanding the absence of plot, and being over 2-1/2 hours long, the film completely held my attention, and didn’t drag until the last few scenes. (A whiny end to high school and pre-college summer could have been represented more economically.)</p>

<p>Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke play the parents – beautifully, especially in Arquette’s case – and are the only really recognizable actors in the film. However, a kid who appears only in one scene seemed really familiar to me, and after the movie ended I learned it was Nick Krause, who played Drew’s college roommate on Parenthood and the boyfriend George Clooney punches in The Descendents. All of that happened some years after his scene in this movie was filmed – what is onscreen here is what he looked like when he was really 17, not a twenty-something playing a teen.</p>

2

<p>I wholeheartedly agree. I found it to be extremely moving in a way I hadn’t expected. </p>

3

<p>I have heard about Boyhood and would love to see it. I don’t go see many movies or watch many at home, but this has struck a chord with me. I think I like that it is “real” - it’s like a research project/subject in action. Thanks for the reminder that it opens this weekend. </p>

4

<p>Oh, JHS, I am so glad you posted this. I have been resisting doing so because I loved this film so much that it borders on the fanatical. It’s so rare for something to be “new” in film that doesn’t involve CGI or a special effect. I could go on and on, but I will spare everyone.</p>

5

<p>We saw it Saturday night - LOVED, LOVED IT!! We raved so much about it that both our kids and their girlfriends ran to see it too.</p>

<p>Word of caution if you don’t like spoilers: DON’T read too many reviews. I read some after I saw it and was surprised by how much information about the story was given away. I would have been bummed to know that information prior to seeing the film. </p>

6

<p>Thanks for the review. I had seen something about it, but had thought it was a documentary filmed over a long period of time. Will have to check it out.</p>

7

<p>Is this not being shown in typical movie theaters? Not finding it here in town at the local group of theaters. </p>

8

<p>I agree about not knowing too much going in. But I’ve been reading/watching interviews ever since I saw it this past weekend. For those who have seen it, here’s my favorite. I love how Ethan Hawke says if you don’t get this movie, you must be a bad person.
<a href=“DP/30: Boyhood, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette - YouTube”>DP/30: Boyhood, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette - YouTube;

<p>We can link to youtube now, right?</p>

9

<p>Simply can’t wait. </p>

10

<p>I can’t wait to see this movie ever since reading about it last week when it opened at a few theaters here in the Los Angeles area. It’s opening at some more theaters tomorrow, but still isn’t showing at that many–mostly at what I call “art house” theaters, with just a handful of regular theaters. Fortunately, one of the theaters it’s showing at is fairly close to where I live, but since we’re going on vacation this weekend, I’m going to have to wait another week to see it!</p>

11

<p>Where and When you can see Boyhood - not anywhere near me for a couple of weeks - and even then, an hour away or so…</p>

<p><a href=“Find Out When and Where You Can See Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood’”>http://thefilmstage.com/news/find-out-when-and-where-you-can-see-richard-linklaters-boyhood/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Bummer!</p>

12

<p>Saw it at the Nantucket Film Festival last month–amazing film. Definitely worth making an effort to see it.</p>

13

<p>I am so anxious to see this film. I am tempted to make a little trip to Nashville to visit D and see it there. It will be forever before we get it in my city. Thanks all for sharing the positive feedback.</p>

14

<p>No spoilers here.
I had an opportunity to see both Boyhood and Chef this week, and I cannot stop talking about them both. </p>

<p>Here are two films that are heart driven, with really good story-telling and (for the most part) very good acting. </p>

<p>Boyhood:
The pure brilliance of shooting a film with the same cast over a 12 year period is something that resonated with me, as I have been a huge fan of the 7-Up series of documentaries (and I can’t help think that Richard Linklater may be as well, with his “Before Sunrise”, “Before Sunset”, and “Before Midnight” series; and now Boyhood).</p>

<p>Boyhood made me laugh, cry, squirm, and sigh, and all without thinking (not even once) that I wish the film would be over soon. In fact, I hope with the success of this film that Linklater is doing it again, right now, with “Manhood” reflecting on the next 12 years of this family, which are equally (if not more) transformative than the first. </p>

<p>Chef:
My only criticism of this film was the cheesy ending, but I’ve already forgiven Jon Favreau for it because the rest was just right.</p>

<p>I grew up in the hospitality industry, and up until 20 years ago worked in front of the house as well as behind, for some household named chefs (think Wolfgang Puck and John Sedlar, along with a very well known So Cal female chef). Chef (the film) is EXACTLY what the industry is like, tantrums and all. I have been out of the industry so I have no idea what the food truck world is like, but have actually fantasized about starting one! </p>

<p>Robert Downey Jr. is a riot in his mini role, and the boy who plays Chef’s son (Emjay Anthony) is a natural. His eyes told HIS story. I think the only misstep in casting is Sophia Vergara. I didn’t buy her character. </p>

<p>If you like films with a heart and aren’t looking for shoot-em-ups and big noisy films, these should be on your “go see” list.</p>

15

<p>My take on Boyhood is that if it were shot in the ordinary way, with actors aged with makeup and young child actors replaced by older ones, it would be a solid, relatively small film about people growing up. There would be pressure to cut its length to closer to 2 hours - from 2’45" - which would reduce the story by a lot by removing so much detail. But because these are the same people over 12 years, the ordinariness becomes extraordinary. </p>

<p>It is in no way just about the boy, Mason. It could be called Family. Patricia Arquette is now 46 and Ethan Hawke is 43. When the film was shot, they were 33 and 30 - though of course as skinny actors of that age they play younger (about 23 or so, you sort of find out). They age. They both go through major life transformations. And Mason’s sister, Sam, played by the director’s daughter, begins as an 8 year old singing Britney Spears and ends as a college sophomore with a real life of her own. </p>

<p>Because it is the same people, because the movie is long enough, it brings enough detail to each character’s life that you feel they are more real. A lot more real. </p>

<p>And as one minor character says, maybe it’s not that you seize the moment but that the moment seizes you.</p>

16

<p>I am going to see this movie and And So It Goes.</p>

17

<p>Another positive review here – my husband and I saw “Boyhood” this week and loved it. I thought it had a documentary feel to it, not solely on account of the aging cast, but also because of the refreshing absence of a contrived Hollywood plot. JHS, thanks for the Nick Krause identification. I couldn’t place him and it was driving me crazy.</p>

18

<p>I’m so anxious to see it.</p>

19

<p>Me too. Can’t wait - but guess I have to!</p>

20

<p>Based on this thread, I went to see it tonight. Enjoyed it tremendously. Worst part - its length. I needed to go to the bathroom, but didn’t want to miss anything!</p>