Whenever I think of “Boyhood”, I cannot help but be reminded of a dialogue from another understated beauty named “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, which pretty much sums “Boyhood” up, stating:
“Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.”
And Richard Linklater has forever made films which in which simple yet beautiful moments intertwine instead of plot points to create an output which a viewer can feel intimate with. His films often converse with the audience more than tell a story; “Slacker” spoke to the misfits of the world, “Dazed and Confused” spoke to teens, whereas the “Before Trilogy” spoke to the lovers with minimal schmaltz. “Boyhood” trumps them all and has some words for everyone.
“Boyhood” shows vignettes from 12 years in the life of Mason Evans Jr. and those around him, as he grows from a musing 6-year old boy who has just figured out where wasps came from to a pensive 18-year old fresh into college, already aware about a thing or two in his life.
The transformation does not at one moment appear ludicrous. One can almost predict that the curious child will grow up to be a soft-spoken, rational adult who is a little wiser than his years. The reason for such a humane transitive feeling is the utmost dedication of Linklater, who chose to be inspired by true life instead of taking the well-trodden path of inspiration from other films, even though it meant actually shooting the film in bits over a period of 12 years.
The consequence is a film devoid of any cinematic clichés. Instead of the quintessential high school drama, the all-too-perfect girl falling for the nerd who then becomes popular, a party adventure gone wrong and such infinite overused subplots, “Boyhood” opts for the joltingly realistic and unconventional. It focuses on vignettes which appear refreshingly random and mundane but make a viewer feel intimate with the characters. The human flaws in each character makes them all the more tactile. Mason Jr. (or MJ as his father affectionately calls him) isn’t perfect. Hell, he is often too gloomy or too brash or even a little narcissistic at times. But he’s real. Relatable. And that’s where “Boyhood” hits the bull’s eye.
A movie of this kind leans on its actors to deliver, and “Boyhood” scores maximum points across the board in this department too. Ellar Coltrane captures all of MJ’s quirks and musings from the get-go. Lorelei Linklater who plays MJ’s sister gives us periodic glimpses into her own growth and helps the film show certain snippets of ‘girlhood’.
Ethan Hawke who plays Mason Sr. is one of Linklater’s go-to actors. And for good reason. He plays the part of a caring albeit slightly reckless father who grows to learn responsible behavior over the years deftly. His conversations with Ellar on love, life and everything in between are some of film’s most enriching bits.
But the Numero Uno performance in the film is undisputedly by Patricia Arquette. Her portrayal of Mason Jr’s mother Olivia brings a hint of drama to the table, although never going overboard. She plays the loving-but-strict-for-their-own-good-but-mostly-cool kind of single (occasionally remarried) mother whose biggest priority in life is her children with utmost sincerity. Her character faces the most and grows the most amongst all in “Boyhood”. (The Academy compensated her well for the trouble though).
In this era of mega-budget superhero franchises, “Boyhood” is a breath of fresh air. A grounded yet remarkable attempt, it is a coming-of-age film for all ages.
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