ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
November 6, 2014 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 9
Lost Film Presents:
Logotype provided by Universal Studios to forget that these are not real people. By Sara Bretz SAB LOST FILMS EXECUTIVE
A
lmost every review of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood describes the film as, “groundbreaking” and that is exactly what it is. Filmed over a 12-year period with the same cast, Boyhood follows a child named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from kindergarten through his first day at college. As the audience watches Mason grow, they also follow his mother, Olivia (Patricia Arquette) pull her life together, his father, Mason Sr. (Ethan Hawke) finally ground himself, and his sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater)
come into her own identity. One of the most wonderful things about this film is how real it is. Obviously, a huge contributor to that feeling is that we see each of these characters age naturally over the course of the film. However, it also breaks the typical plot pattern of most films. This is not to say that nothing happens in this film; it just seems so real and natural that you do not think of events as a series of plot points. This is simply a film about being a child and being a parent. It is so raw and honest that it almost has the feel of a documentary because of the tendency
Linklater started the project in 2002 and continued each year by gathering the cast together for a three- or fourday shoot to film 10-15 minute short films for each year of their lives. These tiny glimpses into every year show each character physically and emotionally growing up. It is a beautiful look into how we all age and mature, as demonstrated by this cast and Linklater’s simple and clean, yet striking, compositions.
“You DON' T
want bumpers.
There are many aspects to this film that connect the audience with Mason on his journey into adulthood. Linklater uses music from the year each specific section was filmed to pull the audience in and deeply connect them with Mason’s experience at that point in his life. Interestingly enough, Mason’s years of growing up align perfectly with those of a college freshman. As students, our experiences align with his year by year. Linklater also includes time-specific references to political campaigns, Harry Potter, and the advancement of technology to guide the audience without having to resort to explicit time markers segmenting each year.
LIFE DOESN
’T
give yo u bumpers,
Coltrane’s portrayal of Mason pulls on the heartstrings of viewers. Not only are we watching a little boy grow up, but also we are watching ourselves grow up. As we see Mason struggle to succeed despite his past experiences, we root for him because he becomes part of us. We root for Olivia as she finds who she wants to be and how to balance being a single parent and learning to love herself. We root for Mason Sr. as he learns how to be an adult and how to be the ‘cool-dad’ while being responsible and loving. Boyhood portrays us through each intricate scene.
Photo provided by IMDB
”
Earning an 8.7 on IMDb, a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and 100% on Metacritic (only accomplished by one other film entitled Best Kept Secret, a documentary with a total of four reviews), Boyhood will bring you on a journey through your past and through the past of those you love. This film is a reminder to allow each moment to grab you, because they will not last forever. Boyhood is playing this weekend at Parmer Cinema.