BOYHOOD (2014) – My rating: 7/10

There is so much hype around Boyhood that I couldn’t wait to see it.  Now that I’ve seen it, I honestly don’t know what all hype is about.  Boyhood is a nostalgic look at Richard Linklater’s childhood between the ages of 5 and 18.  Richard is also the writer, director and producer of  Boyhood.  Personally, I found it a little slow and a little boring.  Boyhood’s claim to fame is that it was filmed over a period of 12 years.  This means the characters, no matter what age, are the same actors/actresses the movie started out with.  Basically, I don’t feel Boyhood offers anything earth shattering that would make me happy about spending 12+ bucks to see it.  I also think the movie is too long (2 hours, 44 minutes) for this type of flat, coming of age story.  The film begins in  2002, Texas and is about Samantha and Mason, played by Lorelei Linklater and Ellar Coltrane, respectively growing up with their mom, Olivia (Patricia Arquette) in a single family environment.`Ethan Hawke, who plays their dad eventually makes himself available to his children with weekend activities and holiday events.  Samantha and Mason experience some bumps and grinds growing up but nothing too dramatic.  Olivia remarried, returned to school and earned a BA, found a job teaching then divorced again.  The family moved multiple times to accommodate the current status of the family.   NOTE:  Lorelei Linklater is the actual daughter of Richard Linklater.  IMDB shows Boyhood rated 8.3, which means the audience really likes this movie.  This critique reflects my opinion only.  I’m glad it’s out on DVD for those who want to see Boyhood.

[BOYHOOD is nominated for Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay (Writing), Film Editing]