The life of a young man, Mason, from age 5 to age 18.
Beautifully told and performed, Boyhood is a sombre, charismatic masterpiece.
Given the fractured nature of the shoot, the film is remarkably fluent, and fortunate that young Ellar Coltrane is mostly an intriguing focus.
The punishing length aside, it’s a triumphant experimental film that offers a unique cinematic one-off.
Linklater’s beautiful film is an extraordinary achievement — tender, funny, wise and wistful, full of warmth and humanity.
Wistful, nostalgic and judged to perfection.
Extraordinary in form, ‘ordinary’ in content, Boyhood is ambitious, intimate and unforgettable. It might just be the apex of Linklater’s life’s work.
Seems so affecting and so truthful in spite of its slow-burning, episodic storytelling.
It is one of the great films of the decade.
Boyhood is a lovely, beautiful thing and easily one of the best American films of the year.
Boyhood contains a whole young lifetime's worth of joy and disappointment and things in between, and in just the right proportions.
This is filmmaking almost as a living document, completely in the moment but fully cognisant of how precious those moments might turn out to be.
While other directors may appear to be looking at their characters, Linklater seems to be looking with them, sharing in their hopes and dreams, encouraging and allowing us to do the same.
Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette interview: Growing up in public
Richard Linklater and Ellar Coltrane: 'Making Boyhood was a dear process'
Richard Linklater
General release. Check local listings for show times.