MY METHOD OF WORKING pt9

Boyhood (2014)

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Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014)

Genre –
Drama (IMDb)
Richard Linklater Film History – (25 Films)
Known for –
Before Sunset (2004) (Want to watch)
Boyhood (2014)
Before Midnight (2013) (Want to watch)
Dazed and Confused (1993) (Want to watch)
Actors –
Ellar Coltrane – Mason
Patricia Arquette – Mom
Lorelei Linklater – Samantha
Ethan Hawke – Dad

My View / Critique

I was writing an essay and thought I would watch this at the same time – my essay didn’t get done. I was totally engulfed in this film. It blew me away. I found myself becoming personally attached with the characters. I was transfixed. Watching the characters age just blew my mind. The concept of this film it so very cool and so very addicting to watch.

Ethan Hawke felt so real to me. His performance felt very real and I loved his advice to the kids throughout the years… It’s stuff I wanted to hear when I was young. It was an understandable film and very relatable. Mason’s acting was just so consistent – even though he was growing older, he was never that different to what he started off like. With the 12 years difference – everything related and everything shown related to final character resolution. Watching Patricia becoming older sort of blew me away – how her was shorter, and body shape changed. All characters had different journeys and each one I could recognise with something throughout my childhood.

The way it was filmed – was equally at fantastic. The way that they were growing up almost gave it that documentary-like feel. It felt like I was a part of their life, or learning about their life. Sometimes throughout watching the film I would forget that it wasn’t a real story and it made me almost angry because it just felt so real. Except the scenes in the car where there were multiple camera shots and it wasn’t realistic (to be a ‘live’ documentary). My favourite shots were the medium-long shots of Mason. Within these shots Mason at his age is really capture – environment included. The miss-en-scene and Mason were completely  attached, colour wise, and it gave a really homely feel (images below).

So I really enjoyed this film – the way it was structured and the personalisation of it all. I think Time is such a huge theme – watching it pass and seeing someone age 12 years in a few hours is a little scary. It made me feel reminiscent of my childhood – the good and bad. It also made me think how TIME has just gone by – and I think about all the things Mason overcame and went through, and I think about all the things I overcame. Everything he did lead him to his ending position – so it makes you think that everything has happened for a reason and everything that happened, the good and the bad, creating who I am today and where I am. Watching anyone age and go through life’s obstacles is relatable as it really is life.

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