Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014) nominated for Oscar Best Film
Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Elijah Smith
The life of Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college.
Boyhood’s title isn’t misleading – Mason’s experience and subjective view is prioritised from the opening shot of him staring at the sky – but the film is also a powerful study of family interaction, featuring excellent performances from Hawke and especially Arquette as the separated parents. Arquette gets the film’s most moving scene, when Mason is casually preparing to leave home for his first day at college. A tearful Olivia comes to the sudden realisation that her life has flown by unceremoniously; a series of moments. “I just… thought there would be more,” she laments. As this poignant, unsentimental film demonstrates, sometimes there simply isn’t more: life just happens. Ashley Clark, Sight & Sound.
Garry Gillard | reviews | New: 25 July, 2018 | Now: 25 July, 2018