Boyhood (2014)

Boyhood (dir. Richard Linklater) is a groundbreaking coming-of-age drama filmed with the same cast across 12 years. It follows Mason from early childhood through his arrival at college, tracing quiet but pivotal moments — family dinners, road trips, birthdays, school years, breakups and small discoveries — as his parents separate, re-partner, and try to build lives of their own. Ellar Coltrane gives a natural, lived-in performance, supported by Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke and Lorelei Linklater. Seeing the film is like watching a life unfold in real time: the pacing is episodic and observational rather than plot-driven, so viewers experience an intimate, slice-of-life portrait that feels authentic, often funny, sometimes painfully honest and frequently nostalgic. The long-term filming creates emotional nuance you rarely see on screen — subtle physical and emotional changes accumulate into a powerful sense of growth and passage of time — set against a soundtrack that anchors the story in the recent past. Expect a slow-burn, reflective movie that rewards patience with a resonant, bittersweet meditation on family, identity and the ordinary moments that shape us. Suitable for viewers who appreciate character-driven realism and gentle, emotionally truthful storytelling.

Actors: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke

Director: Richard Linklater

Runtime: 165 min

Genre: Drama

7.2 /10 100 /100 7.9 /10 8.4 /10