I’m back into the movie reviewing world! (I will not be partaking in anymore Disney challenges for a while!) The challenge wasn’t the only thing keeping my from movie reviews. I’m also trying to write my first ever novel while maintaining a full time job where I’m trying to grow. Oh! And I’m thinking about going back to school for English!
Not to make excuses…okay, they’re excuses. But, true!
This movie is what inspired me to jump back into my game, though.
This all started because one of my co-workers/really good friends had never seen Guardians of the Galaxy. WHAT. I was in shock. That movie is amazing! (Can you tell I’m just starting to get into the MARVEL world? Haha I’m completely geeking out right now.)
ANYWAY. So, I made him watch it. Which, meant that he got to pick a movie for me to watch. So, he picked Boyhood.
And apparently this is a famous movie that won awards. It even came out in 2014; so it wasn’t that old either. But, alas, I had never heard of it. Thus, I was a little skeptical about forfeiting 2 hours of my life to a movie that I knew NOTHING about.
*NOTE* Come to find out later, this movie is actually 2 hours and 46 minutes long.
Now, I’ll say this. It’s not a movie I would watch again, but the 166 minutes were definitely worth my time. (Even if I did fall asleep at one point.)
The entire film is based on Mason and the many milestones of his life. It follows him and his sister as they encounter marriage (and divorce) of his mother, graduation, first kisses, etc. Also little moments, like family dinners, or hanging out with their dad.
I’ll be honest, I never actually found a plot in the movie. And normally, this would be a big turn off for me. And, at first, it was. But then, I kept watching. It sucked me in, as if I was another sister to Mason. I, as the audience, followed his ups and downs and felt like I was right there with him.
And, for a spoiler, when his drunken stepfather threw the liquor bottle at Mason and it broke on the table, I jumped out of my skin. You didn’t see it coming. And that’s how the whole movie is. You expect it to be like other films, but then they take that twist and show you not everything turns out okay. It’s the closest film to, for lack of better word, “real” life. And, his mom is one of the strongest female leads I have seen in a long time.
And, like I said previously, I still can’t seem to find an actual plot to the movie. So, if you’re reading this because you want to watch the film, just know that upfront.
But I do encourage everyone to watch this film. It will either make you thankful for what you have, or have someone to relate to that ends up okay.
I told all this to my good friend when I came in to work the next day. And then I asked him this: “How did they find actors that look so similar to each other? I mean, whoever plays Mason at age 6 could be Mason at age 15’s mini me!”
He then gave me a funny look and said: “Lauren, that’s what I told you. It follows 12 years of a boy’s life.” And when I looked at him, baffled, he continued with: “It is the same actor. Ellar Coltrane plays Mason for TWELVE YEARS.”
Ellar Coltrane
And I looked it up. He was right. The same actors were a part of this production for 12 years of this life. That’s how long it took to film. And that just added to it for me. How cool is that?
Lorelei Linklater
Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke
Just out of curiosity, has anyone else seen this movie yet? What did you think? I can see where people wouldn’t like it…so I want to know!
That's a Wrap! 