Boyhood

'Boyhood' is a scripted drama which follows the life of a boy from the age of 5 to 18. It was filmed over a twelve years period using the same actors throughout so that we witness the real development from childhood to adulthood of the 'boy' Mason, portrayed by Ellar Coltrane.

It was a very ambitious project and the producers struck it lucky that Coltrane, only a child at the outset proved capable of acting out the drama as the years progressed. The same can be said for Lorelei Linklater who portrayed the sister over the same period.

At two and three quarter hours it is a very long film and whilst there is little plot in the early scenes the drama of family life, especially broken families, soon emerges. Without giving too much away I would observe that Mason had little luck with step fathers.

This quasi documentary style drama will not be to everyone's taste but I became quite engrossed.
★★★★