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Boyhood

Play trailer 1:45 Poster for Boyhood R Released Jul 18, 2014 2h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 332 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
The joys and pitfalls of growing up are seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (Ellar Coltrane), his parents (Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke) and his sister (Lorelei Linklater). Vignettes, filmed with the same cast over the course of 12 years, capture family meals, road trips, birthday parties, graduations and other important milestones. Songs from Coldplay, Arcade Fire and other artists capture the time period. Directed by Richard Linklater.
Boyhood

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Critics Consensus

Epic in technical scale but breathlessly intimate in narrative scope, Boyhood is a sprawling investigation of the human condition.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher Times (UK) Filming twice a year while sculpting the details of the screenplay, Linklater somehow captured the fundamental grief of the parenting experience. Rated: 5/5 Jan 27, 2025 Full Review Shadow and Act Staff Shadow and Act ...it’s hyperbolic in its minimalism and boring in spots and its overall narrative reach often exceeds its grasp. Even still, it’s one of the most important movies of the decade so far and you should experience it just to say you did. Sep 15, 2022 Full Review Chris Nashawaty Entertainment Weekly Like Michael Apted in his Seven Up! documentary series, Linklater makes you feel as if you're watching a photograph as it develops in the darkroom. Rated: A Oct 11, 2018 Full Review JD Duran InSession Film Boyhood was an incredibly risky project but the end product feels so genuine... Rated: A Aug 19, 2024 Full Review Benjamín Harguindey EscribiendoCine Boyhood is one of those rare experimental films that manages to achieve exactly what they were looking for through that experiment. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 10/10 Jun 24, 2024 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson What makes Boyhood this extraordinary experience and achievement is the opposite of that adjective: the ordinary. Linklater and company sought to deliver a genuine interpretation of a life experience without flashy movie bells and whistles. Rated: 5/5 Feb 16, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Kobi A A miserable experience that thinks it's way more profound than it actually is. It has nothing to say and its only value as a film comes from the novelty of its gimmick. Watch Lady Bird or The Florida Project instead. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/07/25 Full Review Leprechaun K Hats off to the director for this unique take on production, taking 12 years to follow a boy's journey since childhood. Unfortunately, it was too long, too dry, and main character comes off as a self-centered prick who pisses on everything in life. Hawke makes it bearable. It's a movie about life and the take on it isn't necessarily an inspiring one. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/19/25 Full Review Oaklee D Witty and charming. It makes you think but it does lose a point though as i feel like it's about 45 minutes too long. Give it a go if you have a spare afternoon. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/18/25 Full Review Alexander S Boyhood captures the essence of a decade-long shoot, documenting the lives of its characters year after year. Not one of my personal favourite film but my admiration is given through its innovative film technique and the remarkable achievement of Richard Linklater having the film beautifully portray the everyday experiences of numerous individuals, which gracefully earned it its well-deserved Oscar recognition. Grading: A Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review Rhys L Entertaining, thought provoking themes & some great acting. Really enjoyed it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/25 Full Review Truth F 12 years of filming Reflectance of a boyhood, also mine. You know how everyone's always saying seize the moment? I don't know I kind of think it's the other way around, you know. Like the moment seizes us -Boyhood- Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/05/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Boyhood

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Boyhood

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Movie Info

Synopsis The joys and pitfalls of growing up are seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (Ellar Coltrane), his parents (Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke) and his sister (Lorelei Linklater). Vignettes, filmed with the same cast over the course of 12 years, capture family meals, road trips, birthday parties, graduations and other important milestones. Songs from Coldplay, Arcade Fire and other artists capture the time period. Directed by Richard Linklater.
Director
Richard Linklater
Producer
Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss
Screenwriter
Richard Linklater
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Detour Filmproduction
Rating
R (Sexual References|Language|Teen Drug and Alcohol Use)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 18, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 7, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$25.4M
Runtime
2h 45m