Boyhood

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1:45

Boyhood

R

Released Jul 18, 2014

2h 45m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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.

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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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

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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

Phillip M

Epic coming of age/boy to man tale. The 12 year production is to be applauded for stamina, however, it was ponderous. Felt like a fly-on-the-wall come reality tv soap without the drama. There were few moments of interest. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke provided much needed energy. Too long. Plus, difficult to relate to, if like myself you grew up working class in Europe.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

Full Review

julie b

This made me feel so many things - it was funny, sad, and incredibly nostalgic. It felt so real and not like a movie at all, like it was just life and I was observing. I loved how it brought back so many memories of growing up in the early 2000s - at every stage rach and I would say “omggg remember X!?”. Plus you already know I love Ethan Hawke and Linklater, so it’s crazy it took me this long to watch it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/23/24

Full Review

Alejandro E

If watching twelve years of a child's life for about 3 hours has its charm, it is because Linklater did his best to make the development of the plot, and the characters, look completely natural, realistic. It is not superfluous to see it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

Full Review

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Richard Linklater

Director

Ellar Coltrane

Mason

Patricia Arquette

Olivia

Ethan Hawke

Mason Sr.

Lorelei Linklater

Samantha

Tamara Jolaine

Tammy

Boyhood: Official Clip - I Will Not Be That Guy

1:50

Boyhood: Official Clip - I Just Thought There Would Be More

2:44

Boyhood: Official Clip - Daddy's Lullaby

3:04

Boyhood: Official Clip - You Are Responsible For You

2:40

Boyhood: Official Clip - The Moment Seizes Us

1:47

Boyhood: Official Clip - She Hit Me First!

1:41

Boyhood: Official Clip - You're Kinda Weird

1:39

Boyhood: Official Clip - The Sex Talk

2:42

Boyhood: Official Clip - You Think That's Funny?

2:17

Boyhood: Official Clip - Birthdays, Bibles and Guns

2:17

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Boyhood: Trailer 1

1:45

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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