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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.

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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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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

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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

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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

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JD Duran

InSession Film

Boyhood was an incredibly risky project but the end product feels so genuine...

Rated: A

Aug 19, 2024

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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

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Faiz D

Boyhood is a massively ambitious project. It will certainly not appeal to everyone, but I really liked the humble simplicity of it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

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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

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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

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Rhys L

Entertaining, thought provoking themes & some great acting. Really enjoyed it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

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

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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