Boyhood: The film you will need to see

Here is something to look forward to in the New Year. If there is one film that I have been looking forward to for years, more than Harry Potter, more than any potential new Star Wars films and more than anything to come from the creative genius that is Tyler Perry, it is Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood”. All you need to know about the film in order to want to see it is this: Over a dozen years Richard Linklater would, on a yearly basis, gather Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and two child actors together and film scenes. The film is effectively shot in real time with each year being a real year. Everyone ages and you watch as the children grow up on screen.

I don’t know if I have ever heard of any film that has ever been that ambitious. I honestly don’t have anything to compare it to. The closest would be the 7 Up documentary series but that is a documentary. This is a feature film.

The first review out of Sundance that I have seen is glowing. There may be some flaws to the film because of its nature but it is so unusual in nature that I think that you can overlook those flaws. I can’t wait to see this film because it is so rare to find something that is truly unique and this film might be it.

What I find interesting is that Richard Linklater has quietly become one of the greatest filmmakers of our time without anyone really noticing or recognizing him outside of the indie scene. If you were going to rank his top films you would have Slacker, Waking Life, the Before Sunrise / Sunset / Midnight trilogy and then Dazed and Confused. School of Rock doesn’t even break into his personal top five. These are some of the most fascinating, unconventional and at times ground breaking films of the past twenty years yet he doesn’t get the praise of a Tarrantino or a Nolan. His only Academy Award nominations are for the script for Before Sunset and Before Midnight (and those are shared with the lovely and talented Julie Delpy.) Yet I feel that he will be studied for years to come.

So, one day in the near future I will finally get to see this film. I really don’t care if it wins any awards either. I just want to see a film driven by one amazing concept and vision and followed through with over a decade.