It’s an intriguing objective to shot a feature film over a
twelve-year period[1]
using the same actors. But you can’t help wondering if the cast and crew got
their salaries in instalments or did the poor things have to wait 12 years
until the film was finally completed?
 |
| Ageing twelve years. |
Richard Linklater’s time-lapse study Boyhood (2014) has a very
simple synopsis, to watch a boy and his family and friends age 12 years. We
follow Mason from the beginnings of his school life at six right up until he
arrivals at college some twelve years later. When we first meet Mason and his
older sister Samantha their mother and father have just gone through a divorce
and mum is expected to bring up the two children as a single parent, Dad turns
up every couple of weeks acting like the cavalry and takes them out in his
fancy Pontiac. Although a hard working and devoted mother Olivia subjects her
two kids to various drunk and abusive ‘live in’ male partners. Therefore having
to change location/school/work after realising yet another failed relationship
with the current “Mr Wrong”. Nothing really exciting happens and this is how
the movies exceptionally long running time of just under three hours
transpires, which to be honest gets a little monotonous.
 |
| Sister Samantha. |
Michael Winterbottom made a much more interesting job of a
time lapse study when he made Everyday
(2012) over a five year period but this dealt with a family that was coping
with father being locked up in prison and how it effected them over this
period. And we all watched Daniel Radcliffe and co get older in the Harry
Potter franchise. But my main problem with the film was my dislike of
the main character who appeared to be such a twat and I spent a great deal of
the movie wishing that this grubby looking individual would take a shower and
wash his greasy hair!
 |
| Mum and.... |
 |
| ....Dad. |
The film stars Ellar Coltrane as the boy, Linklater’s
daughter Lorelei as Mason’s sister Samantha with Patricia Arquette as their
mother and Ethan
Hawke as Mason Snr. There is within the film an amusing hypocritical reflection
on modern day America when Mason receives, for his 15th birthday, a
Bible from his grandma and a shotgun from his grandfather!
No comments:
Post a Comment