A friend invited me to a movie she's been wanting to see for months and it seemed like we could never get together. But Friday we finally made it. Believe it or not, the same movie was playing at the same cinema as when she first asked me. That is very rare!
The movie is called "Boyhood" about a young boy of 6 or 7 named Mason. He ages throughout the movie and we see his life unfold in different situations until he leaves for college at about age 18. It is touching and realistic.
Mason, his sister Samantha (played by Lorelei Linklater), and his mother Olivia (played by Patricia Arquette) first live in a single parent household. As time progresses you see them live their lives through 3 failed marriages and all the milestones that come as children age and parent's achieve different milestones of their own. Their biological father, Mason Sr. is played by Ethan Hawke. It is nice to see him in a role where he learns and grows and takes his fatherly responsibilities seriously.
It was intriguing to see a movie made over such a long time span with the same actors, playing the same parts.
I laughed a lot. I nodded my head too a the realism in the scenes. I cried too. Especially when mother Olivia, single again, is moving into an apartment on her own. As her son Mason prepares to get in his truck and make the drive to college, she starts crying and says “I just thought there would be more to life.”
Olivia has been in several failed relationships and marriages, earned a master's degree, had a successful life as a college professor and raised two well adjusted children. But as her children leave the nest and moving on to make lives of their own, she realizes she is on her own. She realizes that her life will totally change. No longer to be measured by her children's birthdays, achievements and graduations, she says the next milestone is her funeral.
Her son asks "aren't you jumping ahead 40 years!?" That cracked me up in a good way. At the same time there is this intensity of motherhood, life and letting go, there is also levity. So much like real life.
The music tracks are a wonderful feature of the movie. The tune that plays in the trailer (above) is one that stayed with me. It also plays as Mason Jr. drives along the highway hurtling toward college and his future. So I had to look for it on line. The song is called "Hero" and is sung by The Family of the Year.
Just before Mason sets off on that longish drive along the highway, he and his first love have had a huge argument. His girlfriend has also broken up with him and he cannot understand why. It makes his drive all the more touching.
Young love. I don't miss it at all. But everyone must pass through it.
If you get a chance check out the movie. It is so well done. All the actors are wonderful, the music is great and the scenes of life are very touching and realistic.
