Thought-provoking drama

‘Boyhood’ is all about growing up in America around the 1950s when the hula-hoop was doing the rounds and marriage and divorce followed each other like love and marriage of old. And director Richard Linklater sticks to this one family and its travails for just over a decade of “voluptuous panic” that passes for the American way of life.

When our story begins Olivia (Patricia Arquette) is divorced with two kids, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) and Mason Jr (Ellar Coltrane). She then goes to college to improve her situation but goes through a number of liaisons (one marriage) that have an adverse effect on the children.

Mason Sr (Ethan Hawke), the father has visiting rights and takes the children camping. When Samantha has a boy-friend he speaks to her about contraception and wants them to learn from his mistakes.

Not Bill (Marco Perella), Olivia’s second husband is a bad influence as he deteriorates to become abusive and alcoholic, forcing the mother to leave with the kids. But her liaisons continue with her partners being patronizing to the kids.

Director Richard Linklater who took 11 years to make the film does well to bring the various pressures and pulls, especially the adolescent years when boys brag of female conquests. Mason takes an interest in photography while Samantha just drifts.

There is also a telling sequence in which Mason and his girlfriend Sheena (Zoe Graham) are in bed when the occupant, Samantha’s friend enters but is quite cool about it. Being exposed to so much so soon tells on their psyche and Mason even experiences signs of nihilism, tending to mumble instead of speaking.

But thankfully his photography wins him a scholarship and he moves on. But Olivia is distraught and left alone. It is indeed a touching scene. Music is used to good effect and the viewer is kept going most of the time.

Ella Coltrane is promising and Patricia Arquette goes through a whole gamut of emotions but Ethan Hawke is the best of the lot in this thought-provoking human drama. Well worth watching.

• Tittle :Boyhood
• Cast :Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke & Lorelei Linklater
• Direction :Richard Linklater
• Genre :Drama
• Rating :***1/2
• Like :Script, music
• Unlike :Running time (165 minutes)