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Boyhood

Boyhood

Drama · 2014

The film tells a story of a divorced couple trying to raise their young son. The story follows the boy for twelve years, from first grade at age 6 through 12th grade at age 17-18, and examines his relationship with his parents as he grows.

Movie details

Boyhood

“12 years in the making.”

2014 Drama 2h 45m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.5 / 10

Community rating

The film tells a story of a divorced couple trying to raise their young son. The story follows the boy for twelve years, from first grade at age 6 through 12th grade at age 17-18, and examines his relationship with his parents as he grows.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Boyhood?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Richard Linklater

Written by

Richard Linklater

Ellar Coltrane

Ellar Coltrane

Mason

Patricia Arquette

Patricia Arquette

Mom

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke

Dad

Lorelei Linklater

Lorelei Linklater

Samantha

Libby Villari

Libby Villari

Grandma

Marco Perella

Marco Perella

Professor Bill Welbrock

Brad Hawkins

Brad Hawkins

Jim

Court is in session

Put Boyhood on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.