Ever since hearing about this movie four months ago, I guess I really wanted to see just how well Richard Linklater's efforts were. A movie shot over the course of 12 years (Two weeks ever year). It chronicles the childhood of Mason Jr. (Ellar Coltrane), from age 6 to 18. In that time we see him with his mother (Patricia Arquette) and her efforts with various partners, forming a relationship with his estranged father (Ethan Hawke), friends shared with his sister (Lorelei Linklater) and his time at school. All of this culminating with his departure to college.
The fact that they never switch out actors is fantastic in crafting a deeply intimate and personal story. I wonder what they would've done if someone sadly passed away? Richard Linklater's effort's have not been in vain, and I feel it's a process that has solidified this movie for years to come. However, it's pretty far from flawless. I feel the movie lacks a lot of the familiar charm and wit of Linklater's previous outings ("Dazed and Confused" is one of my all time favourite's), and given this films inception it feels outside of anyone's control. The second half however, falls far from grace. By the end of the movie the audience began to share their opinions, and I was the youngest audience member in a room of 50 people in their 60's who also felt the movie dragged on considerably. It is undeniably lengthy, and the material Mason Jr. has during these scenes weigh the movie down to some terrible teenage angst romance plot. Granted it needed to be there, but it definitely needed a lot more polishing and I feel shouldn't have been in the final cut.
Saying that, it is far from charmless. Pop culture references offer some pleasant nostalgia, and there's some upsetting scenes I related to very much. All their close up shots of Mason's perspective as a boy make it highly engaging, so much so I was originally uninterested with the first half. But by the time the second half appeared, I wanted to go back as I began to find all the previous material much more engrossing.
Final Verdict: After 12 years in the making was the movie successful? Yes and no, but mostly yes. Linklater did a wonderful job, and of all the film-makers to attempt this project I'm very glad he did it. However, at a 2 hour 40 minute running time, certain parts of the second act hinders the overall project considerably (It's not good when your in your seat looking at the glowing EXIT sign waiting for the movie to pick up again). 7.5/10. I'll happily watch and appreciate it again, but some of these 5* reviews it's getting are crazy.
The fact that they never switch out actors is fantastic in crafting a deeply intimate and personal story. I wonder what they would've done if someone sadly passed away? Richard Linklater's effort's have not been in vain, and I feel it's a process that has solidified this movie for years to come. However, it's pretty far from flawless. I feel the movie lacks a lot of the familiar charm and wit of Linklater's previous outings ("Dazed and Confused" is one of my all time favourite's), and given this films inception it feels outside of anyone's control. The second half however, falls far from grace. By the end of the movie the audience began to share their opinions, and I was the youngest audience member in a room of 50 people in their 60's who also felt the movie dragged on considerably. It is undeniably lengthy, and the material Mason Jr. has during these scenes weigh the movie down to some terrible teenage angst romance plot. Granted it needed to be there, but it definitely needed a lot more polishing and I feel shouldn't have been in the final cut.
Saying that, it is far from charmless. Pop culture references offer some pleasant nostalgia, and there's some upsetting scenes I related to very much. All their close up shots of Mason's perspective as a boy make it highly engaging, so much so I was originally uninterested with the first half. But by the time the second half appeared, I wanted to go back as I began to find all the previous material much more engrossing.
Final Verdict: After 12 years in the making was the movie successful? Yes and no, but mostly yes. Linklater did a wonderful job, and of all the film-makers to attempt this project I'm very glad he did it. However, at a 2 hour 40 minute running time, certain parts of the second act hinders the overall project considerably (It's not good when your in your seat looking at the glowing EXIT sign waiting for the movie to pick up again). 7.5/10. I'll happily watch and appreciate it again, but some of these 5* reviews it's getting are crazy.