Boyhood
A quietly radical portrait of childhood and family life that lets twelve years of ordinary moments accumulate into a profound experience of growing up.
Overview
A poignant exploration of growing up, capturing the essence of childhood and family life over a decade.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- intimate
- nostalgic
- wistful
- reflective evening
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an intimate, technically groundbreaking, and deeply affecting investigation of growing up and the human condition.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The principal cast filmed the characters' lives over twelve years, allowing Mason and his family to visibly mature on screen.
Road trips, family dinners, birthdays, school transitions, and graduations accumulate into the film's emotional architecture.
Mason's development is shown through recurring snapshots from childhood, adolescence, high school, and college.
Mason and Samantha navigate divorce, changing parental partners, alcoholism, domestic abuse, and the difficulties of parenting.
Films like Boyhood, and why
The 400 Blows
shared naturalistic coming-of-age storytelling, family relationships, and reflective passage of time
The Ice Storm
shared intimate family drama, understated realism, and attention to ordinary life across changing years
Almost Famous
shared episodic coming-of-age structure, conversational naturalism, and emotional focus on adolescence
Before Sunrise
shared Linklater naturalism, contemplative dialogue, and themes of identity and maturation
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Release Date
- 2014-06-05
- Runtime
- 165 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (5652)
Cast
- Ellar Coltrane
- Patricia Arquette
- Ethan Hawke
- Lorelei Linklater
- Libby Villari
- Marco Perella
- Brad Hawkins
- Jamie Howard
- Andrew Villarreal
- Jenni Tooley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Boyhood about?
- A quietly radical portrait of childhood and family life that lets twelve years of ordinary moments accumulate into a profound experience of growing up.
- What is Boyhood like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Boyhood as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Boyhood violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Boyhood as mild.
- What did critics think of Boyhood?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an intimate, technically groundbreaking, and deeply affecting investigation of growing up and the human condition.
- Which films are like Boyhood?
- Films with a similar feel include The 400 Blows, The Ice Storm, Almost Famous, and Before Sunrise.
- How long is Boyhood?
- Boyhood runs 165 minutes.
- Where can I watch Boyhood?
- In United States, Boyhood streams on Netflix, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
