Boyhood (2014)

An ambitious drama, Boyhood follows a boy named Mason over the course of his childhood: beginning at primary school and ending at college. The twist here is that instead of using different/older actors to show Mason 'growing up' the directors wait an actual year or two and then use the exact same cast - making this a project that took 12 years. The film is essentially a slice of life piece showing the changes in Mason's surroundings as he matures; over the years we're shown Mason's sister taunting him, a string of step-dads who come and go and fortnightly visits with his biological father. Each of these time jumps transition neatly with a new haircut and a familiar song from that particular year. The soundtrack as a whole is fantastic and very well-chosen and this helps to weave a retrospective vibe throughout the film. Worthy of seeing again but be careful not to get wound up in nostalgic regret.

9/10