Imagine shooting a film for over a 12-year period, that’s what director and producer Richard Linklater accomplished with his film BoyHood.

   BoyHood follows Mason Evans (Ellar Coltrane) and his older sister Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) as they go through the adolescence years to their young adult years. The movie was entirely shot in Texas.

   The film was released on July 14, 2014 and has received much critical acclaim ever since. Although many mistake the film as a documentary, Linklater begs to differ.

   “You know, I wasn’t so sure we should even show, because truly there’s nothing about the movie that’s a documentary, yet it feels real. It was meant to feel like a document of time, and it was a collaboration very much with the real world, and what was going on at any given time.”

   Actor Ethan Hawke, who played as Mason’s father in the film, was asked in a previous interview on his experience with BoyHood, “I think that’s been a strength. My son, Levon, was born before we started shooting, so this spanned his whole life. So that was really fun for you (Richard Linklater) and me to talk about our experiences as fathers.“

   Personally I enjoyed Boyhood, for teenagers our ages (16 – 18) this film is very relatable. It tackles topics that where happening in real time, such as the presidential elections, the advancement of technology and even pop culture. I found myself throughout the film reflecting on my past and how it related with what Mason was going through. Boyhood is a fantastic film and I highly recommend you to watch it.