How To Write An Essay On The Movie Boyhood

Claimed to be a ‘Once in a lifetime movie’ by Huffington Post, Boyhood is a film, which encapsulates the 12-year journey of a boy from his childhood to his adolescence. The protagonist, a boy called Mason has been played by Ellar Coltrane, who has grown up himself whilst the filming throughout the span of the 12 years. This allowed a very real and raw insight in to how the boy developed in terms of core experiences of life. Throughout the film, all the character aged in real time, giving the audience and viewers a glance in to everything the film stands for. It shows the growth, development and lessons of life one may ignore while living through their daily lives. Seeing his parent’s part ways to child hood crushes and dreams of photography, he grew up like a normal American boy. Of course music and sound played a very essential role while bringing the film together. Despite being shot over a decade, director and writer Richard Linklater was able to maintain a peaceful speed throughout the film,
depicting the gradual pace of real life, showing minor developments of Mason, to major events in his life such as going to college. In the specified duration of the film, although everything in the film is being wrapped up and showed in summation, it somehow depicts that there is so much more to come, as Mason’s life has just begun. The soundtrack of the song ‘Hero’ by the band ‘The Family of the Year’, fit like a puzzle, as it was able to bind the whole film together with its soul and strong lyrics. Following up to this scene, was a quite intense conversation Mason had with his mother, who had just moved away to her own place and was now sending her last child off to college. The conversation between the mother and son at this point shifted the focus from the ‘boy’ to the mother that was there from the beginning of the film, and of course his life. It gave a new perspective of how life would be at that age, before concluding Mason’s own life as a college going young boy. ‘I just thought there would be more’, was a statement by Mason’s mother, which led to a gap of silence, and speechlessness in the boy just before the film transitioned to the specified time. The soundtrack for the transition was perfect as it personified his helplessness to comfort his mother, but also identified him coming to terms with it. As mason drove alone on a long road, the song began to play in a diegetic way as he raised the volume on his radio, but later transitioned to non-diegetic as he took a short stop out of the car and eventually reached his destination. This short travel seemed to signify his independence and growth. It gave the audience the essence that he has realized that despite all the ups and downs in life he is finally free, in a way.
The lyrics of the song accurately captured the whole feel of the movie.
Lyrics like’ Everyone deserves a chance to Walk with everyone else’ and ‘But I'm a kid like everyone else’ while he stops for gas and takes a few picture paint the whole backdrop for Mason’s feelings at that point. His ability to be on his own and take charge of his life now not only showed a big change from his previous time as a ‘boy’ but one the first few leaps towards adulthood. This meant new people, new experiences and change, but all while living true and keeping in mind everything that got him there. This music was the one by which the films inherent mood would be remembered. The lyrics, music, and especially the voice of Joseph Keefe, allowed the audience to live Mason’s life with him and experience growing up and also reflect on it with him while he is on his way to college. As a viewer one realizes the places you go, the people you meet and things you do really does make you who you
are.
While mason pulls up to his college and carries his things, the playing song encapsulated the feeling of unpredictable possibilities and hope for what has to come ahead. Mason was reminiscent, and fearful of the future yet, optimistic about what the rest of his life had to hold as this was just the beginning.