But the real question is, how could I not see a movie that took 12 years to make? Linklater has one of the strangest IMDB pages of any director I have ever seen but you can typically find at least a few hidden moments of goodness in every one of his films; with the exception of Bad News Bears that is. So I decided to load up on the sugar and check out his latest epic.
Linklater chose to follow the life of Mason, a young boy who grows up in South Texas under the care of his single mother Patricia Arquette. The film focuses on the life experiences he has from the age of 5 all the way until he reaches the age of 18 (and yes I know how to do math). What's unique about this film is that unlike any of the other coming of age films that you are used to seeing, it uses the same actors throughout the entire 12 years. So they don't rely on silly makeup to show the actors aging, there's no grand announcement of what year it is as they move on to another chapter in the character's lives, and the movie doesn't focus on one specific major event that takes place in Mason's life. It really is just a rather detailed look at all of the little experiences a young boy goes through in life, that ultimately molds him into the man he is going to become.
Linklater shows you how each relationship Arquette has with a particular love interest affects her kid's environment both physically and emotionally. And you also see how each relationship Mason has is fairly standard for a boy in a somewhat normal setting. But as you see Mason grow throughout the years, you get a better understanding of why he takes the approach he does when it comes to trusting girls. You really do feel like you are growing up right along with him and are basically seeing a family member change and age right before your very eyes.
But the same can be said for his sister Samantha who is played by Lorelei Linklater, Richard's daughter in real life. From the very first second you meet her, you instantly know that she is going to be trouble as she annoys her younger brother by hitting him with a pillow and singing every word to Britney Spears' Oops I Did it Again. But she eventually goes from being the annoying drama queen to the level headed young lady that you are rooting for as she goes off to college. And this goes for everyone in the movie, especially the parents. You see how Ethan Hawke goes from being the 'live life to the fullest' guy to the neutered family man once he settles down and gets married. He must be a vampire though, because the only aging he's done through the years is a few noticeable flecks of grey in his hair and a cheesy porn star mustache. With Arquette, while still beautiful, you can see the wear and tear that father time has had on her face and body. But this fits in perfectly with her character when you see all that she has been through; trying to balance the life of going to school, working, and raising two kids through two difficult marriages. This movie could have easily been called Motherhood as Arquette carries a lot of this film with her raw emotion and natural beauty. Mason was a more vibrant character in his youth but as he grew up, he turned more into the stoner artsy kid. I'm sorry, I guess I should say he turned into the introspective youth who is resistant to the norms of society. But I know how this story ends, they end up being the guy that's still working on making their dream album while being a little too old to be a bar back in a dive bar. Or they're the guy who quits their well paying corporate job to start a blog on the importance of movies! *cough* but moving on...
Linklater does an awesome job of incorporating his actor's real life experiences and growth into the story, especially in regards to Mason. And this is why I think everyone will find a connection with this movie. The weekend night when the boys are sitting around drinking and doing stupid things like practicing karate chops and throwing blades around yelled Victoria, Texas to me. And yet it still didn't make me want to move back there but it was a nice trip down memory lane. I also like how he used bits of whatever song was popular then as a transition from one chapter to the next.
I rate this movie as FRESH. Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on Linklater's best movie since Fast Food Nation.
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