BOYHOOD

Tonight I watched Richard Linklater's new film "Boyhood." Quite simply, it was one of the best movies I have ever seen.

The film was shot over 12 years and involved a small corp of the same actors. The fact that they all returned for several days of filming on an annual basis is quite remarkable. Because of this, the film feels all the more real as we see each actor/character age in real time.

The focus of the film is on Mason, Jr (MJ) played by Ellar Coltrane. MJ is only six years old when the films begins, but he turns eighteen when the movie concludes. Through the course of the film, we see his family's ups and downs and how his experiences shape him into the young man whom he becomes.

His parents' choices, which are often poor, play a major role in his development, and one comes to appreciate how we are truly the sum of our experiences and the circumstances in which we have been placed. At its core, "Boyhood" is really about resilience and finding one's way in a life that is filled with obstacles and in which time moves so fast.

As I watched the film, I reminisced about my own childhood and the transition from child to adolescent to adult. I thought about how ill-equipped I was at so many times in my life and how that was probably quite age-appropriate.  I also thought about how my childhood has influenced my worldview and way of being in nearly every respect. This is no surprise, but "Boyhood" made me realize just how impressionable we all are.

The film also made me think about my own children and their childhoods. Primarily, I thought of Nicholas. This is not only because he is a boy like MJ but because he is older than Cate. Indeed, Nicholas just turned nine, which means he is halfway through his own childhood.

Think about that for a second. Nicholas has already lived one-half of the time he will be in this house with us. That blows me away.

When Nicholas and Cate are gone, I will miss them more than I can possibly imagine, even after seeing this film. I want to cherish and take advantage of every second I have with him and Cate.  Eighteen years is simply not long enough. Have I mentioned that Portland has some wonderful colleges?

Moreover, the movie made me think of how to parent. The lesson is not to behave as though a camera is in the room filming your interaction with your kids. Rather, the lesson is to behave as though you were your own child. How would you want to be treated? What kind of example would you want your kids to see? Easier said than done, but I will do better.

There are moments in life that make one take stock. Moments or events that shed a light where only darkness or ignorance once existed. For me, "Boyhood" made me appreciate how beautiful, fleeting, and remarkable childhood can be. For that important reminder, I thank Mr. Linklater and these wonderful actors. Go experience "Boyhood" for yourself! You will not regret it.