Well, now think about a movie that took 12 years to finish because director Richard Linklater wanted to make a movie about growing up and decided it would be interesting to film it using the same actors for all stages of the story. That’s Boyhood (2014). It’s not just a coming-of-age story—it literally grows up in front of you.

Watching Boyhood isn’t like watching a regular movie. It’s like watching time itself unfold, like flipping through an old photo album, except the people in the pictures actually change, and you see them age in real-time. The main character, Mason, played by Ellar Coltrane, starts off as a little kid, and by the end, he’s an 18-year-old heading to college. No makeup, no recasting—just real-life progression, captured on film. That alone makes it one of the most ambitious projects in cinema history.

It reminds me of The Before Trilogy, also directed by Linklater. Those films followed the same two characters over decades, checking in on them at different points in their lives. But Boyhood is different. There’s no time jump, no sudden cut to a new actor playing an older version of the character. It all happens naturally, like life itself.

And that’s exactly what makes this movie special—or, depending on your taste, maybe a bit slow. See, Boyhood doesn’t follow a typical movie structure. There’s no grand plot twist, no big dramatic moment where everything changes. It just is. Like life. Some scenes hit deep, some feel ordinary. But that’s the point—it’s about growing up, and growing up isn’t always cinematic. Sometimes, it’s just long car rides, awkward conversations, and moments that don’t seem important until you look back at them years later.

It’s a bit like The Tree of Life (2011), Terrence Malick’s poetic meditation on memory, childhood, and the passage of time. That movie had a dreamlike quality, while Boyhood feels more grounded, more raw. But both share the same idea: life is made up of small, fleeting moments that, when put together, shape who we are.

There’s one scene in Boyhood that really stuck with me. It’s not some huge, emotional climax—it’s just Mason sitting in the car with his dad, played by Ethan Hawke. They talk about life, music, and the future. Nothing extraordinary happens. But if you’ve ever had one of those deep late-night talks that seem to stretch on forever, you’ll get it.

And that’s the thing. Boyhood isn’t trying to be flashy. It doesn’t throw emotions at you—it lets them build naturally. It’s not a movie that begs for attention, but if you give it time, it finds a way to stay with you.

So, should you stream it or skip it?

Well, if you’re looking for something action-packed or fast-paced, Boyhood probably isn’t for you. But if you appreciate films that capture life in an honest, unfiltered way—if you like movies that make you reflect on your own past, your own childhood—then this one is worth your time.

It’s not just a movie. It’s an experience. And like growing up, it’s not always exciting, but it’s real.

That’s it for this one. Thanks for reading. Now go watch Boyhood—or don’t. Either way, time keeps moving. See you in the next one.