By 
“BOYHOOD” *****
In the Bible, through Isaiah, God declares His love for his creatures: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” This phrase immediately identifies the Creator’s great love, and the responsibility of inhabiting Earth, the precious gift of living. It’s impossible not to connect the parallel of existence and the aspects of this journey as one looks deep into this project. In the opening scene, Mason observes the skies, contemplating the future ahead of him. This wonderful and powerful project, conceived by contemporary American auteur Richard Linklater, was filmed on a 12 year period, visiting the lives of its characters yearly and depicting their transformation from innocence to maturity. Linklater proves himself to be the best in what he does: aware of the changes and shapes of every generation surrounding him, he explores and portraits these aspects with a perfect meditation on the wonders of living. He has done that in every film he’s made, and now reaches his masterpiece with this courageous and risky project that remained truthful to its principles for 12 turbulent years.
Beginning right after the horrors of 9/11, covering remarkable changes on the world, the wars, the economical, political, family and social crisis, the advances of technology and influence of video games and pop culture on youth perspectives, the lack of hope, the insecurity of failure and the struggle of single parenting, Linklater paints a mesmerizing portrait of American society in the last decade, defining this period through his investigative and compassionate look on the right of experiencing all the joy and obstacles of life. The director uses important keys to point to the evolution of his narrative, inviting the audience for an evaluation of modern habits: the obsession of social media, the unbalanced relationship among families, the dangers of having access to all types of information, including a crucial scene where a woman looks shocked at a Lady Gaga’s video and asks how can a mother let her children watch such a thing, the gigs most people engage on in order to survive and so on. Although he’s shy and uncertain of the real meaning of life, Mason possess a natural optimism and knows he needs to face the challenges of the journey. Linklater looks at that with humanitarian virtue, creating a magnificent film about this wonderful experience and the love of God, who made us according to His own image. The film follows the troubled childhood of Mason and his sister, as they keep on moving, while his father visits them on the weekends, and the mother struggles for a better future for all. And as we witness this moving, realistic and unforgettable story of a dysfunctional family, we analyze the changes in our society bringing up ideas of improving the relationships and the respect for each other. Linklater deserves to be celebrated and recognized as a contemporary humane visionary, who knows exactly how to communicate with the new generation. No matter how hard life can be, we must keep the faith and move forward, because the sun shines so beautiful for all of us. A Triumph!
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