It was a solid film, the fact it was shot over twelve years with the same actors gave it more impact but it's still pretty much a typical coming-of-age flick, with perhaps too few surprises. It ties into what
@Spree At Last said above, the first half is great as it portrays the struggles of a young child in a broken family, but once he becomes a teenager it's basically about a teenager doing what teenagers do, and it's not that interesting. The last half definitely could've been trimmed down a bit I think. Anyway, here's some thoughts (the good, the bad, and the random) on the flick.
Mason's Dragonball Z posters and bed sheets as a kid had me sold on the movie five minutes in.
Patricia Arquette's titty meats had me entranced for twelve years, brehs.
The movie captured the zeitgeist perfectly by simply focusing on one incredibly popular/important thing of that year (Harry Potter, Obama/McCain, Lady Gaga, Facebook, NSA).
They had Soulja Boy on the soundtrack.
The scenes with the alcoholic stepdad were the intense as hell. I really thought he could start giving these kids the beats at any given moment.
That moment when you realize you're starting to wait for the sister to turn 18.
That moment when she finally turns 18.
Linklater shouldn't have changed the title from 12 Years to Boyhood because of 12 Years A Slave, he should've done the bold thing and renamed it 12 Years Of White People, which is what this movie is.
There is a Mexican guy though, and he gets saved by a white woman.
When Mason finally learns that these hoes ain't loyal.
Finally, for a movie where characters become twelve years older I couldn't pinpoint a character I'd say deserves the flabby n' sick smiley. Until I realized it's meant for me after thinking about what I've been doing with the past twelve years and it ain't been shyt.
/5