You probably know the unique concept: This film blends real time and fiction as it looks in on the maturation of a boy and his family for 12 years, as he literally grows on camera. The time progress seamlessly, as life’s everyday interactions take place between his family and friends. There are some landmarks, but more often it’s the understated, mundane moments that blend into a quietly powerful portrait. Director Richard Linklater mines humor and emotion in the seemingly ordinary dialogue and the passage of minor cultural landmarks. The performances are uniformly natural and completely compelling. Even at 2:45, every minute captivates as only true life can. A modest masterpiece.
(5 / 5)