BOYHOOD | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"BOYHOOD"
(2014) (Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A boy must contend with various family issues, self doubts and philosophical thoughts while growing up from a 6-year-old into a college freshman.

PLOT:

Mason Jr. (ELLAR COLTRANE) is a 6-year-old boy growing up with his older sister, Samantha (LORELEI LINKLATER), and their single mom, Olivia (PATRICIA ARQUETTE). The latter has decided to move them to Houston, Texas in order to go back to school, all of which means they'll be closer to her mom as well as the kid's father, Mason Sr. (ETHAN HAWKE), who's been in Alaska and thus out of their lives for the past year and a half.

Olivia eventually ends up marrying her professor, Bill Wellbrock (MARCO PERELLA), thus blending their families together with the addition of his kids, Randy (ANDREW VILLARREAL) and Mindy (JAIME HOWARD). But he slowly turns out to be an abusive alcoholic and she removes the kids from the situation. At the same time, Mason Sr. rooms with musician Jimmy (CHARLIE SEXTON) and enjoys spending time with his kids every other weekend. Years pass and Olivia eventually takes up with Jim (BRAD HAWKINS), an Afghanistan/Iraq War veteran turned corrections officer, but he doesn't turn out any better.

Mason Jr. ends up meeting and marrying Annie (JENNI TOOLEY) with whom he has a child, while Mason Jr. ends up with a girlfriend, Sheena (ZOE GRAHAM), while taking photography classes with Mr. Turlington (TOM McTIGUE) and pondering his place in the world and what he's going to make of himself.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens might be, especially if they've heard the positive buzz about the film.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language including sexual references, and for teen drug and alcohol use.

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