Boyhood: A quiet, slightly dusty walk down memory lane

Is it worth watching?

If you have a soft spot for old-timey, sentimental stuff, maybe. If you want a movie with an actual plot, skip it.

This is really for people who like to look at sepia-toned memories and hear someone talk over the top of them. If you’re allergic to schmaltz, you might find the narrator’s voice just a little bit too much to handle.

It feels like stumbling onto a time capsule that was buried by someone who really loved the way sunlight hits a field. The boys run around and do boy things—wandering, swimming, looking for trouble in the woods.

There’s this weird, dreamy quality to it that reminds me a bit of the atmosphere in Trained Hoofs, just with less horse stuff and more poetry. It’s not trying to challenge you. It’s trying to tuck you in.

Norman Brokenshire’s voice is everywhere. He’s narrating these Edgar A. Guest poems like he’s trying to convince us that life was perfect once upon a time. Sometimes the music just swells up and you can’t tell if you’re watching a movie or a postcard come to life.

I caught myself wondering if the boys were actually having fun or just following directions from someone holding a script off-camera. Some of those shots by the swimming hole linger for an extra second, which feels surprisingly real for a project this polished.

• The singing is definitely… a choice.
• The woods look like they haven’t changed in a hundred years.
• There’s a specific kind of scratchy sound to the audio that makes it feel authentic.

It’s not as dark or weird as something like Mark of the Vampire, obviously. It’s just a quiet, simple thing that doesn't really go anywhere. And honestly? That's kind of fine. 🌳

You don't need to analyze the symbolism or the narrative structure here. It’s just a vibe. If you’re tired of modern noise, maybe give it a look.