It’s not often that a movie transports it’s entire audience back into their past, however “Boyhood” does just that.

“Boyhood” follows the life of Mason, played by the sensational Ellat Coltrane, from childhood to college. While the storyline may seem familiar, the troubled childhood, drifting teen years and the indecision about one’s future, the films offers a fresh new take. Director Richard Linklater decided to break the boundaries of standard movie making. Instead of using a progression of actors to tell the story, he followed the family while filming the movie over a period of 12 years so as to accurately portray the age progression in the movie.

To do this, Linklater gathered his cast for three or four days a year to shoot the next installment. By doing this, there was not only room for character development, but for social development as well. Historic landmarks played a strong role in the film. By including actual social and political events, such as 9/11 and the election of Barack Obama as president, Linklater triggers memories that bring back a whole flood of memories for his audience while also adding more validity to his plot.

Along the same lines, by using actors who age the same as their characters, a genuine portrayal is made of life at a certain age. The inconsistency of constantly switching out actors is erased and instead replaced with a stable reliable foundation from which the audience can truly enjoy the twists and turns of the story without worrying about who might show up next on the screen.

However, despite the obvious triumphs of the movie, what really shines though is the simple moments in the story. “Boyhood” so perfectly captures the mundane routine of life that it almost seems as though someone is secretly filming your own life as well. At the same time, the small joyous moments in life that other movies chose to neglect are brought to life. Scenes like a birthday party, a trip to the ballpark, a family dinner or even a talk about elves between father and son are portrayed in a honest way that has never been seen before.

For those looking for a reminder of their past, I highly recommend seeing “Boyhood”.