In a lot of ways, Richard Linklater is like Steven Soderbergh. Both directors have spent the majority of their careers on the outskirts of Hollywood while occasionally crossing over with some mainstream projects. But, at their core they remain independent experimenters in the medium. While Soderbergh is stepping away from the camera, Linklater is continuing to release new projects that challenge the normal Hollywood fare.
I remember hearing about Linklater's BOYHOOD years ago. The project stars his frequent collaborator Ethan Hawke and pops on and off of the radar. I had completely forgotten about it when I heard that Hawke mentioned it in his recent Reddit AMA. He gives a nice summary of the film and also when we can expect to see it.
First up, I guess I should tell people what BOYHOOD is. It's a project also known as THE TWELVE YEAR PROJECT; Richard Linklater and I have made a short film every year for the last 11 years, one more to go, that follows the development of a young boy from age 6 to 18. I play the father, and it's Tolstoy-esque in scope. I thought the BEFORE series was the most unique thing I would ever be a part of, but Rick has engaged me in something even more strange. Doing a scene with a young boy at the age of 7 when he talks about why do raccoons die, and at the age of 12 when he talks about video games, and 17 when he asks me about girls, and have it be the same actor – to watch his voice and body morph – it's a little bit like timelapse photography of a human being. I can't wait for people to see it.
Next year, he will graduate high school and we will finish the film. It will probably come out in 2 years.
Similar to the Michael Apted UP documentaries, BOYHOOD is an experiment in telling a reality based story with no restraints on filming schedules or budget. A narrative movie like this is rarely, if ever, attempted because of the sheer commitment it would take. Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater have had films released almost every year and have found time to return each time to film a segment for BOYHOOD. Whether the movie is good or not remains to be seen, but the fact this was even made and finished makes it worth checking out.
So, while we will get BEFORE MIDNIGHT, another film from Hawke and Linklater that has progressed a single story over the years, 2015 will mark another intriguing project from the two.
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