Richard Linklater has had an odd filmmaking career. At times he is an indie darling, making acclaimed films like “Slacker,” “Before Sunrise” and “A Scanner Darkly.” At other times, he makes very mediocre commercial films like “School of Rock” and “Bad News Bears.” He is a man who is near perfection when he is in his element. “Boyhood” is Linklater in his element.

“Boyhood” (Rated R; 165 min) is a drama staring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke. The film follows a boy named Mason Jr. from age five to 18. The film shows everything from his first time moving away from friends, to his first time drinking and even his first day at college.

This film is a masterpiece. This phrase is thrown out a lot when people talk about the best movies of the year and it can sometimes lose its meaning. This is not true of Boyhood. The film is not only a masterpiece but also an easy contender for best of 2014.

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One of the best aspects of the film is the direction itself. Linklater made the decision to film over a span of 12 years. He did this to show a more realistic transition in age of all the characters and it made all the difference. It helps connect the audience and all of the characters even more. The film’s pace helps us experience as well. The film is a little over 3 hours long. For some, that might be daunting for a small indie flick, but it really never seems like that long. One gets so rapped up in the life of Mason and his relationship with his parents and sister, that you are left wanting more by the end. It really feels like a life just went by way too fast.

Linklater also wrote this film, and that more than anything makes this film what it is. In the script, Linklater throws a lot of questions at the audience. Are we in control of our destiny? Do parents throw all of their problems on their children without knowing? Are parents really doing the best for their children, or is it ok to be a little selfish when raising a family alone? In any other indie movie, “Wish I Was Here” for example, this could be a problem. Too many questions and themes being thrown out there can make the film seem like it has no real point. Boyhood makes it work. It works in the same way that it works in everyday life.

All of the events that happen to Mason and his family seem natural and grip you. Characters make the same mistake and do not learn from it. No one is pure. People do things out of selfishness and say that it is for the greater good. Characters are annoying and terrible in one scene and sympathetic in the next. Linklater wrote what could possibly be his greatest accomplishment within the script.

Go see “Boyhood.” This is not a suggestion, more of a demand. Drop whatever you are currently doing, whether that be school, work or grocery shopping and go see this film. It will emotionally grab you and hit you right in the heart. It will make you laugh like very few films do. It will remind you of your childhood, and we all know that is a good thing.

Five stars