Boyhood has finally been released into theaters. Granted, it’s only five theaters in New York and Los Angeles, but it’s a start as the film that’s been touted a “masterpiece” by Manohla Dargis at the New York Times finally has the chance to be judged by the audience and not the critics. As much as I don’t like throwing around the word “masterpiece” with a just released film and regret having done it myself only once before that I know of, but if any recent film is going to where that badge of honor I don’t have much of a problem with it being Boyhood.
However, I again thought of my interview with writer/director Richard Linklater and when I asked him about the film’s title, saying it almost should have been called Life or something along those lines. His reply:
I know, What is Life? No, it could be anything, it could be Parenthood, it could be Ordinary People, those are taken. Titles are tough, actually we were almost finished with the whole thing — it was last summer, last fall? — and we were like, “Should we go years, or what’s the unique thing about this? What if we called it 12 Years? Yeah, 12 Years, has there ever been a film called 12 Years?” and someone looked up and was like, “There’s a movie coming out called 12 Years a Slave,” and I said, “Well, who’s in it? What is it? Oh, Michael Fassbender, Steve McQueen…” and it’s like, “Ah fuck it, can’t use that.” [laughing]
What’s the coincidence that in the same era there’d be a film called 12 Years a Slave? Not 11 Years a Slave, not 15 Years a Slave, but 12 Years a Slave?
Now had it been titled Motherhood, Parenthood or even Life, our focus would probably still remain largely on Mason (Ellar Coltrane), the young boy we watch grow up throughout the 12-year production, but a title like Motherhood would suddenly suggest to us we should be watching Mason’s growth from the perspective of his mother (Patricia Arquette). As much as I know that wasn’t Linklater’s intent with the film, it creates an interesting, new way of looking at the movie.
However, to know Linklater once considered titling the film 12 Years, it definitely suggests he does intend for us to take into account not just Mason’s growth over the course of the film’s 12 year narrative, but his parents and even his sister.
I do find Boyhood does sound less pretentious than something like Life. The timing is actually quite unfortunate, because I think 12 Years may have been the best option, giving the audience the opportunity to decide through which lens they’ll approach the film. Because by the time Mason is heading off to college and he’s having what appears to be a small, innocent chat with his mother, the film is every bit hers as it is his.
For those of you that have already had a chance to see Boyhood, what do you think? Any alternate titles you feel would have better suit the film or do you think Boyhood is the best way to go?
Find out when and where Boyhood is playing near you right here, read my interview with Linklater here and my full review here.
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