ABSTRACT

There is a persuasive impulse to analyze Boyhood in chronological order, given how it is so assiduously attentive to a progressive order of events. This chapter examines the film in the order it unfolds, while taking opportunities to elaborate on specific topics as they become germane. In the case of a film like Boyhood, the incredibly long production duration and the verisimilitude of its approach to childhood create a rich opportunity to consider social contexts that changed over time as the film was made. Certainly there are many interpretations to be made of this film, yet against the film's supposed neutrality, a network of compelling statements emerge about boyhood and its vicissitudes, the power of family dynamics in shaping who children become as adults, and in general, the culture of American youth in the post-9/11 era. Youth culture was certainly in the throes of ongoing upheavals during this era.