This movie is unique in that it was filmed over 12 years. The title character was played by the same actor from age 6 to age 18. It is receiving lots of critical acclaim, and several Oscar nominations. I, however, was not that impressed, It is true-to-life in a sense, in that there is no one big dramatic moment, no particular story line except that every year we are given a short 'slice-of-life' as our hero grows up. It is two hours and 45 minutes long, and moves slowly, but is not actually boring. It just seems to lack drama. I kept waiting for something bad to happen to the protagonist, but nothing much ever did. When the movie opens, he is being raised, with his older sister, by his single mom, but spends time with his dad off and on. The boy has his struggles, but turns out relatively unscarred by his mother's two alcoholic husbands. In the end, the movie seems hollow; the boy is searching for meaning, and by age 18 has not found it; neither has anyone else in the movie, except, perhaps, for his dad's new wife. She is a Christian, but this option is dismissed somewhat scornfully by the boy's sister when she asks her dad, "You're not going to become one of those God people, are you?"
This is the stance taken by so many books and movies these days; people struggle heroically to find meaning in life, but heaven forbid they take the coward's way out and turn to God! I find it tiring.
Give this movie an E for effort, but only 2 and a half stars. That might even be generous. If you have nothing else to do some evening, check it out, but don't make any extra effort.
