Boyhood · written by Richard Linklater · 2014

While packing, Mason and Olivia joke about roommates until her impending empty nest overwhelms her and she asks him to leave his childhood photo behind.

Scene 154 of 160 · ≈ 3 min on screen · Act three

Mason
Mom

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 2:54 into a 3:02 film

The story so farBefore scene 154

As his mother’s homes and relationships change, Mason grows from a restless child into a young photographer learning to choose his own direction before leaving for college.

Scenes 1–11
Mason’s world is a child’s local orbit of school, siblings, play, and a family not yet displaced.
Scenes 12–23
The move exposes Mason’s wish to keep his friends and stay connected to his absent father while Olivia seeks a more secure life.
Scenes 24–74
Mason enters successive new family arrangements: Dad’s return, Olivia’s marriage to Bill, and finally escape from Bill’s house.
Scenes 75–123
He adapts to new homes and schools, tests independence with friends and work, and develops an eye for photography.
Scenes 124–138
Mason names what makes him feel alive, draws closer to Sheena, and reaches a first sustained intimacy with her.
Just before
Scene 151
At Antone's, Dad comforts Mason over Sheena, admits nobody knows life's point, and reminds him that his photographs earned recognition before Jimmy's band plays for him.
Scene 152
At lunch, Olivia explains her plan to sell, donate, or keep belongings; Samantha admits she is hungover, and Ernesto thanks Olivia for encouraging him to study years earlier.
Scene 153
Mason loads his truck with a duffel and storage bin at Olivia's new apartment.
Scene 154
This scene

154INT. APARTMENT - MORNING

Mason is packing a box, in mid-conversation with Mom, who is seated in another room.

MASON

...Isn't that kind of crazy though,

that a computer knows who you are

from just twenty questions off a

form? I guess there are really only

like eight types of people in the

world.

Mom goes to the kitchen and pours coffee into a mug.

MASON (CONT'D)

I mean there are subsets, like male

and female, but apparently we're not

as unique as we want to think we

are.

MOM

Have you even talked to this guy

yet?

MASON

No, but we've been trading emails.

He seems pretty cool. He's studying

literature, and uh, anthropology,

and he's way into Bright Eyes... so

that's not so bad. But anyways, he

was telling me about how the system

they use for assigning roommates is

kind of spooky. Like, the Freshmen

satisfaction rate for new roommates

used to be like 60%, and now it's

100%. Just cause of the computer.

MOM

Well. Sounds like he'll be a good

roommate, then.

MASON

Yeah. But we've pretty much decided

that soon they won't even need a

questionnaire. Because they'll just

let the NSA scan your digital ghost,

and they'll tell you who your roommate

is, based on everything you've ever

said, written, or clicked.

Mason walks back into the living room, carrying a box. He holds up a framed picture.

MASON (CONT'D)

Did you -- Did you put this in here