Boyhood · written by Richard Linklater · 2014

Samantha teases Mason at breakfast; Olivia tells them their father is in town and will see them after school.

Scene 20 of 160 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Samantha
Mason
Mom

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 14 min into a 3:02 film

The story so farBefore scene 20

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.
Scene 12
Olivia announces the Houston move so she can return to college and support the family, uprooting Mason from his first home and friends.
Just before
Scene 17
The family says goodbye to the house and neighborhood; Mason watches Tommy arrive too late to stop their departure.
Scene 18
Mason and Samantha wrestle in the back seat until Olivia starts a silence game as they approach Houston.
Scene 19
Mason hurriedly packs for school while Olivia calls him to breakfast and reminds him about homework.
Scene 20
This scene

20INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Samantha places pancakes on their plates while talking to Mason in a cryptic language, reminiscent of pig latin.

SAMANTHA

...I affatay servay yoohay.

MASON

Speak English! Shut up. Mom! She's

speaking that stupid language again!

MOM

Samantha!

SAMANTHA

I was speaking perfectly clear

English, Mother. You know, he's a

little slow in the head. He did

officially flunk first grade.

MOM

Sit your butt down.

SAMANTHA

Yes sir, Mother sir!

She salutes.

MOM

All right, listen up guys. Grandma's

gonna pick you up after school.

Your dad is in town for the day so

you're gonna spend the afternoon

with him.

SAMANTHA

Hmm.

MASON

Is he moving back?

MOM

I don't know.

SAMANTHA

We haven't seen him in about eighty

years.

MOM

Like... a year and a half.

MASON

(points to Samantha)

Ha-ha.

SAMANTHA

Oh please...

MOM

Can we please eat, here? The bus is

coming. Who wants syrup?