Boyhood · written by Richard Linklater · 2014

At the bowling alley, Samantha celebrates a strike while Mason gutters and Dad tells him life has no bumpers.

Scene 24 of 160 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act one

Dad
Samantha
Mason

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 19 min into a 3:02 film

The story so farBefore scene 24

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.
Just before
Scene 21
Mason is caught playing Oregon Trail instead of finishing a classroom assignment, and a classmate mocks his delayed work.
Scene 22
At Grandma's house, Samantha shows off her grades while Mason plays a Gameboy and reaches for the last candy.
Scene 23
Their father returns from Alaska to collect the children; the adults navigate awkwardly around his plan to bring them to Olivia.
Scene 24
This scene

24INT. BOWLING ALLEY - LATER

Samantha is bowling, her pink ball hurdling down the lane toward the pins.

DAD (O.S.)

Nice... Nice... Nice...

Strike!

SAMANTHA

Yay!

DAD

Yeah! Alright!

Dad is clearly impressed and excited for Samantha, as he stands to embrace her.

DAD (CONT'D)

Come here, come here, yes! That was

awesome! Get up there Mason, get up

there!

SAMANTHA

Daddy!

DAD

(to Samantha)

It was so good!

(to Mason)

Come on. Let 'em know who you are,

buddy. Let 'em know who you are.

Dad kisses Samantha. Mason throws his bowling ball.

DAD (CONT'D)

Yes! Yes! Yes! Alright, alright...

Gutter ball.

DAD (CONT'D)

Don't worry about it.

MASON

Wish we could use the bumpers.

DAD

Bumpers are for kids. You know,

what're you, two years old? You

don't want the bumpers. Life doesn't

give you bumpers.

Mason tosses the ball again.

DAD (CONT'D)

There we, there we go, there we go!

We got something there! We got

something! We got something! Ooooh!

Another gutter ball.

MASON

Last time I went bowling we had

bumpers and it was a lot more fun!

Dad gets up to bowl.

DAD

You don't want the bumpers, alright?

You bowl a strike with the bumpers

and it doesn't mean anything. Trust

me. Just lay it out on the lane.