This weekend marks a monumental release in the history of cinema. Richard Linklater, already lauded for his magnificent ‘Before’ trilogy, debuts his film ‘Boyhood’ in UK theatres.

BoyhoodCo-stars Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater in 'Boyhood'

Taking place over 12 years, using the same actors, ‘Boyhood’ has unparalleled power when it comes to connoting story through time, especially in the case of Ellar Coltrane who, aged 6, started filming ‘Boyhood’ and didn’t wrap until he was 18.

“The plan was articulated and went through as planned. For that good fortune, I am thankful,” Linklater says. “But you have to be a little lucky. And we got lucky all the time in this film,” he added. (USA Today)

More: Richard Linklater's 'Boyhood' Premieres First Trailer To Show A Film 12 Years In The Making

A good example of that luck was exemplified with a stolen shot at a baseball game. The production team bought 15 seats and hoped to comprise that particular section of the movie with some meaningful footage; what they got turned out to be one of the most memorable scenes in the film: Jason Lane hitting a home run while cameras were rolling.

"It was unbelievable good fortune," Hawke explained. "We were stealing these shots, grabbing footage. And the camera happened to not only catch the hit, but follow it and focus on the home run. The whole stadium exploded.” “There were all kinds of magical moments happening like that," Linklater added.

Ahead of its release, ‘Boyhood’ has been an unmitigated hit with the critics, garnering a 100% rating on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. “There's never been a movie quite like Boyhood, and it may be years before anyone works up the gumption to match its achievement,” wrote The A.V Club’s A.A Dowd.

Lou Lumenick called it “A heady film experience packed with so many telling details about life in the United States over the past 12 years - and one that makes you care such much about the struggles and foibles of its imperfect characters.”

Watch the trailer for 'Boyhood' here