Boyhood trailer: Watch Ella Coltrane grow up over 12 years in five seconds

Richard Linklater's epic experiment hits cinemas tomorrow

Ellar Coltrane started filming Boyhood aged seven (Universal)

Richard Linklater's Boyhood has released a TV spot that shows lead actor Ellar Coltrane's maturation through the film in five seconds so there's no need to actually go and see the film (I jest, its brilliant and the industry needs you spending your money on films that aren't Transformers sequels).

Production on the groundbreaking drama started when Coltrane was seven years old and portrait photos were taken of him throughout filming to chart the journey.

A feat of patience, the film could have felt gimmicky, but early reviews suggest Linklater's 12-year gamble has paid off.

The New York Times' A.O. Scott called it "one of the most extraordinary films of the 21st century," while The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab found it "affecting and truthful".

"The circumstances under which Boyhood was made - the director and his cast filming over short periods from 2002 until 2013 - don’t lend themselves to tidy storytelling," he said.

"Even so, this is a film with a huge emotional charge. We’re aware throughout that time is passing and that Mason’s childhood won’t last for ever. That’s one reason why the film seems so affecting and so truthful in spite of its slow-burning, episodic storytelling."

The film's soundtrack also spans the story's 12 years, ranging from Coldplay's Yellow to Arcade Fire's Deep Blue.

Boyhood opens in cinemas on 11 July.