A young George Washington faces war, betrayal, and impossible choices that will forge a leader.
Chuck says:
On the 250th anniversary of the United Stares, the Revolutionary War is having a moment. From Ken Burns’ six-part docuseries “The American Revolution,” a series of New York Times’ articles reassessing key figures and events to numerous other events and writings, the conflict that gave birth to our nation is suddenly a hot topic of discussion. Angel Studios’ contribution is Jon Erwin’s “Young Washington,” a surprisingly engaging account of our first president’s early years. As with any movie of this sort, a fair share of liberties are taken regarding the compression of time and combining of real-life figures into one convenient character. Still, for the most part this is a historically accurate account that proves to be unexpectedly compelling, thanks in large part to a strong lead performance from a relative unknown.
Knowing there’s a lot to cover, Erwin and his fellow screenwriters Diederik Hoogstraten and Tom Provost begin with a massive exposition dump that gets things off to an awkward start. However, after about 15 minutes, things get sorted out, the narrative becomes clear and the viewer no longer feels like a guest arriving late to a party. We see really young 11-year-old Washington (Will Joseph) grappling with the death of his father. He receives cold comfort from his mother (Mary Louise-Parker) who informs him there’s no time for tears as there’s a farm to be run.
He finds a more sympathetic shoulder with his much-older half-brother Lawrence (John Foss), who encourages him to better himself. In doing so, Washington (William Frankyn-Miller) longs for a higher station but this is denied him due to his social ranking. An avenue he pursues to remedy this is to become an officer in the British Army, however his being born in the colonies disqualifies him from that. But Major Robert Dinwiddie (Ben Kingsley) sees in him a man eager to prove himself and names Washington commander of a militia outpost in the Ohio Valley.
This act proves to be the turning point in Washington’s life as he discovers the French are building forts on what the British consider to be their territory. Only 21 at the time, the future president was deputed with telling the occupiers to vacate the land, which they refused to do, an act of defiance that would prompt the French and Indian War. This would serve as a proving ground for Washington, an arena in which he made grave mistakes as well as learn key concepts of military command.
The film’s second hour is devoted to these trials by combat and to Erwin’s credit, they’re very well staged. The director eschews many of the techniques used in modern action films, his battle sequences and scenes of face-to-face combat composed of long and medium shots, minimum camera movement and editing that accents movement rather than blur it. The violence, while not gratuitous, is more realistic than you might expect and effectively underscores the horror of battle.
Location shooting in Ireland (?) and Virginia contribute a vital sense of place, the wilderness locations conducive to recreating the untrammeled environment of the era. Meanwhile, Kristopher Kimlin’s moody cinematography casts a pall over it all, suggesting danger lurks within the unexplored, his work fitting for any Nathaniel Hawthorne story that might need adapting.
The period accurate production design isn’t the film’s only surprise, as Franklyn-Miller gives an arresting performance as Washington. Similar to Henry Fonda in John Ford’s “Young Mr. Lincoln,” the actor captures the young man’s awkward nature and eager demeanor in an appealing, relatable way. Utilizing subtle touches along the way, the actor creates a portrait of a man coming into his own, his fears and doubts giving way to strength and confidence. It’s a calculated but sincere performance.
To be sure, this is a narrow vision of life during this era, the issue of slavery mentioned only in passing, while the fact Washington’s family owned slaves as well as how it came to own thousands of acres of land isn’t dealt with. Both sides of the political aisle will be able to use various aspects of the movie to their own means. Much like the bio-pics of the 30’s and 40’s, “Young Washington” serves as a well-meaning portrait of a revered historical figure, warts and other flaws overlooked in the interest of patriotism.
3 Stars
