I am grateful that I had the opportunity to see the many first glimpses of Young Washington at CinemaCon back in April.Also, I was able to hear a few words from the lead William Franklyn-Miller—his performance in Young Washington soars with wonders. I had a feeling I was going to be sold on the full version of Young Washington, and I definitely was. This story of a rising leader presents many historic aspects. Simply spellbinding is how I define Young Washington.
The film is solid as it begins with George Washington and his journey taking on responsibilities of the many territories surrounding the different colonies. With much political sophistication, there is also a sense of surreal wonders. His mother, Mary Washington, is played by Mary-Louise Parker. The life of George is one that is unsettling, but redemption abounds. The era of the mid and late 1700s plays out in politics and the landscape of George’s growth.
Although the film lacks in some of its historic value, there is resilience and spectacle in the acting and the cinematography. Also, the dynamics of history and leadership are well played. The battles for the lands and the colonies are where Franklyn-Miller possesses the perfect attitude to play George Washington. As the film progresses, he speaks with Lord Fairfax, played byKelsey Grammer, as he owns much of the land. George finds inspiration from his half-brother Lawrence Washington, played by John Foss. Authority though, is where George struggles. He seeks to change the world, but he must fight hard for that leadership role.
The characterization around authority and equality all rumble in Young Washington. I found great inspiration, especially with the background story of Washington himself. His sidekick is Christopher Gist (Leo Hanna), and George takes many of his orders from Robert Dinwiddie (Ben Kingsley). Once George is on the frontlines in war, the film becomes a power boxing match between George and Robert, showing that political order may not always be the answer. With George viewed as the rookie, the film resorts to presenting his hero side much more.
The storyline and the performance of Franklyn-Miller compelled me, but my issue was that so much of the authority and leadership over George took over much of the writing. It focused a lot on making him look like he was someone who would never advance. Overall, the history of it all has blurred moments, but at the same time, spectacle exists with Young Washington.
The concept of values and the action of warfare make Young Washington appealing. There is a sense that it can find its following and find a way to be entertaining on the big screen. History with added warfare and early stages of one rising had me sold the most. This was not totally my favorite, but just above par. It is one of those films where my star rating falls at-two-and-a-half out of four stars.
Movies with Tarek 