George Washington (2000)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This independent film is perhaps one of the best take on American adolescence reality, without sex and drugs, close behind the darker and more visceral films from Larry Clark: Kids (1995) and Bully (2001). George Washington comes across as light even in the midst of tragedy and even more tragic life circumstances and reality. It seeks solace, redemption and contemplation in this contemporary boredom. It is poetic and profound at times and meanders in the mundane which it reflects well.Dialogues and monologues are well written and feel real. Imagery is impactful and uses elements like the cape and lizard mask to convey deeper beauty and meaning. Each character is explored even if briefly to reveal depth and allow for further thoughts. George's father which we see in one scene only, Damascus' explanation of why he hates dogs, Vernon's soliloquy and Sonya's secret are the best examples.The fragility of actions and consequences. Thoughts, feelings and circumstances.Although it may be missing an ethereal "je ne sais quoi" to bind everything together a bit more tightly, it achieves the ambiance and ambition of letting us into the life and preoccupations of our young protagonists.Recommended and good for multiple viewings.

Even though GEORGE WASHINGTON lacks the star power of the Reel 13 Indies of late (IMAGINARY HEROES, SUNSHINE STATE), it's still a high profile independent film. It's legendary in the industry as the first film from indie auteur David Gordon Green. It also already has its own Criterion Collection Edition on DVD, so Channel 13 can hardly claim to have made a discovery here.As disappointing as it is that Reel 13 has gone away from bringing us films that are new to us (though not that many of them were very good), you have to acknowledge that at the very least, we get an independent film that is wonderfully cinematic and well-crafted. David Gordon Green has a pretty simple formula – not a great deal of extraneous camera movement, realistic characters and scenes that are lyrically cut together with beautifully photographed landscapes. There is a certain poetry to his work that is all his own – a style that he worked to even greater impact with his follow-up film ALL THE REAL GIRLS.As similar as the feel of GEORGE WASHINGTON is to that film, it's narrative is quite different and deals with a handful of young kids in a small, poor town somewhere in the South (Arkansas? NC?) as they deal with tragedy and the unstoppable nature of growing up. The kids, whom I suspect are all untrained actors, are all quite good, albeit playing characters that are perhaps more mature than their respective ages suggest. That aspect, along with the verisimilitude and honesty of the scenes, reminds me a lot of Peter Sollett's work. Not as much RAISING VICTOR VARGAS (which airs on Reel 13 in May) than the short it was based on – FIVE FEET HIGH AND RISING – only Green accomplishes a similar effect without a hand-held camera.There a couple of nitpicky things that keeps GEORGE WASHINGTON from being as effective as the previously mentioned ALL THE REAL GIRLS. For starters, it's a little slow and hard to hear at times. Paul Schneider, who is outstanding in a much more significant role in REAL GIRLS, is more of a distraction here than an asset. His character, ostensibly intended for comic relief, is like a sixth toe on one foot – it doesn't stop you from walking normally, but it's really unnecessary. I also felt the voice-over was also extraneous – as if Green didn't trust us to comprehend his themes. The biggest issue I had with the film, though, is the surreal turn it takes in its last twenty minutes or so. Without giving too much away, it relates to changes in the main kid character, which are personified by a radical shift in wardrobe. While I see the overarching purpose of the choice – to explicate how the character deals with some of his misfortunes – it is a major shift in tone for the piece and stands out like a sore thumb against the quiet beauty of the rest of the film.Still and all, beggars can't be choosers and having sat through some very questionable indie films over the last few months, GEORGE WASHINGTON is a very welcome change.(For more information on this or any other Reel 13 film, check out their website at www.reel13.org)

Like reading a great novel. The words which pour out of these kids mouths, are at times completely natural and others poetic and rich. This is not your typical independent film, dealing with "life amongst the poor", in fact though destitute the setting is kinda magical and Utopian. (George doesn't get harassed, assaulted, while patrolling the neighborhood with a cape? Adults and children, speak to each other with no recognition of age, etc.) But none of this distracts from the "realism" of the story or characters, well realism is the wrong word...naturalism seems more fitting.A group of friends in North Carolina (all played by real people, no actors) deal with boredom, crushes, and growing up, until tragedy strikes, and changes them all, some attempt to escape, others take to lofty (super-heroesque) heroism.May seem a bit slow to some, but it's sincerely one of the best movies I've ever seen, it has a life and uniqueness all it's own which is difficult to put into words. I'd heard whispers of this movie for years, and now that I've finally seen it, I understand exactly the reasons for the hushed admiration and awe.A moving and inspiring masterpiece, I wish there were more like this...for one it's a film with non-middle class black characters, which doesn't immediately fall into clichés of race, class, etc, allowing the characters to grow into actual 3 dimensional human forms, and not just sacrificial lambs for heavy handed social tragedy (Okay I'm getting a bit off point, and maybe personalizing this, but it did make a difference in my appreciation, and perhaps Gordon's directing. In the Charlie Rose Interview (for those of you with the DVD), Gordon mentions for instance using ambient and string music as opposed to traditionally expected "hip hop" or "urban music". It's small details like this which help establish the films tone apart from it's environment, and to show how tranquil and mystical even junkyards and vacant lots can seem to fresh eyes and minds.)....Anywho it's a great film."I just wish I had my own tropical island, I wish... I wish I was... I could go to China, I wish I could go out of The States... I wish I had my own planet, I wish I... I wish there were 200 of me, man... I wish I could just sit around with computers and technology and just brainstorm all day man. I wish I was born again... I wish I could get saved and give my life to Christ... then maybe he can forgive me for what I did... I wish there was just one belief... my belief."

A complete masterpiece of American cinema. Easily one of the best films ever produced in this country. David Gordon Green doesn't announce his arrival as the next great filmmaker, he screams it at the top of his lungs. I have never been more moved by a film in my life. It's so heartbreakingly true. I wept for nearly the entire second half of the damn thing, it's that good.Every aspect of the film is phenomenal. From the destructively beautiful cinematography by Tim Orr to the unbelievably real performances Mr. Green gets out of his child and adult actors. The script and direction in general could not possibly be made any better.This film deserves every ounce of praise it has received and much more.Overall though it is disappointing how few people have seen it, and DG Green's other films as well. All the Real Girls and Undertow are also both exquisitely well made. Green is just as good a filmmaker as PT Anderson, Darren Aronofsky and Todd Solondz, and he's a much better filmmaker than just about everybody else near his age who gets more attention than him including QT, David Russell,Wes Anderson,and any other name one might think of.