Movies about adolescents suck most of the time, but writer-director David Gordon Green is one of the best in the business (up there with P.T. Anderson and Wes Anderson (no relation)). And this movie about kids is not for kids. (Sidenote: not to be confused with the hilarious Superdeluxe short also entitled George Washington that you might have seen on YouTube.)DGG tells the story of a group of friends--one of which is named George Washington--in what I'm guessing is rural North Carolina. There's not much to do in the failing town, so the children play in abandoned houses and swimming pools. The film's first half introduces you to the kids, their town, and some of the adults in their lives (my boy Paul Schneider--in his first cinematic role--is rather comedic as the son of one of the town's factory owners). The second half of the film deals with the children dealing with a death among their ranks and the role they played in said death. Here's the trailer:
This movie probably isn't for everybody. I do not think, had I not been a fan of DGG already--All the Real Girls has been one of my favorite films since my brother-in-law introduced me to it back in 2005--that I would've liked this movie as much as I did (which is not as much as I thought I would). DGG has a distinct style of storytelling and cinematography that I find fascinating (and so does Roger Ebert).
Final Grade: B
Blurb: You should watch All the Real Girls and Undertow before you pick up George Washington, but it's a refreshing indie, especially if you've recently been burned by a bloated Hollywood movie.
This was a strange movie! I enjoyed it primarily because it was done by David Gordon Green and had Paul Schneider in it. He didn't give the story enough structure and momentum, so it ends up feeling like an eccentric art house flick. I can't wait for Pineapple Express!
ReplyDeletei'm really stoked for Snow Angels to come to DVD although i'm not sure when the release date is (it's the first feature DGG will be involved with that he hasn't written himself ... i like sam rockwell, but i'm not sure about kate beckinsale). and although i'm a little judd apatow-ed-out right now, PE does look good (it looks like an action-comedy, much different than all his other stuff). plus, it helps that MIA's "paper planes" is in the preview!
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