George Washington (film)

Last updated

George Washington
George Washington Film.jpg
Directed by David Gordon Green
Written byDavid Gordon Green
Produced by
  • Sam Froelich
  • David Gordon Green
  • Sacha W. Mueller
  • Lisa Muskat
Starring
  • Candace Evanofski
  • Curtis Cotton III
  • Donald Holden
  • Damian Jewan Lee
  • Rachael Handy
  • Paul Schneider
Cinematography Tim Orr
Edited by
Music by
Production
companies
  • Youandwhatarmy Filmed Challenges
  • Blue Moon Film Productions
  • Down Home Entertainment
Distributed byCowboy Pictures
Release dates
  • February 11, 2000 (2000-02-11)(Berlinale) [1]
  • October 27, 2000 (2000-10-27)(United States)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$42,000
Box office$283,846

George Washington is a 2000 American drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green in his directorial debut. Its story centers on a group of children in a depressed small town in North Carolina who band together to cover up a tragic mistake.

Contents

The film premiered at the 50th Berlin International Film Festival and received critical acclaim.

Plot

The film follows a group of kids growing up in a depressed rural town in North Carolina, as seen through the eyes of 12-year-old Nasia. After breaking up with her show-off boyfriend Buddy, she withdraws from her delinquent friends and becomes romantically interested in a strange, introverted boy named George Richardson, who is burdened by the fact that his skull never hardened after birth. Tragedy strikes when George accidentally kills Buddy, and he and his friends, Vernon and Sonya, fearing punishment, decide to hide Buddy's body. In the event's aftermath, George takes up the unlikely role of town hero.

Cast

Production

George Washington marked David Gordon Green's feature film debut as a screenwriter, film director and film producer. [2] It was also the first feature film role for actor Eddie Rouse. [2]

Reception

The film has an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Languid and melancholy, George Washington is a carefully observed rumination on adolescence and rural life." [3] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating “universal acclaim.” [4] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times selected it as one of the ten best films of 2000, [5] as did Time and New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell. [6]

In Roger Ebert's four star review, he called the cinematography by Tim Orr the best of the year, also writing "it is not about plot, but about memory and regret. It remembers a summer that was not a happy summer, but there will never again be a summer so intensely felt, so alive, so valuable." [7] Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader gave the film a favorable review, writing "You have to bring a lot of yourself to this film if you want it to give something back, but the rewards are considerable." [8] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle called it "a director's baby from the opening frames" and "not like any other movie. That, in itself, makes it something to see. Writer-director David Gordon Green, in his feature debut, has created a visually and emotionally consistent universe." [9] Rolling Stone 's Peter Travers called David Gordon Green "a writer and director of rare grace and feeling", whose directorial debut is of "startling originality that will haunt you for a good, long time." [10] Joe Leydon of Variety was one of ten critics (out of 56) to give the film a negative review, calling it an "undistinguished and uninvolving attempt to offer a rural spin on Kids ". [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Medallion</i> 2003 film

The Medallion is a 2003 buddy action comedy film directed by Hong Kong film director Gordon Chan, who also wrote the screenplay with Bennett Joshua Davlin, Bey Logan, Paul Wheeler, and Alfred Cheung, who also produced.

<i>The Cell</i> (film) 2000 film by Tarsem Singh

The Cell is a 2000 science fiction psychological horror film directed by Tarsem Singh in his directorial debut, and starring Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film follows scientists as they use experimental technology to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to locate where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.

<i>Meet Joe Black</i> 1998 film by Martin Brest

Meet Joe Black is a 1998 American romantic fantasy drama film directed and produced by Martin Brest, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Claire Forlani. Celebrating his 65th birthday, businessman and devoted family man Bill Parrish is visited by Death, who wants to know what it's like to be human in return for giving Bill extra days of his life. The screenplay was written by Bo Goldman, Kevin Wade, Ron Osborn, and Jeff Reno, and is loosely based on the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, which is itself based on the 1929 play Death Takes a Holiday by Walter Ferris, which is in turn an English-language adaptation of the 1924 Italian play La morte in vacanza by Alberto Casella.

<i>Deep Cover</i> 1992 film directed by Bill Duke

Deep Cover is a 1992 American crime thriller film directed by Bill Duke from a screenplay by Henry Bean and Michael Tolkin. The film stars Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, and Charles Martin Smith. Its plot focuses on a Cincinnati-based police officer who goes undercover in a Los Angeles sting operation to bring down a West Coast drug cartel.

<i>Layer Cake</i> (film) 2004 British crime film by Matthew Vaughn

Layer Cake is a 2004 British crime drama thriller film directed by Matthew Vaughn, in his directorial debut. The screenplay was adapted by J. J. Connolly from his 2000 novel of the same name. The film was produced by Adam Bohling, David Reid and Vaughn, with Stephen Marks as executive producer. The title refers to the social strata, especially in the British criminal underworld. The film's plot revolves around a London-based criminal, played by Daniel Craig, who works in the cocaine trade and wishes to leave the drug business. The film also features Tom Hardy, Michael Gambon, Colm Meaney, and Sienna Miller. Craig's character is unnamed in the film and is listed in the credits as "XXXX".

<i>The Clearing</i> (film) 2004 film by Pieter Jan Brugge

The Clearing is a 2004 American thriller drama film and the directorial debut of film producer Pieter Jan Brugge. The film is loosely based on the real-life kidnapping and murder of Dutch businessman Gerrit Jan Heijn that took place in the Netherlands in 1987. The screenplay was written by Justin Haythe.

<i>One True Thing</i> 1998 American drama film

One True Thing is a 1998 American drama film directed by Carl Franklin. It tells the story of a woman in her 20s who is forced to put her life on hold in order to care for her mother, who is dying of cancer. The script was adapted by Karen Croner from the novel by Anna Quindlen, with the story being based on Quindlen's own struggle with the death of her mother, Prudence Pantano Quindlen, from ovarian cancer in 1972.

<i>The Gift</i> (2000 film) 2000 American supernatural thriller film

The Gift is a 2000 American supernatural thriller film directed by Sam Raimi, and starring Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, Hilary Swank, Katie Holmes, and Greg Kinnear. It centers on a single mother in rural Georgia who becomes involved in a local missing person case after she experiences a psychic vision. The screenplay was written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson based on the alleged psychic experiences of Thornton's mother.

<i>Imaginary Heroes</i> 2004 American film

Imaginary Heroes is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Dan Harris. The film focuses on the traumatic effect the suicide of the elder son has on a suburban family. For her performance in the film, Weaver was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama.

<i>Stealing Beauty</i> 1996 film

Stealing Beauty is a 1996 drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Liv Tyler, Joseph Fiennes, Jeremy Irons, Sinéad Cusack, and Rachel Weisz. Written by Bertolucci and Susan Minot, the film is about a young American woman who travels to a lush Tuscan villa near Siena to stay with family friends of her poet mother, who recently died. The film was an international co-production between France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

<i>Nutty Professor II: The Klumps</i> 2000 science fiction dark comedy film by Peter Segal

Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is a 2000 American science fiction comedy film directed by Peter Segal. It is the second and final installment in the Nutty Professor remake film series and the sequel to the 1996 film The Nutty Professor. In contrast to the previous film, subplots which are centered on the parents of protagonist Sherman Klump occupy a substantial part of the film.

<i>The Cats Meow</i> 2001 film by Peter Bogdanovich

The Cat's Meow is a 2001 historical drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and starring Kirsten Dunst, Eddie Izzard, Edward Herrmann, Cary Elwes, Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Tilly, and Ronan Vibert. The screenplay by Steven Peros is based on his 1997 play of the same title, which was inspired by the mysterious death of film mogul Thomas H. Ince that occurred on William Randolph Hearst's yacht during a weekend cruise celebrating Ince's birthday in November 1924. Among those in attendance were Hearst's longtime companion and film actress Marion Davies, fellow actor Charlie Chaplin, writer Elinor Glyn, columnist Louella Parsons, and actress Margaret Livingston. The film provides a speculative assessment on the unclear manner of Ince's death.

<i>Shopgirl</i> 2005 film by Anand Tucker

Shopgirl is a 2005 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Anand Tucker and starring Steve Martin, Claire Danes, and Jason Schwartzman. The screenplay by Martin is based on his 2000 novella of the same title. The film follows a complex love triangle between a disenchanted salesgirl, a wealthy businessman and an aimless young man.

<i>Rumor Has It</i> (film) 2005 American film

Rumor Has It is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine and Mark Ruffalo. The concept of the screenplay by Ted Griffin is that a woman learns that her mother and grandmother may be the inspiration for the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, grossing $88.9 million against its $70 million budget.

<i>Dreamer</i> (2005 film) 2005 American film

Dreamer is a 2005 American sports drama film written and directed by John Gatins in his directorial debut. It is inspired by the true story of an injured Thoroughbred racehorse named Mariah's Storm. The film stars Kurt Russell, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth Shue and Dakota Fanning.

<i>Undertow</i> (2004 film) 2004 American psychological thriller film

Undertow is a 2004 American psychological thriller film co-written and directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jamie Bell, Devon Alan, Dermot Mulroney and Josh Lucas. Taking place in Georgia, the film tells the story of two boys pursued by a murderous uncle.

<i>Waking the Dead</i> (film) 2000 American film

Waking the Dead is a 2000 mystery drama film directed by Keith Gordon and starring Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly. The screenplay by Robert Dillon is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Scott Spencer.

<i>The Nutty Professor</i> (1996 film) 1996 American film

The Nutty Professor is a 1996 American science fiction comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. It is a remake of the 1963 film of the same name, which starred Jerry Lewis, which itself was a parody of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The film co-stars Jada Pinkett, James Coburn, Larry Miller, Dave Chappelle, and John Ales. Filming began on May 8, 1995, and concluded on September 8, 1995. The original music score was composed by David Newman. The film won Best Makeup at the 69th Academy Awards.

<i>Hesher</i> (film) 2010 American film

Hesher is a 2010 American comedy drama film co-edited, written, and directed by Spencer Susser in his feature directorial debut, from a screenplay by Susser and David Michôd, and based on a story by Brian Charles Frank. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson, Natalie Portman, Piper Laurie, and Devin Brochu, the film follows the titular rebellious metalhead (Gordon-Levitt) and his chaotic misadventures with T. J. Forney (Brochu), a depressed high school freshman coming to terms with the death of his mother in a car crash.

<i>Life Itself</i> (2014 film) 2014 American film

Life Itself is a 2014 American biographical documentary film about Chicago film critic Roger Ebert, directed by Steve James and produced by Zak Piper, James and Garrett Basch. The film is based on Ebert's 2011 memoir of the same name. It premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and was an official selection at the 67th Cannes Film Festival. The 41st Telluride Film Festival hosted a special screening of the film on August 28, 2014. Magnolia Pictures released the film theatrically in the United States and simultaneously via video on demand platforms on July 4, 2014.

References

  1. 1 2 Leydon, Joe (April 17, 2000). "George Washington". Variety. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Barnes, Mike (December 8, 2014). "Character Actor Eddie Rouse Dies at 60". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  3. "George Washington". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  4. "George Washington Reviews". Metacritic .
  5. Ebert, Roger (December 31, 2000). "Ebert's Top Movies of 2000". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  6. "Best of 2000 - Year-end Awards and Nominations". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  7. Ebert, Roger (January 26, 2001). "George Washington". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 14, 2005. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  8. Rosenbaum, Jonathan (October 17, 2000). "George Washington". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  9. LaSalle, Mick (January 26, 2001). "'Washington's' Truth: Vivid tale of adolescents has uniqueness of art". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  10. Travers, Peter (December 10, 2000). "George Washington". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2022.