George Washington (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #12.2 extract: George Washington (2000)

Technically flawless, George Washington is a well-shot and impressively performed movie. With heavy themes of coincidence, death, responsibility and repentance, this film is staggering in quite a few ways - some good, some bad. 

Concerning the positives, this narrative is highly impactful with a hefty emotional punch. Every single one of its characters are beautifully constructed, giving this film an immense amount of verisimilitude; it even feels part-documentary at times. This comes together with the realist aesthetic and dramatic story quite perfectly. 

However, something seemed very off about the manner in which this narrative concludes and hits certain plot-points. In pivotal scenes that I won't spoil, it then feels as if characters make cheap and incomprehensible decisions - all of which are captured by an off-putting tone of sentimentality and forgiveness. 

Not knowing how to really feel about this, I can't say that this movie completely worked for me on this viewing. I may have to then see this again.