A polished but uneven historical war drama with some immersive battle staging and a recognizable prestige-movie sheen, but the script, lead performance, and heavy-handed politics seem to undercut it. It sounds more interesting as a concept than as a fully satisfying film.
Young Washington
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · History · War
Thu · 2h 1m
Director: Jon Erwin
Starring: William Franklyn-Miller, Ben Kingsley, Mary-Louise Parker
Overview
Before he led a nation, George Washington was a young soldier thrown into a global conflict. With alliances crumbling and war closing in, he must choose who to trust and confront the leader he's becoming.
Director
Jon Erwin
Cast
William Franklyn-Miller, Ben Kingsley, Mary-Louise Parker
Curator Review
Verdict
A polished but uneven historical war drama with some immersive battle staging and a recognizable prestige-movie sheen, but the script, lead performance, and heavy-handed politics seem to undercut it. It sounds more interesting as a concept than as a fully satisfying film.
Best for
viewers who like earnest historical epics
fans of political origin stories
audiences who don’t mind a didactic, old-school biopic structure
people curious about 18th-century warfare on a modest prestige scale
Skip if
you want sharp writing or nuanced character work
you’re allergic to propaganda-adjacent storytelling
you need historical accuracy to be a priority
you prefer bold filmmaking over conventional studio drama
Overview
Young Washington aims for the kind of sweeping origin story that turns a national figure into a conflicted young man under pressure. The setup is inherently strong: a future leader caught between loyalty, ambition, and the chaos of empire. In practice, though, the film appears to lean on familiar biopic rhythms and obvious symbolism rather than finding a fresh dramatic angle.
Worth noting
The strongest praise seems to be reserved for the production design and battle material, which reportedly give the period conflict some real texture and scale. But those strengths are being dragged down by a script that many viewers found blunt and repetitive, plus a lead performance that doesn’t quite carry the weight of the role. The supporting cast sounds more reliable than the centerpiece, which is rarely a great sign in a movie built around a single iconic figure.
Bottom line
As a piece of mainstream historical drama, it may still work for viewers who want a straightforward, patriotic, old-fashioned war picture. For everyone else, it sounds more like a competent curiosity than a must-see. The result is watchable, but not especially memorable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
vivdagoat 🍎🍂🐞 (1★) · 1248 likes
george washington is rolling in his grave about the fact that he’s played by a british guy instead of a bald black man with a velvety voice
gabsniola (0.5★) · 657 likes
state of the nation so bad they’re making george washington propaganda movies
Adam Forrest (2.5★) · 480 likes
The subject matter is interesting, and the production values are solid enough — some of the scenes of 18th century warfare are really immersive and intense — but the script and the lead performances just aren’t up to the task. The letterboxd bio for the guy playing George Washington proudly tells us he was voted “the world’s most beautiful boy,” and I’m thinking yeah, that pretty much sums up his talent as an actor. Fortunately, Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, Kelsey
Brandon Wasserman (2★) · 454 likes
This movie will be best served during those chill 3 weeks after you’ve taken the APUSH exam.
Carter (0.5★) · 403 likes
Twink George Washington and his army of misfits get brutally frame mogged by the French.
Themes
coming-of-age, leadership, war and empire, political loyalty, national mythmaking, identity under pressure, moral compromise, historical origin story
Topics
historical drama, war epic, period piece, patriotic, political intrigue, origin story, 18th century, prestige biopic, battle sequences, national mythology