George Washington (2000)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writer:

David Gordon Green (written by)

Release Date:

28 September 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

down this twisted road, please watch over my soul and lift me up so gently so as not to touch the ground.

Plot:

A delicately told and deceptively simple story of a group of children in a depressed small town who band together to cover up a tragic mistake.

Plot Keywords:

Cover Up | Small Town | Guilt | Interracial | Accidental Death

Awards:

9 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Candace Evanofski	...	Nasia
Donald Holden	...	George
Damian Jewan Lee	...	Vernon
Curtis Cotton III	...	Buddy
Rachael Handy	...	Sonya
Paul Schneider	...	Rico Rice
Eddie Rouse	...	Damascus
Janet Taylor	...	Aunt Ruth
Derricka Rolle	...	Whitney
Ebony Jones	...	Denise
Jonathan Davidson	...	Euless
Scott Clackum	...	Augie
Beau Nix	...	Rico's Father
Jason Shirley	...	Railroad Worker
William Tipton	...	Railroad Worker
Balla Keita	...	Railroad Worker
Will Janowitz	...	Railroad Worker
Shannon Davis	...	Railroad Worker
Ryan Morris	...	Railroad Worker
Christian Gustaitis	...	Tyler
Joyce Mahaffey	...	Tyler's Mom
Johnny 'Blue' Gardner	...	George's Doctor
Rudy Anderson	...	Sonya's Attorney
Henry Harris	...	Baptist (as Henry A. Harris)
Alan Thompson	...	George's Father
Stephanie Grant	...	Buddy's Momma
Tabitha Bell	...	Interviewer
Chris Kennedy	...	Strong Man
Richard Skaggs	...	Uncle Sam
Stephen Vazquez	...	Boy at the Wreck
Jocelyn Bond	...	Nasia's Friend
Kimberley Rogers	...	Nasia's Friend
Olivia Walker	...	Nasia's Friend
Yolanda Hairston	...	News Woman
Thomas Cormier	...	Camera Man
Christof Gebert	...	The sound Man
Clinton Campbell Jr.	...	Photographer
Smokey	...	The Dog

Directed by
David Gordon Green

Writing credits
David Gordon Green		(written by)

Produced by
Sam Froelich	....	executive producer
David Gordon Green	....	producer
Sacha W. Mueller	....	producer
Lisa Muskat	....	producer
Erin Aldridge Orr	....	co-producer (as Erin Aldridge)
Darius Shahmir	....	line producer (as Daria Shahmir)
Craig Zobel	....	co-producer (as R. Craig Zobel)

Original Music by
Michael Linnen
David Wingo

Cinematography by
Tim Orr		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Zene Baker
Steven Gonzales

Production Design by
Richard A. Wright		(as Richard Wright)

Art Direction by
Richard A. Wright		(as Richard Wright)

Costume Design by
Michael Tully

Makeup Department
Jeremy Macklem	....	special makeup effects artist
Michael Tully	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David C. Cook	....	post-production supervisor (as David Cook)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Benji Gillespie	....	first assistant director
Andrew Gillis	....	second unit director
Danny McBride	....	additional second unit director

Art Department
Mike Chapman	....	art
Charlie Dugan	....	swing
Berndt Mader	....	swing

Sound Department
C-Note	....	sound effects editor
Scott Elliot	....	sound assistant
E-Rod	....	dialogue editor
Bino Espinoza	....	sound effects editor
Christof Gebert	....	location sound engineer
Charlie Harring	....	foley artist (as Charles Harring)
Thomas Kilzer	....	foley recordist
David Kitchens	....	sound supervisor
Jacky Kreple	....	sound assistant
Michael Kreple	....	sound effects editor
Chris McDonough	....	sound coordinator
Paige Pollack	....	foley artist
Eliza Pollack Zebert	....	dialogue editor (as Eliza Zebert)
Eric Reuveni	....	sound coordinator
Ken Skoglund	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Webb	....	sound assistant
Suzanne Willard	....	assistant sound
David Wingo	....	boom operator
Ben Zarai	....	foley recordist
Ben Zarai	....	supervising sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Scott Gardner	....	assistant camera: second unit
Jason Musco	....	second assistant camera
Ryan Nelson	....	grip
Brian Nisbett	....	dolly grip
Brian Nisbett	....	still photographer
Steve Pedulla	....	additional photographer
Steve Pedulla	....	gaffer
Matthew A. Petrosky	....	first assistant camera
Brian Sides	....	grip
David Speck	....	clapper loader
Ray Stilson	....	grip
Adam Stone	....	additional photographer
Adam Stone	....	director of photography: second unit
Adam Stone	....	lighting: second unit
Karey Williams	....	additional photographer
Karey Williams	....	key grip
Karey Williams	....	underwater director of photography
Kenneth Wilson II	....	assistant camera
Kenneth Wilson II	....	best boy

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jessica Mickey	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Ivo Stainoff	....	color timer

Other crew
Ryan Arnett	....	production assistant
Anna Dudley	....	continuity
Charlie Dugan	....	wrangler
Emmy Ellison	....	production coordinator (as Elizabeth Ellison)
Chris Gonzales	....	computer consultant
Elaine Green	....	teacher
Laura Thompson	....	assistant to director
Laura Thompson	....	assistant to director

Thanks
Wade Adams	....	thanks
Lantz Barbour	....	thanks
Ben Best	....	thanks
Molly Bradford	....	thanks
Peter Broderick	....	thanks
Rick Brophy	....	thanks
Shawn Byrd	....	thanks
Matt Chapman	....	thanks
Mike Chapman	....	thanks
Robert E. Collins	....	thanks (as Robert Collins)
Kevan Cyka	....	thanks
Clarke Dummit	....	thanks
Giuli Dummit	....	thanks
Joe Dunton	....	thanks
Pat Dye	....	thanks
Patty Dye	....	thanks
Ralph Fairweather	....	the producers wish to thank: Apple Computer
Peter F. Fedak III	....	thanks (as Peter Fedak)
Butter Fisher	....	thanks
Carlos Gallardo	....	thanks
Ralph Gibson	....	the producers wish to thank: Oakview Barbershop
Gordon Green	....	thanks
Jeanne Green	....	thanks
Sam Grogg	....	thanks
Brian Harrison	....	the producers wish to thank: Apple Computer
Gary Hawkins	....	thanks
Gill Holland	....	thanks
Anne Hunter	....	thanks
Bryan Johnson	....	thanks (as Big)
Erv Karwelis	....	the producers wish to thank: Idol Records (as Erv)
Loran Kary	....	the producers wish to thank: Film Logic
Ida Keptner	....	thanks
Ron Keptner	....	thanks
Robert Kessel	....	thanks
Terry King	....	thanks
David Kitchens	....	thanks
Bryan Kupko	....	thanks (as Brian Kupco)
Nan Mahle	....	thanks
James Marcovitz	....	thanks (as James Marcowitz)
Dominic Mouzon	....	thanks
Douglas Nabors	....	thanks (as Doug Nabors)
Phil Newsome	....	thanks
Anis Panjwani	....	thanks
Sarah Pillsbury	....	thanks
Harvey Platt	....	thanks
Sandy Platt	....	thanks
Dale Pollock	....	thanks
Janice Price	....	thanks
Christopher Quinn	....	thanks
Susan Quinn	....	thanks
Dean Ramser	....	thanks
Brian Reis	....	thanks
Eric Reuveni	....	thanks
Greg Ridge	....	thanks
Sylvia Ridge	....	thanks
Midge Sanford	....	thanks
Sandra Schulberg	....	thanks
Sharon Sklar	....	thanks (as Sharan Sklar)
Milton Tabbot	....	thanks
Onur Tukel	....	thanks
Chris Waldorf	....	thanks
Dave Webb	....	thanks
Janice Lauf Wellerstein	....	thanks (as Janice Wellerstein)
Karey Williams	....	thanks
Pete 'The Dog Man' Zellmer	....	thanks
Pat Zobel	....	thanks
Roger Zobel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Free Country U.S.A. (presents)
• Youandwhatarmy Filmed Challenges (copyright owners)
• Blue Moon Filmed Productions (in association with) (as Blue Moon Productions)
• Down Home Entertainment (in association with)
• Code Red (uncredited)

Distributors

• Films sans Frontières (France) (theatrical)
• ContentFilm International (2000) (worldwide) (all media) (sales agency)
• Cowboy Booking International
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Janus Films (2005) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Apple Computer  the producers wish to thank (as Apple Computer)
• B&D's Bar-B-Que  the producers wish to thank
• Church of Broken Limb, The  the producers wish to thank
• Film Logic  the producers wish to thank
• Honeybaked Ham  the producers wish to thank
• Joe Dunton & Company International  cameras provided by
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Juniper Post  sound post-production facilities
• Little Theater, The  the producers wish to thank
• Magic Film and Video Works  lockbox electronic negative conforming
• Mario's Pizza  the producers wish to thank
• North Carolina School of the Arts  the producers wish to thank
• North Carolina Transportation Museum, The  the producers wish to thank
• Oakview Barber Shop  the producers wish to thank
• Philly Connection  the producers wish to thank
• Piedmont Community College  the producers wish to thank
• Second New Bethel Baptist Church, The  the producers wish to thank
• Stock Montage of Chicago  historical photos courtesy of
• T&T Optical Effects Company  titles
• The Film House Group  the producers wish to thank (as The Film House)
• Truman Van Dyke Company  insurance provided by
• Universal Talent Agency  the producers wish to thank
• Wings of Love  the producers wish to thank
• Winston-Salem Film Commission, The  the producers wish to thank

Runtime:

89 min | Argentina:94 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | USA:90 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | France:U | UK:12 | USA:Unrated | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

North Carolina School of the Arts - 405 W. 4th Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Free Country U.S.A.

Goofs:

Continuity: It is stated early in the film that Buddy is 13 years old, yet on his missing sign, it says he is only 10.

Quotes:

Vernon: 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 just brainstorm all day man. I wish I was born again... I wish I could get saved and get my life through Christ... then maybe he can forgive me for what I did... I wish there was just one belief... my belief.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Under the Undertow (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Audion

So lively, so convincing, so extraordinarily absorbing, not to be missed by those looking for underrated movies. ***1/2 (out of four)

GEORGE WASHINTON / (2000) ***1/2 (out of four)

By Blake French:

"George Washington" details the drowsy lives of several preteen friends during their last summer of childhood, and it feels so accurate how the characters behave in the slumberous, low standard society. This is the summer where their first crushes arrive and flowering sexuality gives them confidence instead of confusion. It is a summer where the heat is consistent and the days seemingly last forever with nothing to do. The movie is about how a tragedy can forever change the course of individual lives so unexpectedly and abruptly.

The setting is North Carolina on an industrial landscape, where we meet several black kids between the ages of ten and thirteen. The preteens are Buddy (Curtis Cotton III), who has a crush on Nasia (Candace Evanofski). She leaves him a young fellow named George (Donald Holden). George is a very interesting character; the plates in his skull did not meet correctly, so he must wear a protective helmet to cover his delicate head. George saves a child from drowning, even though his head is never supposed to get wet. He then walks around with a cape on, feeling accomplished like a hero. Then an accident happens, leaving the remaining characters with a lot to think about.

There is not a lot of active conflict here, just an examination of behaviors of a variety of characters. They are not your typical characters, though; they are so brilliantly portrayed they feel like regular, ordinary people. The performances are extraordinary. The atmosphere and melancholy setting play large roles in the monotonous tone, comparable conceivably with the work of Terence Malick. There is an honest and true sentimentality here, like the director, David Gordon Greene, wanted to inject personal and thought-provoking ideas in his innovative style, which sometimes seems a bit preachy.

"George Washington" is one of the most under appreciated movies of 2000. As I look over the Academy Award nominees I am disturbed. For the first time in a long time the members chose box-office successes over movie quality. Among the movies missing from the ballot are "Human Resources," "The Virgin Suicides," and "George Washington." The film is one of the year's most poignant and heartbreaking. Everything that happens here is so lively, so convincing, so extraordinarily absorbing. It is a movie not to be missed by those looking for great underrated movies.