I was fortunate to catch an advance screening of Young Washington (2026) during a “secret movie” special at my local Cinemark on Monday, June 29, before the film’s July 3 wide release, in commemoration of which I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on the film.

For background–this was one of the only secret movie screenings I’d ever attended, thanks to a new friend I met through Meetup who invited others to share some of her movie passes. Having not looked into upcoming movie releases other than Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated Odysseus, I had no guesses about what the night’s feature would be, and mentions of Young Washington in our group were the first time I’d heard of the film.

The title itself did not intrigue me, immediately bringing up connotations of wholesomeness, perhaps family-friendly vibes that typically don’t grab me. Even the first ten or fifteen minutes or so did not have me convinced of the film’s artistic merit, with the cinematography and acting leaving plenty to be desired. Regarding the former, I found the washed out tones in the color grading to have an overall dismal effect that, even if atmospherically accurate, could have been offset by some more inspiring landscape shots. I’m no cinematography expert, but I took issue with (what I perceived as) uneven saturation lending an almost grainy quality to the various landscapes and action sequences depicted in the film–in contrast to the tranquil, calming effect associated with shots of, say, the Scottish Highlands in Skyfall (2012)– not that at any point in the film I expected a director of Sam Mendes’s caliber–and thus avoided any disappointment. It wasn’t until a conversation during a 4th of July party that I, having shirked doing my own research, discovered the film’s openhanded use of generative AI as the root of my visual displeasure. Nonetheless, I believe the storytelling elements that were real–especially the acting–made up for the visual shortcomings, leading me to thoroughly enjoy the film.

While the child actor depicting George Washington at his youngest, in the wake of his father’s premature death, failed to impress me, he was quickly supplanted by the Gen-Z actor William Franklyn-Miller, our intrepid lead, for the remainder of the film. Although a little awkward in gait, standing at 6 foot 3 inches with not the bulk to be imposing but rather the adolescent rawness that betrays growing very quickly in a short span of time, the actor has no shortage of charms in this role, the focal point for me being his piercing blue eyes, which I felt the camera showcased effectively. At many instances I saw this film as a case study on “hustling,” our modern shorthand for overcoming obstacles to get what you want in life. Time and time again, we see our protagonist question and attempt to defy his station, setting his ambitions higher than that which comes with his given social status. This starts early in life, when the death of his father forces 11-year old George to support the family farm in lieu of going to school and, instead of accepting the doors this closes, he devours the books and lessons he can access, through the guidance from his much older brother. Through active study of classical texts and regular equestrian practice and swordsmanship, the two shape young George into a man of character and principle–shaping, essentially, his sense of purpose. It’s the classic master-disciple story arc, often styled as an inspiring montage, in which master demonstrates core principles of the practice to student before student embarks on his perilous journey to fulfill his destiny. The hero’s journey, a cornerstone trope in every culture, never ceases to inspire me, on every level, from fiction to nonfiction, individual to group and societal. And these early instances of overcoming obstacles and defining a purpose set thematic tone for Young Washington.

As someone who’s actively working toward her next professional role, the notion of purpose takes center stage in the theater of my daily thoughts. The most striking parallel I noticed between my modern-day, 2026 pursuit and George’s 1770s setting is our shared incompletion of formal education–I, with my graduate program, George with his primary schooling, which, given, the passage of time, may as well even out in value, with primary and secondary education being comparatively worthless today compared to in the 1770s, taking into consideration not only the quality of the education being higher then but also the changing standards by which we value it, with some social commentators claiming economics to occupy a greater share of our collective values.

In any case, if we’re identifying personal shortcomings that enrich our story, per the film’s theme of overcoming adversity, I could claim to wrestle with the same institutional limitations as George–not belonging to a bigger entity that can directly guide him to achieve his goals, such as a school or a reputable family with strong connections. Instead, we’ve set off on our own, with the hope of building a network of support through personal will and determination, to channel us in a meaningful direction. Say what you will about the illusory, overromanticized nature of manifest destiny and self-determination, the backbone of the American ethos of, locally, pulling oneself up by one’s bootstraps–globally, the concept of American exceptionalism, all with thorny origins in Protestant guilt and, ultimately, the Judeo-Christian tradition. There need not be anything exceptionally American about the concept of manifest destiny, save, often, the attendant implications of conquest and exploitation, but the messaging does influence those who grow up here and immigrate here.

Though I won’t delve into the plot further, I’ll conclude on the fact that the film, though guilty of sentimentality as much as one may expect of a family-friendly historical drama, inspired me to reflect on our past and the stories and myths surrounding it–highlighting importance of understanding where we come from in the grander, meaning-making sense. The movie ensures we don’t forget about the role of the individual in effecting societal change, which aims, ultimately, to promote the dignity, freedom, and flourishing of that basic unit upon which society depends, and from whom our collective notions of meaning come originate–the individual.