The patriotic biopic Young Washington has earned a wave of the flag with a positive Rotten Tomatoes prediction. Starring William Franklyn-Miller as a fledgling George Washington, the film follows the rise of the Founding Father in the French and Indian War before he became a general in the American Revolutionary War and the nation’s first president. Joining the star-studded cast in the Wonder Project production are Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, Kelsey Grammer, and Mary-Louise Parker. Interestingly one of the few films to depict George Washington as the lead character, Young Washington releases on July 3, right in time for the Independence Day holiday weekend. It premiered earlier this month on June 13 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City.
Young Washington has received mostly positive reviews so far on Rotten Tomatoes
The George Washington drama Young Washington is predicted to receive a 70% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as based on a bet on Kalshi (as of June 26). If this prediction holds, it would give the film ‘Fresh’ status and close to earning the coveted ‘Certified Fresh’ status that’s typically reserved for films with a score higher than 75% on the site.
As always, Rotten Tomatoes predictions can swing wildly, so this should be taken with a grain of salt. Still, pouring through the history of the bet, which started on June 17, the film’s forecasted review score has fluctuated between a low of 65% to a high of 80%. The prediction has fallen a handful of points since the beginning of the bet, suggesting that Young Washington has lost some favor with critics as more reviews for the film continue to appear.
While it’s unclear what the review embargo for the biopic is as we head closer to its theatrical debut, several critiques have emerged based on its Tribeca Festival screening (and some viewers have already seen the film at AMC’s Screen Unseen promotion), implying Young Washington may not have an embargo in place.
Case in point, Rotten Tomatoes has already catalogued seven reviews for Young Washington, which isn’t enough for an overall Tomatometer score from critics; however, six of them are positive. James Parker of The Atlantic writes that the biopic shows us a more naive version of the Founding Father, an “early-20s George, pale, petulant, virginal, ramrod-straight, and bristling with awkwardness and ambition.” While Young Washington has more than its fair share of “clichés and hoary tropes,” the film still “nails it.”
Mike McGranaghan of Aisle Seat, who gives the film a 3.5 out of 4 stars, is likewise impressed by Franklyn-Miller’s portrayal of George Washington as a “dutiful, morally conscious guy aware of his own limitations and determined to work past them.” He praises Young Washington’s production design as well: “Sets, costumes, and locations all immerse viewers in the era, allowing the drama to play out forcefully.”
On the other end of the spectrum, however, Brian Omdorf from Blu-Ray slams the film with a 4 out of 10 score, describing it as “one incredibly mediocre movie.” He criticizes the production’s “low-energy television-style encounters and routine psychological issues” and notes that several battle scenes “are hindered by iffy CGI (which looks like AI at times) and limited scope, making the film’s few forays into conflict underwhelming.”
Regardless, Young Washington is looking to be one of strongest showings for Angel Studios at the box office. A June 19 report from analytics site BoxOfficeTheory predicts that the film will earn $28 million, or in the range between $23 million and $35 million, in its domestic opener and potentially make $105 million over its full run in the US and Canada. It will need to compete against Supergirl in its second week and Illuminations’ Minions & Monsters that releases a few days before Young Washington does on July 1.
