deserve

It’s the 250th birthday of the United States of America and how better to celebrate than with a big-screen hagiography of America’s first president, George Washington? “Young Washington” arrives in theaters just in time for the Fourth of July with a chiseled, hot young actor in the lead role and the sheen of a prestige HBO drama, though the result isn’t really big-screen spectacle or appointment television. It feels more like something to be watched on the AV rig in a middle school social studies class. At least there won’t be a quiz at the end.

But there could be, because the plot of “Young Washington” plays out with all the thrill of a textbook chapter. It takes place mostly around 1753-55, at the advent of the French and Indian War. We open in medias res when the 23-year-old Col. Washington (William Franklyn-Miller) lurches from a dysentery-riddled nap directly into battle in the Pennsylvania woods, his battalion on the back foot, surrounded by gore and gunpowder. Another officer describes how dire the situation is while George ponders saving his men and asks, “What could be worth the risk?” Washington steels his gaze and we cut to black. You can almost hear the eagles scream, guitars riff and engines rev.

“Young Washington” is produced and distributed by Angel Studios, the faith-based movie studio that churns out films based on true stories that either feature freak accidents, strange illnesses or, more recently, unique stories from the past in which faith in God is a factor. Apparently, our nation’s founding also falls under this umbrella.

The film is directed by Jon Erwin, one of the in-house Angel Studios mainstays, who also helmed “Jesus Revolution,” “I Still Believe” and “I Can Only Imagine.” Erwin gives the whole project a kind of gritty, visceral approach — very “Game of Thrones” in red coats. It’s violent, muddy, the contrast is high and too many drone shots soar over the forest treetops.

Though it opens with a bang, this 1755 battle framing device gives way to the George origin story, starting with his father’s death 12 years earlier, when the 11-year-old George is bereft that he’ll have to sacrifice his education in order to become a tenant farmer and provide for his family including his mother, Mary (Mary-Louise Parker, doing a bizarre accent).

His older half-brother Lawrence (John Foss) takes him under his wing and teaches him, and the young George grows into a smart, bright, ambitious young man, whose dreams of becoming a British officer are dashed because he doesn’t have formal education, a fortuitous marriage or his own land. But he’s bootstrapped himself into intelligence and with savvy networking and know-how, he becomes indispensable to the British, volunteering as a major to survey land and negotiate treaties with the Native tribes and French army. It’s all a bunch of politicking and petty disputes until it escalates into all-out war thanks to an ill-advised ambush.

Sir Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammar (who starred in “Jesus Revolution”) and Andy Serkis play the British officers who begrudgingly, at times, believe in George and his capabilities, though a lot of the film is about a young man getting rebuffed by snobbish British officers.

He’s the kind of character who always makes the noble choice, does and says what’s right, and sees everyone as equals (including enslaved African men and Native American allies). He inspires his brother and others that the world can change and takes inspiration from his mother, who encourages him to continue his path and do it as God’s servant.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t make for a character that’s in any way complex or interesting at all. Franklyn-Miller is certainly pretty, serving as a fine face for this story, but the screenplay (by Erwin, Diederik Hoogstraten and Tom Provost) flattens his character into a basic cookie-cutter hero. Audiences, including the middle school social studies students, deserve better and more nuanced stories about this country and the values it was built upon.

“Young Washington” is propaganda in the form of a history lesson wrapped in a summer blockbuster. If only it were even slightly entertaining — maybe they’ll tackle that in the inevitable sequel.

For those associated with the club, the desire to watch a successful team next season is blended with a need to shake off the damage Eckert’s actions have caused.

One of the more egregious conclusions drawn by the EFL investigation into Southampton’s practices was that the young analyst intern who was caught spying outside Middlesbrough’s training ground had raised concerns about the task he was given, but was put “under extreme pressure” to carry it out by more senior personnel, including Eckert.

In many workplaces, a senior staff member pressuring a junior colleague into performing a task which violates industry rules would be met with a swift and significant punishment.

But Solak told BBC Sport that the intern was at fault for not kicking up more of a fuss, saying: “I believe that our junior intern felt personally it’s wrong, and he didn’t feel right for doing this, and I think he should have expressed that stronger.”

Solak insisted he has subsequently offered the intern analyst a full-time job with the club.

But the treatment of a young, inexperienced member of staff has raised concerns about the club’s culture.

“The club has lacked in terms of leading on the problem, and sorting out their own mess,” Tessem adds.

“I hope they have all learned a very harsh lesson. When you’ve been caught red handed, you need to take responsibility for the situation.”

If Southampton do manage to keep Eckert in his job, then the question of whether the club really has learned that lesson will continue to be asked.

Gogglebox couple Mary and Giles bickered in the latest episode of the Channel 4 show

Gogglebox star Giles Wood bickered wife Mary Killen on the show as he insisted he deserved “better” now he’s getting older.

The armchair critic launched into a rant about wanting “new, fresh things” in the latest instalment of the Channel 4 show, as he dug in his heels about wanting a new BBQ.

He and wife, Gogglebox co-star Mary, had been watching celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Ultimate BBQ show, when Giles decided that he wanted to splash out on a new one himself.

“Let’s buy that barbecue, Mary,” he said, however, she replied: “We’ve got one.”

“I know, but it’s c**p,” said Giles, but Mary asked: “Is it? You haven’t even tried it yet.”

“No, I just don’t like old things,” Giles insisted. “The older I get, the more I want new things, Mary. That’s irony. I like to buy new, fresh things.”

“Well, too bad,” his wife retorted.

“I’ve had a lifetime of hand-me-downs, and I’m fed up with it,” Giles explained. “I deserve better.”

Mary replied “No, you don’t deserve…” but Giles interjected: “I deserve better.”

“You certainly do not!” she exclaimed, as Giles restated his desire for Jamie’s BBQ. “I deserve one of these, Mary,” he told her.

Viewers were tickled by the exchange, with one posting on X: “Lol, Gyles just wants a new BBQ.” “Giles go buy yourself a new BBQ,” urged another viewer, as somebody else exclaimed: “Giles deserves better!”

“Giles is great at winding up Mary and she always bites,” one person posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter. Another quipped: “Giles! He kills me.”

The pair squabbled again later in the episode, which saw the cast watching programmes such as the Eurovision Song Contest, Race Across the World and Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.

They had words when Giles took issue with a pork pie containing pickle.

Giles was sampling the pie as they tuned into the week’s TV offerings but when Mary asked if he was “pleased with it” he confessed: “Um, sadly no.”

“That is not a proper pork pie,” he said. “So what?” Mary asked. “It’s nicer than a pork pie. It’s sophisticated.”

But Giles said the fact it was called a pork and pickle pie “should immediately send red lights buzzing in, in anyone’s head” as he complained about it being “soggy”.

Unimpressed, Mary got up to take it off him. “Oh, you horrible man, stop touching it,” she said. “I’m going to take it away… If you’re ungrateful, there are 100 men who would say, ‘Ooh, that’s a sophisticated take on a pork pie, Mary.’ I’m going to have that. Thank you. You’re not having it again.”

Gogglebox airs on Channel 4.