Sundance-winning documentary following an annual US experiment—a week-long programme where a thousand 17-year-old boys from Texas join together to build...
Sundance-winning documentary following an annual US experiment—a week-long programme where a thousand 17-year-old boys from Texas join together to build a representative government from the ground up.
Filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine closely track the escalating tensions that arise within a particularly riveting gubernatorial race, training their cameras on unforgettable teenagers like Ben, a Reagan-loving, arch-conservative who brims with confidence despite personal setbacks; and Steven, a progressive-minded child of Mexican immigrants who stands by his convictions amidst the sea of red. In the process, they have created a complex portrait of contemporary American masculinity, as well as a microcosm of our often dispiriting national political divisions that nevertheless manage to plant seeds of hope.
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95 %153 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
91 %256 reviewsAudience score rating
"Equally importantly, Boys State also provides gripping drama (especially as election day looms), a surprisingly poignant and emotional finale and inspired lunacy."
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Stuff
Stuff"Boys State offers the full package. You will laugh a lot, but you will also get caught up emotionally and shed some tears."
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BirthMoviesDeath
BirthMoviesDeath"Boys State constantly and vividly shows the blurred lines of decorum that come with age and power, and that's certainly the case when masculinity takes the forefront."
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RogerEbert.com
RogerEbert.com"Some of these boys are already as hard-faced and cynical as velociraptors. Some are gentle and sweet natured. Some are even shown changing their minds. It's an amazing spectacle."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"Boys State inevitably feels more and more like reality TV programming, which is both appropriate for our times and depressing."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood Reporter"Ultimately, Boys State works because the “characters” are so compelling."
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Variety
Variety"The filmmakers illustrate that governmental power is a fickle thing, prone to exploitation and good will alike, depending on who decides to pursue its offices."
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IndieWire
IndieWire"A compelling political campaign chronicle and an incisive allegory of American democracy, Boys State is also much more fun that you’d expect."
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Screen Daily
Screen DailyBoys State | Details
Award winner- Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Emmys 2021; Grand Jury Prize winner (Documentary) at Sundance Film Festival 2020; Louis Black/Lone Star Award at SXSW Festival 2020
- Runtime
- 109
- Genre
- Documentary
- Country of origin
- USA
