Apple TV+: To the Future - Boys State (2020) - Reviewed



This week sees the release of the political documentary Boys State make its debut on Apple TV+. The Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner from Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine is a perfectly timed doc that aligns with our current struggles and the upcoming historic Presidential election. It hits Apple TV+ on August 14th.  

The film centers on a group of teenagers that are given the task of creating and mandating their own state government. The results are both revealing and educational as we're allowed to see through the eyes of people on both sides of the aisle. Ben, a Reagan loving conservative teen and Steven, the liberal minded child of Mexican immigrants take center focus in a film that looks to navigate our broken two party system. In an election year, Boys State is a great look inside opposing viewpoints and how our youth can get involved in politics. It also dives into the dramatic separation that's only amplified by social media and those that use it as an anxiety riddled battering ram. 

Party platforms and governmental processes are given a deep dig as the students are given a crash course in how the Texas state government works. Over the course of a week, these featured teenagers are exposed to the inner workings of how things work, how elections are run, and the different offices that make up our complex system. The film takes a hard look at all the different categories that people fall into politically while it attempts to give us some hope that the youth might save us. In its examination, it tears into all ends without passing judgment on anyone, which in itself is a commentary on how damaged our adult led system is and the cultural warfare that's taking place in front of our eyes. 





In an era where a lot of us choose to remain in our societal bubble, Boys State is an excellent study in how we can all take more time to understand each other and find a middle ground among the political warfare that's taking place on home soil.  The directors of this film really do perform a balancing act that attempts to show us how communication and patience might ultimately be our best ally instead of the way we berate each other over political views.


If you need something fresh to check out this weekend and enjoy politics, this one has something to teach everyone. 


-CG