The Boys in Red Hats takes a real-life incident and uses it as a springboard to explain the current schism in our political world today. It is a deeply personal film by Jonathan Schroder and one that doesn’t let anyone off the hook.
Known as “the smirk heard round the world,” on January 18th, 2019, a group of pupils from Kentucky’s prestigious Covington Catholic High School were on a field trip to Washington D.C. to attend a “March for Life” rally. They soon found themselves at the Lincoln Memorial. Donning a red MAGA hat, a clip of student Nick Sandmann smirking at Native American elder Nathan Phillips soon went viral. This led to social media outrage and controversy until the full clip was revealed. It is here that Schroder takes off.
Not only is Schroder a filmmaker for National Geographic, but he is also a graduate of Covington Catholic. This gives the film both a weird authenticity as well as an unreliable narration. Is Schroder trying to distance himself from his past? Or is he coming to terms with it? The film flip-flops a lot, as Schroder and producing partner Justin Jones battle to figure out who’s more reliable between Sandmann and Phillips.
One fault with the film is most of the attention is given to Nick Sandmann. Phillips is almost entirely glossed over, and you’re only given a brief explanation that the man “has had a hard life.” We are instead given a lengthy examination into prejudices against kids like Sandmann as well as institutions like Covington Catholic. These kids are allotted a great chance in life through an elite education at Covington, and it is through this lens of privilege that Schroder attempts to find the gaps in our political landscape. He doesn’t necessarily succeed or come to any conclusion on how to bridge these gaps, yet the documentary is an illuminating work.
The film would work well for academic university clubs and organizations looking to educate students on current events. Professors should consider this title for their sociology students, political science students, and psychology students.