The Weight is immersive and at times gripping and is well worth a trip to the cinema.
The Weight is in part an interesting study into what desperate people will do when put into a hopeless situation, but it also contains plenty of action as Ethan Hawke (and the others) struggle with their cargo in this engaging film.
Set in Oregon in 1933, the third year of the Great Depression, Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke) a single parent, veteran of the First World War and expert in fixing anything mechanical is struggling to pay his bills and he and his daughter Penny (Avy Berry) are evicted while they are attending church on a Sunday. While trying to find new accommodation there is a misunderstanding as Samuel is looking into a window and he gets into a fight then is arrested.
Separated from Penny and sent to a hard labour prison camp to work on braking rocks for road construction, he meets fellow prisoners Olson (Lucas Lynggaad Tonnesen), Singh (Avi Nash), Rankin (Austin Amelio) and Anna (Julia Jones) who works at the camp. After coming to the attention of Warden Clancy (Russell Crowe), Samuel is offered a chance for early release if he and three other prisoners can carry heavy backpacks of gold through the forest to a designated meeting place days away so that the gold can be saved from being confiscated by the government.
Samuel chooses Olsen, Singh and Rankin and as they set out with the guards, Amis (Sam Hazeldine) and Letender (George Burgess) they are joined by Anna who runs away from the camp. – and so begins their dangerous journey.
Filmed mostly near Viechtach in Germany, director Padraic McKinley and cinematographer Matteo Cocco capture the torment of the times and the characters as they slog through their trek. The script by Matthew Booi and Shelby Gaines is absorbing at times, suspenseful and interesting to the conclusion.
Ethan Hawke has an intensity as Samual who is tormented by being separated from his daughter. Austin Amelio in the role of the ‘can he be trusted’ Rankin is excellent. Lucas Lynggaad Tonnesen and Avi Nash are also good, however Julie Jones seems a little underutilised. Russell Crowe as with a lot of his recent roles does not overextend himself, but is good for the billing.
The Weight is immersive and at times gripping and is well worth a trip to the cinema.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon
Rating 4 out of 5
Distributor: RialtoDistribution
