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Neubauer Artists LLC
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A tense but relatively classic adventure thriller, driven by the rivalry between Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe.
Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke), a loving but penniless father, has been unjustly thrown in prison. In exchange for his freedom, he is recruited by the warden of his labor camp (Russell Crowe) to transport gold on the backs of men, discreetly, through the Oregon forest.
A smuggling mission that could prove fatal if the team doesn’t reach its destination with all the goods. But it’s a project Samuel can’t refuse if he wants to get back to his daughter sooner.
Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Padraic McKinley’s film can count on two solid performers – Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe – whose confrontations result in few words but are always full of panache and spice.
Mission impossible?
If this thriller, with its air of a great adventure film, manages to stand out, it is notably thanks to the presence of the young Native American character (Julia Jones) who changes the dynamic within this group of transporters, men without attachments and without hope, and who forces the plot to take greater account of the various realities experienced on the territory of the United States.
The Weight, an old-fashioned thriller, unfolds its plot in a predictable manner, with a series of trials that test the group’s resilience and threaten to send them all back to a labor camp, or even kill them. While none of the actors are bad in this highly structured exercise, this classic film will primarily appeal to fans of the genre, even if it ultimately offers too few surprises.
Directed by Padraic McKinley
Screenplay by Matthew Booi, Shelby Gaines
Starring Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Avi Nash
Running time: 1h54
