The Weight Review: Carries the weight and crumbles under it
Sandwiched between Runner and Resident Evil, this was quite the unique triple feature. The Weight follows a man who gets falsely thrown into prison, but gets a deal cut—if he delivers a group of people a stash of gold, he will be pardoned and can see his daughter again. I didn't know that much about this one, but I heard good things... So, did I enjoy it, or was I disappointed? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be discussing in today's review. Thanks so much for joining me today, and I hope you have a great day!
Let's start with the negatives. First, the film never feels high-tension because of its lingering arthouse camerawork, slow-burn pacing, and extended sequences that don't move the plot or characters forward. It's a thriller, so... Could've used a few more thrills. The stakes and thrills felt higher before and after the main journey at the workplace and jail than they did in the forest. Sure, the setup and conclusion are fantastic, but that can't save everything else.
The film also could've used more character development, especially regarding the main character and his daughter. While it was also heartbreaking, more flashbacks or even some storytelling about her would've cemented it as the best element of the film. Additionally, Russell Crowe's character was one of the best parts and deserved more luster in his reintroduction.
Another negative is the film's logic. There were huge gaps, which felt especially stupid since the whole reason the main character was chosen for the expedition is that he was more intelligent than the rest. Then, he turns around and makes the most baffling choices when faced with the tribulation of logs floating down a river. I could've chosen fifteen better things to do in that scenario—and I'm a homebody writer and auteur, not a survivalist. I shouldn't know more than them from watching a couple of documentaries.
But, even worse, and easily the worst part of this movie, the gold bridge scene. Instead of assessing the lightest person in the group and distributing the gold to equalize everyone's weight—I mean, it's called The Weight—they decide to chuck and catch gold. They get executed if they lose this gold, mind you. The physics are just as bad as the ramifications; hurling and catching gold like that is ridiculous. If they just pulled a Harrison Bergernon and tied stuff to them with equal weight, or even made a makeshift pulley—anything but this!—I might have given the movie a higher score.
However, this score was still an overall win for me. The film has a grandiose setting, with a massive forest landscape and fantastic old-timey production design, makeup and hairstyling, and costume design. The visuals felt claustrophobic, but in a good way, contrasting the vast landscape with a dark vignette that captured the journey's weight.
Ethan Hawke's raw intensity in the lead role makes for a compelling and absorbing portrayal of Samuel Murphy. His embodiment of weariness, desperation, and trauma continues to prove that Hawke is one of my favorite actors and one of the most versatile. Russell Crowe's limited screen time still captured a level of menace, charisma, and magnetism that made him both sympathetic and frightening.
This film also is a textbook example of how to use a budget in filmmaking. This film had a micro-budget, yet felt like a grand-scale saga. I've watched films with 100 times this budget that feel smaller. If I ever want my epic historical fiction book to be adapted to the big screen, I'd love some of this team's technical people to be behind the adaptation.
The Weight also has a 1970s throwback vibe in the best way. Balancing viscerality, meticulousness, and brutality within a film isn't easy. But this film captures the suffocating weight through uncompromising attention to detail in its portrayal of the Depression era. This is highlighted by the haunting, isolating score that builds up the dread and melancholy—hats off to Shelby and Latham Gaines for this one!
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 57%
Letter Score: B-
Star Ranking: 3 out of 5
The Weight is a gritty, atmospheric Depression-era survival flick that perfectly utilizes throwback visuals, production design, and a haunting score, all led by Ethan Hawke's fantastically weary performance. However, the film is unfortunately held back by slow pacing, baffling logic, one of the worst scenes of the year, and an underutilization of Russell Crowe's character.
Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other drama or thriller films? See them below!
Brighton Nelson
Brighton Nelson
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