‘The Weight’ has a story that could succeed, but fails

By Max Siegfried

In the midst of the Great Depression, the battle-scarred veteran, Samuel Murphy who goes by Murphy (Ethan Hawke) struggles with family and life. Murphy is down on his luck, first being evicted and then being arrested. Talk about a one-two punch combo!

At first glance at the cast list, the only two names that stand out are Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe, and that is all who are well-known. Hawke is a house-hold name because of his performances in the “Before” Trilogy and “Dead Poets Society.” Crowe is also very well known for his role of Maximus Decimus Meridius in “Gladiator.”

The story starts intensely, and it often stays that way throughout the entire movie. Murphy, because of his actions, ends up in a prison camp. There, Murphy sets his tone by staying quiet and solemn until he is tested and tried for many things on and off the camp.

At the prison, the guards, especially Warden J.J. Clancy (Russell Crowe) is observing Murphy. So much so that they want Murphy to do something very unconventional and far-out. Murphy, along with three inmate pals named Rankin (Austin Amelio), Singh (Avi Nash) and Olson (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen), are directed to go on a journey and deliver stolen valuables.

Murphy did this only because he wanted to be with his family, while the rest of the crew wanted freedom. The crew is ordered to travel five full days through the wilderness to deliver the goods and be released from prison. Along the journey, the crew meets new people; some are friendly, and some are not so cordial.

Throughout the entire film, you are on the edge of your seat not for the typical reasons but for an unexpected reason. The film did an interesting job of displaying the story. Much of the movie felt incomplete and in chunky blocks. You would watch one scene and then be abruptly transitioned to a different one. Every scene left you guessing, “What is next?” The movie made you feel like something was going to happen, and then nothing happened at all.

The acting was subpar for what you would expect from Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe. Crowe’s iconic question in “Gladiator” is one I was asking myself: 

“Are you not entertained?” 

To be completely honest, I was not. The acting was not convincing, to say the least. Hawke was the only actor that felt like he was not reading off a script. Hawke made it feel like he was Murphy, while the rest of the cast was not enthusiastic on selling their character. Even the character development in all of the characters is underwhelming. Props to Murphy for being the only one who develops as the movie goes on.

Padraic McKinley, the director, went for a very interesting style of cinematography. The shots interchanged, meaning in one scene you would get a wide view and within seconds you would be completely zoomed in, almost uncomfortably. Although the scenes and cinematography in nature were beautiful and captivating, they don’t make up for the chunkiness and inconsistencies in the rest of the film.

In retrospect, I respect “The Weight” for the interesting approach they took in making this movie. Overall, this movie felt less like a gold heist and more like a punishing, pulse-pounding trek through the woods. 

Despite the heavy focus on the gold, it plays a small role and feels more like a goal than the film’s sole purpose. I would rate this film a 5/10 because the acting wasn’t convincing, the shot framing was odd, and the scenes felt chunky and confusing. 

I would recommend this film to anyone who needs to put something on without having to pay attention. It’s an interesting movie, but it’s a very confusing and underwhelming way to go about it. I would much rather go on an actual hike than watch this movie.  

“By Any Means” is currently playing in theatres

Max Siegfried is a junior finance major and A&E writer! Max enjoys watching movies and writing about them. He also loves playing sports, having fun and spending time with family and friends.

Images courtesy of Fields Entertainment, Augenschein Filmproduktion and Construction Film.