The Weight

One year after premiering Blue Moon at the 75^th Berlinale (for which he is currently nominated for an Academy Award), Ethan Hawke is back at the festival, with a film that – though also set during FDR’s presidency – couldn’t be more different.

The Weight tells the story of single father Samuel Murphy (Hawke) in 1933’s Oregon, who finds himself arrested and sent to a labour camp. Meticulously, he calculates the hours he needs to work off to expedite his release. However relentlessly he toils, he knows he won’t make it in time for his young daughter to be placed for adoption. When the warden (Russell Crowe) offers Samuel a dubious deal smuggling gold bars, the desperate parent agrees, willing to do whatever it takes to be reunited with his child.

Already a guarantor for audience sympathy, Hawke’s disarming portrayal of a loving father will instantly capture and enrapture cinemagoers, making them root for his character unconditionally as they understand the emotional stakes. This translates to a genuine stress level whenever he finds himself in peril, scenes in which even the hardened festival press was caught gasping for air.

In his directorial debut, editor Padraic McKinley finds the perfect balance of portraying sombre realities of the time and never losing hope. The feature conveys a gentle optimism that even with the odds stacked against them, people can make change happen for themselves. It engages with the human condition and lets the viewer discover its social commentary rather than simply waving flags.

It’s been a long time since a film managed to fill its audience with a genuine sense of adventure the way The Weight does. In an age of algorithmic cinema, McKinley rekindles a sense of mystery and succeeds in inspiring a blind faith in joining this hero on his journey wherever it will take him.

A group of all-around talented actors accompany Murphy’s mission, but Julia Jones immediately stands out, and not just because she is the only woman among them. Her eyes hold a silent wisdom, a keen intellect on par with Hawke’s character. There is a subtle tension between the two that is never outright addressed but hints at a rare meeting of minds.

Speaking to those who seek societal reflection in their art and anyone simply looking for an entertaining experience alike, The Weight is a truly encompassing reminder of what makes cinema such a powerful medium.