What is the plot of the movie 'The Weight'?

In 'The Weight,' set during the 1930s Depression, prisoners are tasked with a dangerous mission to smuggle gold bars through treacherous back country, driven by the hope of freedom and return to family.

Who are the main actors in 'The Weight'?

The film stars Ethan Hawke as Samuel Murphy and features Russell Crowe as the duplicitous warden, with notable performances from Austin Amelio and Julia Jones.

What kind of films does 'The Weight' resemble?

'The Weight' evokes classic adventure movies and Westerns, drawing comparisons to films from the 1970s and earlier, while offering a rugged and gripping modern narrative.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Hawke Risks All in Gritty Sundance Drama 'The Weight'

Hawke Risks All in Gritty Sundance Drama 'The Weight'

27 Jan

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Summary

Ethan Hawke stars in a rugged 1933 Oregon Depression-era drama.
Prisoners smuggle gold on a perilous journey through dangerous territory.
The film evokes classic adventure movies and Westerns with a modern edge.

Hawke Risks All in Gritty Sundance Drama 'The Weight'

Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, 'The Weight' plunges viewers into 1933 Oregon during the Great Depression. The film centers on Samuel Murphy, portrayed by Ethan Hawke, who is forcibly separated from his daughter and sent to a harsh work camp. Under the duplicitous Warden Clancy, played by Russell Crowe, Murphy and fellow inmates are offered a treacherous path to freedom: smuggling gold bars through the unforgiving wilderness.

Murphy, driven by the promise to return to his daughter Penny, embarks on this perilous journey with a diverse group of prisoners. Their expedition takes them through treacherous mountains and rivers, encountering hostile prospectors and facing internal pressures that test their resolve. The film masterfully builds tension, particularly in a harrowing sequence involving a rickety bridge and the careful transfer of gold bars.