Though it’s got some rough edges in terms of the clichés of some of its story beats, The Weight is a thoroughly entertaining Depression-era western thriller. It’s very honest about the difficulties of the time and those of its central situation, so viewers who may prefer a lighter western might want to proceed with caution. From my vantage point, however, this is one of the better westerns in recent memory, and one hell of a calling card for debut director Padraic McKinley.
Ethan Hawke stars as Samuel Murphy (mostly referred to as Murphy), recently incarcerated on extremely trumped-up charges. He had been raising his daughter Penny (Avy Berry) all on his own, so his desire to get out of the work camp he’s sent to is twice that of most men there. His timeline for release doesn’t match with the deadline at which Penny might become a ward of the state, so when warden Clancy (Russell Crowe) takes a shine to Murphy on account of his mechanical skills, he offers Murphy the chance at early release. That is, if he and his selection of a few other prisoners can accomplish the arduous task of smuggling a fair amount of gold through the Oregon wilderness.
The main cliché that’s noticeable, but forgivable here, is that Murphy is one of the few men in the camp who seems to have his head on straight. In addition, he seems to know every solution to almost every problem the smuggling crew is faced with, at least at the outset of their trek. This would be more annoying if the film’s stunt work and overall entertainment value were lacking, which they are not in the least. Plus, as the film goes on, Murphy and the gang are put into more perplexing situations which require more than just brains to pull off, and Murphy’s determination inspires the other men, even if we don’t always like the other men.
Rankin (Austin Amelio) is the main antagonist among the convicts. Given his overall negative demeanor and proclivities towards racism, especially towards Singh (Avi Nash), an Indian immigrant in the crew, it’s not entirely clear why Murphy chose Rankin. Despite this, he actually fits into where the story goes by the end, even if some of that ending is also a little clichéd. What really works about that inclusion of personal antagonism on the journey is that it’s honest. These were harsh times, and they forged harsh people. For as whiz-bang entertaining as The Weight often is, the real weight in the film isn’t of gold, but of how people treat other people. It’s kind of a sneaky parable in its own way, and one that doesn’t feel at all out of place for modern times.
I don’t want to make it sound like the film is all heady ideas and no fun, however. For as dark as it is, fans of westerns will eat this up due to its deeply felt physical stakes and period-accurate twists, turns, and villains. It’s also very much Hawke who makes the film more than the sum of its parts. He is flawlessly gritty here, riding between rage and rigor quite convincingly. Although he fiercely stands up for himself on multiple occasions, the film wisely never loses the sense that he’s an innocent in all of this greed, gall, and temptation. A winning protagonist is always worth their weight in gold. | George Napper
