‘The Weight’ an old-school, white-knuckle thriller
Published 11:47 am Friday, September 18, 2026
This image released by Vertical shows Ethan Hawke, (left) and Austin Amelio in a scene from “The Weight.”
(Vertical via AP)
Around the turn of the century, TBS had a series titled “Movies For Guys Who Like Movies’ that showcased some of the most beloved action films and thrillers.
If ever a film embodies the spirit of that series, “The Weight” is that film. This depression-era heist film is a throwback to a by-gone era — a solid thriller with a strong cast and some tense cinematic moments.
Ethan Hawke stars as Samuel Murphy, a single father trying unsuccessfully to provide for his daughter Penny (Avy Berry). When they are evicted, Murphy searches for a new home, but an encounter with a group of men while house hunting leads to a confrontation that has Murphy getting physical. Unfortunately, one of the men is a police officer, which leads to Murphy’s arrest.
Murphy is serving his time at a work camp, but is about to lose custody of his daughter unless he can somehow get out early. That opportunity arrives when the warden Clancy (Russell Crowe) offers a deal — assemble a crew to smuggle gold through the Oregon wilderness to a designated drop spot.
Murphy agrees, enlisting three fellow prisoners (Avi Nash, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen and Austin Amelio) to complete the task. Along the way the group adds a Native American woman named Anna (Julia Jones), who proves to be a welcome addition on the journey.
Beyond the basic set up, writers Matthew Chapman, Matthew Booi and Shelby Gaines keep it simple, your run of the mill heist film with the heroes trying to get from point A to point B with obstacles thrown in their path. Director Padraic McKinley takes this story and frames it in a tense, well-paced manner — peppering some white knuckle moments that include trying to cross a dilapidated bridge to an encounter with a stranger who has bad intentions.
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Matteo Cocco’s cinematography is superb, using the woods setting to add to the tension and stakes of the mission. This is a film that has the same feel as “Deliverance” only set in the Pacific Northwest instead of the deep south.
Hawke and Crowe both deliver solid work in their respective roles with Jones the standout in the supporting cast — a role that provides more substance than you might expect.
You can argue that “The Weight” is a little predictable, but that familiarity is not exactly a bad thing. It gives this film a sense of nostalgia that only enhances the experience. This can almost be seen as cinematic comfort food for fans of old school thrillers — a film that plays to its formula well and creates a pleasantly tense night at your local cinemaplex.
Grade: B
About Micheal Compton
I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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