The historical drama directed by Padraic McKinley features Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke in a gripping tale that questions and challenges just how far a father would go to reunite with his daughter.
The Weight premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on January 26, 2026. The cast is led by Hawke with Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, and featuring Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, and Sam Hazeldine. Thank you to Casamigos for allowing us here at the Knockturnal to screen the film at its world premiere.
The film’s plot is simple but effective. A man who is serving a sentence at a work camp during the 1930s Prohibition era in Oregon must undertake a treacherous undertaking by smuggling gold through miles of wilderness to secure an early release from prison to see his daughter again. Sadly, it could be your own crew who poses the main danger rather than the elements. Can Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke) survive the trek, see his daughter, and outwit those who cross his path?
Russell Crowe appears in The Weight by Padraic McKinley, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Matteo Cocco
This film evokes many comparisons to the introspective action films of the 1970s, especially films like Taxi Driver, Dirty Harry, and Death Wish. These films all have the ethos of “how far will a person go” baked into their DNA, and The Weight is no exception.
Hawke shines here as Murphy, having a performance that gave me feelings and echoes of Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance in “The Revenant,” which I also felt this film was very much reminiscent of with its frontier setting and simple story.
You really do feel the weight of each step, each choice, and each spent bullet after every gunfight.
Russel Crowe stars in this film as well, playing the foil to Hawke’s character. While you can see the energy and desperation with Hawke, Crowe has a sense of sadistic fun as he loves to mess with people and look out for himself rather than just getting the job done. Both actors ping pong off of each other spectacularly as they fight both psychologically and physically.
Ethan Hawke and Austin Amelio appear in The Weight by Padraic McKinley, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Matteo Cocco
Julia Jones also brings a calm serenity to the film, who is the most empathetic person in the group, who serves as the emotional core of the movie. Each of these performances are multi dimensional and shows the plight of how far we will go to achieve our goals and the risks we are all willing to take, all of this complemented by the beautiful cinematography by Matteo Cocco and the chilling score that elevates the tense nature of the film, created by brothers Latham and Shelby Gaines.
This was one of the heavy hitters at Sundance, and I feel this film could reach a wide audience due to its subject matter and simple-to-follow plot. With Hawke coming off of “Blue Moon,” he could be a lock for next year’s Academy Awards. The film is currently seeking distribution.
I give this film a 4.5 out of 5.