Ethan Hawke’s new film, The Weight, which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26, is a period action-drama set during the Great Depression. The movie stars Hawke as Samuel Murphy, a widowed father who faces desperate circumstances after losing his home and freedom, thrusting him into a perilous gold smuggling mission that offers a chance to reunite with his daughter. The film’s production proved challenging, with Hawke describing the shoot as his most demanding summer to date.
A Character-Driven Action Film Inspired by a Lost Genre
The Weight pays homage to an earlier era of action movies, particularly those from the 1960s and ’70s, which featured intense character-driven stories without relying on elaborate explosions or high-speed chases. Hawke, reflecting on old classics like Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Sorcerer (1977), sought to revive that style.
“This started very strangely when I was doing the Newman-Woodward doc,”
Hawke said.
“I was watching all these older movies, and I got thinking about why there was a genre of action movie that was around in the ‘60s and ‘70s that were character-driven action movies.”
Hawke and director Padraic McKinley, with whom he previously worked on the Showtime miniseries The Good Lord Bird, collaborated to craft a film that would reflect the integrity and complexity of characters seen in Paul Newman and Steve McQueen vehicles.
“We started riffing on why there aren’t any great Paul Newman, Steve McQueen kind of action movies anymore,”
he explained.
“I was like, before I get too old, I really wanna make one.”
Portrait of a Principled Man in Difficult Times
Samuel Murphy, Hawke’s character, embodies an older ideal of masculinity, grounded in dignity, responsibility, and service to others. Murphy’s narrative explores themes such as fatherhood and honor, placing the character’s integrity under high stakes within the rugged action genre.
“It’s an old-fashioned idea of the principled man,”
Hawke said.
“I’m really interested in trying to put forth a story right now about positive manifestations of masculinity, and like, what is dignity, empowering others, taking care of others, fatherhood, serving. Those kinds of old-fashioned principles, and then set them in an action genre, and have a person’s integrity tested.”
For Hawke, this role is part of a long personal quest. He described,
“My whole career, I’ve had things in my brain where I see a kind of character I haven’t been able to play before that I think I can, and I’m out hunting for it.”
The actor drew inspiration from important male figures in his own life, including his grandfather and stepfather, as well as a quiet but capable childhood role model. This figure, who “never said a word,” was skillful at practical survival tasks.
“He knew how to make a fire. He knew how to make a bow and arrow,”
Hawke recalled, describing him as
“the kind of guy who didn’t talk much, but gets s— done.”
“I found him so impressive,” Hawke added.
“I long for that in myself, and I enjoy playing aspirational characters.”
A Subtle but Magnetic Performance
Director Padraic McKinley praised Hawke’s restrained portrayal of Murphy, noting the actor’s powerful presence despite a quieter performance style.
“A lot of his bigger, louder performances are incredible, which is why it was such a thrill to see him play Murphy — quiet, studied, and stoic. I don’t know what it is, but you never want to cut away from him, even when he’s doing almost nothing on the surface,”
McKinley said.
Murphy’s odyssey through the wilderness to smuggle gold has echoes of classic epic journeys, with Hawke likening the character to Odysseus, who overcomes numerous challenges through cunning and resilience. Along the way, Murphy is joined by fellow convicts Olson (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen), Singh (Avi Nash), and Rankin (Austin Amelio), as well as their armed overseers Amis (Sam Hazeldine) and Letender (George Burgess).
The group encounters various strangers, including Cameron Brady’s dubious woodsman and Julia Jones’ Native American character, Anna, who becomes an important ally and forms a connection with Murphy.
“For me, a character doesn’t really become clear in and of itself; it comes clear in relationship to other people,”
Hawke remarked.
“I learned about Murphy through Austin Emilio. I just love his acting. And between Russell and Julia and Austin, Murphy started to appear to me.”
Filming Challenges in the Wilderness
While The Weight avoids the frenetic pace typical of many modern action films, it features intense, physically demanding scenes that put Hawke and the cast to the test. One particular scene immerses the characters in icy river waters, navigating treacherous currents and floating logs from upstream logging operations.
“This was one of the hardest summers of my life,”
Hawke admitted.
“Being in the water, being in the woods, I keep saying, ‘Oh, it’s an action movie without that much action,’ but it was exhausting. Just worrying about the ticks alone.”
McKinley recounted the difficulty of shooting these scenes, stating,
“It was genuinely hard to watch the actors in the river. The water was just above freezing, and I was the one responsible for asking them to go again — and again. The surface was jagged, full of boulders and sharp rocks, with really unforgiving footing.”
The movie was shot over the course of six weeks in the Bavarian Forest, which doubled for the film’s Oregon wilderness setting. Hawke related the experience to an earlier formative moment in his career, comparing it to the long shoot he endured as a child actor on the 1991 film White Fang, an adaptation of the Jack London novel set in Alaska.
“When I was a kid, I did this movie, White Fang, where I went to Alaska for six months,”
he said.
“It was so romantic. It was a life-changing experience for me. And I’m still hungry for this kind of experience where you take a camera into the wild and come out with a movie.”
The Weight’s Anticipated Festival Debut
The Weight’s premiere at Sundance marks a significant moment for Ethan Hawke, fulfilling a long-held ambition to star in an action film defined more by character and moral complexity than by spectacle. The film’s exploration of perseverance, masculinity, and human connection amid hardship promises to offer a tense but emotionally rich experience for audiences.
As the film arrives on the festival circuit, its blend of classic action storytelling with modern sensibilities may influence a renewed appreciation for character-focused narratives within the genre. Hawke’s physically and emotionally taxing journey during production underscores the dedication behind bringing this story to life.
