# Release of film The Weight

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-film-the-weight
> Updated: 2026-10-25T06:08:05.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

The film ‘The Weight’, directed by Padraic McKinley, is a Depression-era drama set in 1933 Oregon. The narrative follows Samuel Murphy, portrayed by Ethan Hawke, a man sentenced to a labor camp who seeks to reunite with his daughter.

To gain his freedom, Murphy accepts a deal from a warden, played by Russell Crowe, to lead a group of convicts in a mission to smuggle gold through rugged wilderness. The film has been described by critics as a ‘bleak and ruthless indie throwback to 1970s man-versus-wild cinema,’ focusing on themes of survival, endurance, and the moral costs of freedom.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-25: The Weight film explores Depression-era Oregon gold smuggling

Set in 1933 Oregon, the film “The Weight” follows a wrongfully imprisoned father, played by Ethan Hawke, who leads a dangerous gold-smuggling expedition to win his freedom.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/the-weight-film-explores-depression-era-oregon-gold-smuggling

### 2026-09-30: Ethan Hawke stars in Depression-era drama “The Weight”

Ethan Hawke stars in “The Weight”, a gritty Depression-era drama about a man smuggling gold through the Oregon wilderness to earn his freedom and reunite with his daughter.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ethan-hawke-stars-in-depression-era-drama-the-weight

---
Cite as: Release of film The Weight. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/release-of-film-the-weight