BTL Radio Show – 09/14/2026 with director PADRAIC “PAT” McKINLEY talking THE WEIGHT

 

 

 

Welcome back to another week of BEHIND THE LENS!  Hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

I was going to air director Scott Waugh’s interview on RUNNER starring Owen Wilson and Alan Ritchson today, but given that the review has been out, my interview feature with Scott is also out, and there’s so much positive traction on the film already (I’m so thrilled you guys are loving it!!), that I’m switching things up and bringing you PADRAIC “PAT” McKINLEY and his new film THE WEIGHT!

What a film!

Directed by Pat McKinley and written by Matthew Booi and Shelby Gaines, THE WEIGHT stars Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelic, Avi Nash, Sam Hazeldine, and the oh so adorable Avy Berry.

A taut thriller set in Oregon in 1933 during the depths of the Great Depression, THE WEIGHT stars Ethan Hawke as Samuel Murphy, a father torn from his daughter and imprisoned in a brutal work camp where Russell Crowe’s corrupt and imposing Warden Clancy offers him a chance at early release: help smuggle gold through miles of unforgiving wilderness.

What follows is not merely an adventure or survival story, but a testament to the human spirit and the need for personal freedom, anchored by the gut-wrenching power of a father’s love for his daughter.  This is the story of an ordinary man in an extraordinary circumstance.

Ethan Hawke is an old-fashioned “everyman” kind of hero.  Think Jimmy Stewart. You cannot look away when he is onscreen.  Russell Crowe is rock solid as the corrupt and shady Clancy.  Watching Hawke and Crowe in toe-to-toe face-offs is riveting.  Standout is Julia Jones as Anna.  Anna, a Native American, who joins Samuel’s gold-toting group along their trek.  As the lone female in the testosterone-fueled group, watching Anna’s character development and interactions with the men, particularly Samuel, elevates some of the film’s basic themes of survival and loyalty.

Exciting for me is that THE WEIGHT, and this interview with Pat, demonstrates the lengths filmmakers will go to get a shot, the right shot, and serve the story. But it also speaks to something much larger about THE WEIGHT, a film in which virtually everything—on screen and behind the camera—is about endurance, conviction, freedom, friendship, and just how far one is willing to go for something, or someone, worth fighting for.

In this exclusive interview with director Pat McKinley, who also served as the film’s editor, Pat discusses the creative process behind the film, highlighting the importance of collaboration, specifically praising cinematographer Matteo Cocco for his immersive, documentary-style approach in the Bavarian forest. Shooting in the Bavarian Forest presented its own set of challenges with lighting, lensing, staging, and lugging equipment through the rough terrain.  And let me say that shooting this in Germany in the Bavarian Forest as a stand-in for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest adds another layer of storytelling to THE WEIGHT.

For those that don’t know, the Bavarian Forest is one of the Dark Sky Parks in the world.  And Dark Sky Parks are areas where genuine natural darkness still exists. The Bavarian Forest is designated as an International Dark Sky Park and Reserve, and is recognized for its exceptional stargazing opportunities and efforts to reduce light pollution. This designation includes both the Bavarian Forest National Park and the adjacent Bavarian Forest Nature Park, covering approximately 940 square kilometers in Germany.  Dark Sky Parks are free of human interference and preserve the natural and untamed land.

As you’ll hear, Pat has some incredible insight into developing the cinematography and working with Matteo in this untamed natural landscape.  And he’s got a great anecdote about Matteo, too!

Going rapid fire given the brief amount of time allotted for our interview, Pat details how the production overcame financial and logistical hurdles through teamwork.  The conversation also covers the film’s technical artistry, including Shelby Gaines’ organic, experimental score and the intricate sound design led by Pat’s co-editor Matt Woolley and re-recording mixer Martyn Zub of Formosa Group.  Pat also reveals layers of the collaborative nature of cast and crew, notably a third act scene that Ethan Hawke suggested when Pat couldn’t find a train station for the originally written scene.  Ultimately, Pat emphasizes that while shooting presented many obstacles, the dedicated efforts of his crew during post-production allowed them to achieve a high level of professional and emotional storytelling.  And what a high level it is!

You can see THE WEIGHT this Friday, September 18th,  in theatres nationwide.

There are a lot of new films out right now in theatres and On Demand and On Digital.  I just want to put a few of the indie gems on your radar.  One is a sweet nostalgic film is AMERICAN SUMMER starring Steve Guttenberg as a 50-something year old guy looking back on his best summer ever.  Then there are two bloody horror films for you – FEED which has an interesting juxtaposition of social media influencers and vampires; and GATOR FACE which is oh so fun with real alligators and the “leader” of the gators wearing a to-die-for gator coat and a gator mask that is shaped like a gator snout but strongly resembles a WWI gas mask.   For a change of pace, the British spy thriller KNIGHTFALL is now on digital and it stars Ian Ogilvy, Jeanine Sothcott, and none other than Geoffrey Moore (son of 007 Sir Roger Moore).  I’ll be speaking with Geoffrey on Tuesday.  Plus, I’m speaking with the wonderful James Nunn again this week talking about ONE LAST SHOT to close out the “One Shot” trilogy with Scott Adkins. And folks – it is action-packed.   And there’s so much more already onn the calendar and in the queue!

For those of you hitting Fantastic Fest in Austin, make sure you check out James Cullen Bressack’s new film I HAVE PROOF.  My review and interview with James are completed but under embargo right now, so be on the lookout for those next week.

A slew of new reviews and/or interviews are on behindthelensonline.net right now. So check them out.

And who knows what you’ll hear on BTL Radio Show next week. Maybe Moore.  Geoffrey Moore.  Tune in and find out!

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