5lbs of Pressure, 2024.
Written and Directed by Phil Allocco.
Starring Luke Evans, Rory Culkin, Alex Pettyfer, Zac Adams, Stephanie Leonidas, Rudy Pankow, Charlie Rawes, Laura Hopper, Fahim Fazli, James Oliver Wheatley, Julee Cerda, Alana de Freitas, Grahame Fox, Mark Griffin, Adam Fielding, Lorraine Burroughs, Jonathan Ajayi, John Booker, Jaida Standberry, Cosby Prawl, Jazz Lintott, and Gary McDonald.
SYNOPSIS:
Trying to start over, Adam (Evans) searches for redemption as he returns to his old neighborhood to put to rest his demons while the brother of the man he killed seeks revenge.
A little too crowded for its own good, 5lbs of Pressure offers several perspectives while weaving together a narrative of regret, redemption, crime, and revenge, sometimes expanding the role of its smaller characters when the film should be tightening down and snapping the whole picture into focus. It also doesn’t help that some of the conflict that arises is eye-rollingly forced, as if writer/director Phil Allocco wasn’t sure how to get all these characters on the same collision course toward tragedy without resorting to a certain kind of betrayal. The fallout from that revelation further complicates the film rather than ratcheting up the momentum.
However, it is a pleasant surprise that Phil Allocco is committed to keeping the lead (the closest character to a protagonist here) on that road to redemption instead of taking the cheap, easy way out of pulling him back into trouble, whether it be majorly screwing up on his final day of parole or getting pushed into a clichéd scenario where he must rescue his estranged family. That man is the hardened Adam (Luke Evans), who has turned over a new leaf following nearly 20 years in prison for murdering another young man in a burst of anger, compromising his happy life with partner Donna (Stephanie Leonidas) and newborn child Jimmy (played by Rudy Pankow as a young adult in the present day, roughly the same age as Adam when he went to prison.)
Elsewhere in this town, aspiring rockstar Mike (Rory Culkin) puts off chasing that dream to run drugs and collect the money alongside his disapproving uncle, Alex Pettyfer’s Leff, a hotheaded and streetsmart criminal. In other words, he is the opposite of the timid and naïve Mike, who is clearly out of his element and doesn’t belong in this violent world. Nevertheless, Mike’s bandmate and friend Eli (Zac Adams) also happens to be the brother of the man Adam murdered. Once he finds out Adam is not only back but has successfully stayed out of trouble on parole and has more or less become a contributing member of society, some violent impulses show and are somewhat heightened by the reality that he is also about to lose his mother from an illness. Eli’s relationship with Lori (Savannah Steyn) is also falling apart, which doesn’t help keep him mentally stable.
Phil Allocco makes up for an overabundance of routine storytelling by depicting this world and characters with gritty authenticity. Of the many subplots here, the most emotionally effective is Adam wanting to reconnect with his impressionable, directionless son despite an ex-partner who wants nothing to do with him. Adam still loved Donna even though she organically stopped missing him and visiting him in jail. She has told Jimmy that he abandoned them, meaning that when Adam tries to stick up for him from getting bullied on a street basketball court or gives him a quick drawing lesson, potentially unlocking some unexplored hidden talent, he has no idea who the man is or why he is being so kindly interested.
Less engaging are the consistent shifts to the other characters. They lack the same level of depth even if they find themselves in some believable rough spots. The relationship drama for Eli feels wedged in, and there isn’t much to feel regarding his dying mom or how losing a brother affected him. He is one half of this narrative yet comes across as an afterthought of a character.
Mike looks like he’s getting ready to cosplay The Undertaker as Rory Culkin’s wide-eyed facial expressions and gullibility say more than words ever could about how out of place he is here, nevertheless doubling down on drifting away from his uncle’s wishes and trying to make a name for himself pulling in extra cash through some dangerous means. The issue is that his arc doesn’t match up to anything the other characters are going through, especially when a twist of sorts makes his story slightly silly and less credible.
This is a long, drawn-out, roundabout way to make a point about cyclical violence and what happens when guns get into the hands of people with nothing left to lose. 5lbs of Pressure has consideration for these characters to work and is wisely disinterested in devolving into a series of shootouts but struggles at connecting the threads with momentum. This is a case of the ensemble really elevating what’s on the page to ensure the grand statement resonates.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
