5lbs of Pressure Review: Gripping Family Themes Elevate Crime Thriller (2024)

Summary

  • Luke Evans shines in a powerful performance alongside the excellent Rory Culkin and Alex Pettyfer in this emotionally resonant crime drama.
  • The intricate family drama is realistic, but illogical writing weakens the narrative, making for a mixed viewing experience.
  • The film weaves multiple characters and plots together, providing an engaging experience despite flaws in execution and timing.

5lbs of Pressure follows a recently paroled murderer as he returns to his old neighborhood in a desperate quest to meet the son he last saw as a child. His presence reopens old wounds and vendettas as various criminals struggle to deal with an unwelcome presence. The well-acted film vacillates between searing drama and clunky violence because writer-director Phil Allocco nails the family themes but struggles to believably tie every loose thread together. A clearer focus on the primary arc would have created a more concise film.

Adam (Luke Evans) meets with his parole officer before being officially set free after 16 years in prison. He heads to Red Hook, Brooklyn, and rings an apartment bell. Donna (Stephanie Leonidas) is stunned to hear his voice over the intercom. She pleads for Adam to go away and never contact her again. He walks away saddened but is determined to make up for a lost lifetime. An old friend (Fahim Fazli) has secured him a dingy room and employment at a local bar.

Meanwhile, Mike (played by Rory Culkin), a long-haired, leather-jacketed rock star wannabe, accompanies his crime lord uncle on a drug deal. The intimidating Leff (Alex Pettyfer) tells his nephew to shut up after Mike speaks out of turn. His job is to follow orders. Leff tosses Mike a measly pittance to make a delivery. He gives him a couple of guns and tells him to get some backup for security. The browbeaten Mike drives to get his best friend and bandmate, Eli (Zac Adams), who is busy begging his ex-girlfriend, Lori (Savannah Steyn), for one more chance — he's nothing without her.

Luke Evans Connects the Dots

5lbs of Pressure Review: Gripping Family Themes Elevate Crime Thriller (1)
5lbs of Pressure Review: Gripping Family Themes Elevate Crime Thriller (2)

2.5/5

5lbs of Pressure

R

Crime

Romance

Thriller

Release Date
March 8, 2024

Director
Phil Allocco
Cast
Luke Evans , Rory Culkin , Alex Pettyfer , Stephanie Leonidas , Rudy Pankow

Runtime
111 Minutes

Writers
Phil Allocco

Distributor(s)
Lionsgate Films

Pros

  • Luke Evans gives a powerful performance alongside excellent Rory Culkin and Alex Pettyfer.
  • The intricate family drama is realistic and emotionally resonant.

Cons

  • Illogical and sometimes lazy writing weakens the narrative.

Adam continues his mission at the basketball court. There, he watches as the drug-addled Jimmy (Rudy Pankow) gets pushed around and mocked, so he springs to his unknowing son's defense. Jimmy wonders why this strange old guy tried to help him. Meanwhile, after the deal, Mike and Eli discuss their big dreams. They want to leave New York City and move to Austin, Texas, but are floored by an unexpected sight when the man who killed Eli's brother walks by nonchalantly.

5lbs of Pressure weaves Adam's efforts with Donna and Jimmy, Mike's false hopes of stardom, and Eli's relationship woes into a twisting narrative about values. Every character is driven by a different motivation that inexorably links them all together. Allocco (The Truth About Lies) tantalizes the audience with a mysterious, violent opening, then flashes back to previous events to build his narrative. The audience is quickly made aware of the players before Allocco goes deep into their festering troubles. To say there's a lot to chew on here is an understatement when each subplot could have easily been its own movie.

Related: The Culkins: Exploring One of Hollywood's Most Well-Known Families

Evans anchors the film with a layered portrayal of Adam, flexing his acting muscles with a character that genuinely emotes loss and regret. Allocco smartly has Adam searching for a soft landing. Jimmy's a complete stranger to him; he has no idea what his son has been told about him. Showing up out of the blue would cause anyone to have a knee-jerk reaction. It makes sense for Adam to try and gauge Jimmy's personality. It's also logical for Donna to be terrified that Adam has come back into their lives. Leonidas sheds a lot of tears as a woman whose buried past is clawing out of the ground. You empathize with the reasonable fear that Adam will have a negative impact on her already wayward son.

A Family Business Under Pressure

Culkin's turn as Mike broadcasts a train wreck from his bumbling introduction. He's obviously playing out of his league from the start. Allocco hammers his ineptitude with repeated examples of Mike's foolishness and arrogance. He feels underestimated by his uncle but admits to having zero interest in the family business. Leff constantly berates Mike while keeping him like a dog on a short leash.

Allocco infers that Leff begrudgingly cares for his nephew. He doesn't believe Mike can survive without him. Why prolong Mike's criminal involvement when he's a detriment who wants a way out? Leff could have easily cut Mike free with the knowledge that he'd eventually come crawling back. Then Mike would be completely under his thumb. This subplot leads to a tremendous disconnect that makes little sense when analyzed.

Related: Luke Evans' 5 Best Performances, Ranked

Allocco brings the characters together in a shocking finale. He goes for the jugular with a visceral outcome. The problem is that the timing depends on pure chance. These people aren't exactly hiding from each other. But the idea of randomly meeting at a crucial moment feels lazy after such detailed exposition. The big showdown needed to have better staging.

5lbs of Pressure may leave you with a conflicted reaction. The gritty violence and underworld aspects pale in comparison to the dramatic elements. That's where the movie shines, keeping you interested in the characters until the credits roll. So it has a firm leg to stand on despite sizable flaws.

5lbs of Pressure is a production of Intrinsic Value Films, Paint Night Productions, and Dark Dreams Entertainment, et al. It is currently available in theaters, digital, and on-demand from Lionsgate.

5lbs of Pressure Review: Gripping Family Themes Elevate Crime Thriller (2024)
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