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There are literally hundreds if not thousands of films about World War II. You’d think by now that everything there is to know about it has already been depicted on the big screen. But not so fast!
“Pressure” revisits the turbulent planning of D-Day, specifically the attempt to track the weather for the invasion of Normandy. British meteorologist Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) is recruited to advise Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) upon a glowing endorsement from Winston Churchill.
“I need a forecast,” Eisenhower tells Stagg.
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Stagg, a stiff who doesn’t exactly work well with others, is forced to collaborate with Eisenhower’s own handpicked meteorologist from the states, Irving Krick (Chris Messina). Within 72 hours, they must tell Eisenhower if he should move ahead with the attack on Normandy or delay it — except Stagg is forecasting two massive storms while Krick is forecasting beautiful sunny weather based on their own methodologies.
“The storms that I am talking about are real, and the wrath of nature is real,” Stagg warns.
Eisenhower tasks the two of them to agree on a single forecast, which seems to be a Herculean effort in itself.
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Rounding out the cast is the delightful Kerry Condon playing Captain Kay Summersby, Eisenhower’s Irish secretary and confidant who also serves as an “Ike whisperer” for Stagg, as well as Damian Lewis playing British Army officer Bernard ‘Monty’ Montgomery, who is gung ho on sending the troops rain or shine.
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Andrew Scott delivers yet another strong performance as Stagg, who comes of as extremely rigid yet has a gentle charm to him. Brendan Fraser commands the screen as the towering and intimidating Eisenhower, showing glimmers of a classic American sense of humor at one moment and at others being visibly haunted by the catastrophic Exercise Tiger, the D-Day dress rehearsal that resulted in over 700 deaths of American serviceman just weeks piror. He feels the weight of the entire world on his shoulders as he determines whether he has the confidence to give the order without it leading to another disaster.
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Adapted from the 2014 play by David Haig, “Pressure” marks the second feature from writer/director Anthony Maras following his highly-underrated debut “Hotel Mumbai,” the harrowing 2018 thriller about the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Maras certainly knows how to capture intensity and what is also commendable is how easy it is to grasp the complex nature of the story and not feel bogged down as a viewer (I’m a very simple man). That’s credited to Maras and Haig’s effective screenplay.
The Verdict
“Pressure” is a gripping war thriller that revisits one of the most consequential moments of all time that is elevated by a strong ensemble led by Scott and Fraser. You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate this film arriving just ahead of the 82nd anniversary of D-Day.
“Pressure” is rated PG-13 for war violence, bloody images, some strong language and smoking. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes. In theaters now.