Pressure

Dwight Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) asks James Stagg (Andrew Scott) for the weather forecast for D-Day in Pressure (Distributed by Focus Features)

Many movies have been made about D-Day. Most of them are focused on the men storming the beaches of Normandy, balancing the thrill that comes from watching cinematic battles with the reality that these were real men (some of them boys) dying for their country. The historical drama Pressure tells a different story, far away from the bloodshed. It is about the men who had to decide whether to go ahead with D-Day, or postpone it, possibly ruining America’s chance at taking control of the war with Germany. Their decision is based around forecasting the weather.

Admittedly, that sounds fairly boring: a group of people staring at data and maps, quarreling about storms, while the clock ticks closer to the point of no return. There is absolutely nothing flashy here. That is pretty much what this movie is. It is a very straightforward drama where officers debate if June 5, 1944 will be a clear enough day to attack the Germans. This is about personality, not violence. The men in this story are arguing for the (relative) safety of soldiers who have no say in their own fate. Can they shove their egos out of the way and discuss this issue rationally? That is tough to do when so many lives are riding on your decision.

Pressure (95 minutes, without the end credits) works because it takes these conversations seriously, while never forgetting who actually put their lives on the line to carry out these dangerous plans. This is a war movie that only brings viewers to the battlefield briefly, spending most of its time in offices and meeting rooms. It is a workmanlike production that trusts in the uniqueness of its story and some quality performances by a cast of capable professionals, to be solid entertainment. It is respectful and reasonably enjoyable.

Group Captain James Stagg, a Scottish meteorology expert, arrives at a UK military base just in time to learn that General Eisenhower needs an immediate forecast for D-Day, with is only three days away. Stagg’s commitment to his craft puts him at odds with Eisenhower and his men in a suspenseful conflict with the fate of the war at stake.

Even though we know, with eighty-two years of hindsight, what the outcome is going to be, watching it play out is surprisingly tense. James Stagg, as played by the very skilled Andrew Scott, is a true authority in his burgeoning field, confident when discussing what he sees. He cannot state his forecasts as facts, because there is no certainty in predicting the weather. That opens the door for Eisenhower’s trusted forecaster, Irving Krick, who relies on historical data to predict weather patterns. Krick is played by Chris Messina as a guy who is way too confident, and doesn’t take kindly to this outsider showing up and telling him he’s doing everything the wrong way. Their vastly different approaches to the task at hand creates the central conflict in the story.

They don’t agree and time is rapidly running out. That puts even more stress on Brendan Fraser’s Dwight Eisenhower, a leader who wants to be informed enough to make a ruling he believes in. Fraser is at his best here in the quieter moments. Not when his Eisenhower is yelling and demanding answers, but when he is thoughtful. He is responsible for a monumental decision that could shape the world’s future. He doesn’t handle it lightly.

The screenplay by director Anthony Maras and David Haig (adapting his own 2014 play) treats all of this with the gravity it deserves, yet never overdramatizes it. The scenario is given space to argue for itself. The result is a truly captivating adult drama that shows ordinary people being brave on behalf of those who don’t get a voice.

3½ out of 5

Cast:

Andrew Scott as James Stagg

Brendan Fraser as Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower

Kerry Condon as Kay Summersby

Chris Messina as Irving Krick

Damian Lewis as Bernard “Monty” Montgomery

Directed by Anthony Maras

Screenplay by David Haig and Anthony Maras