Slow to get started, but not a bad perspective of a critical moment in history.

Scottish meteorologist James Stagg is brought into operations for the Normandy landings. But his outlanding methods cause doubts in the Allies’ leadership at a critical moment.

Directed by Australian director Anthony Maras, Pressure stars Andrew Scott (Wake Up Dead Man, Spectre) Brendan Fraser (The Whale, Rental Family) and Kerry Condon (F1, Night Swim) the film follows events 72 hours before the D-Day landings. The critical moments World War 2 have been thoroughly covered over the years by movies. The story follows true events, but is adapted from a stage play, written-and-performed by playwright David Haig.

So does the movie stack up with all the other British war movies? Or does it crack under the pressure? (I had to get that pun out of the way early, sorry)

Following James Stagg, a Scottish meteorologist living in England (whose wife is very pregnant) as he enlisted to help the Allied Forces plan the D-Day invasion. While he is vouched for by the Prime Minister, he finds the Allies’ meteorology staff hugely lacking. He immediately causes friction among their ranks, which only escalates as his results prove disastrous for D-Day’s success. Who is right?

That’s twice now in writing this review already, where I have nearly written “will the war succeed?” Well, duh. It is something of an issue with this film’s premise.

I lightly jest. Obviously the film’s intent is to show the pressure cooker environment leading up to the “go time” commitment to sending the largest invasion force in history. But there is a niggle in the back of the mind that the weather obviously didn’t stop the invasion. This niggle never really goes away.

The movie is straight forward enough. Entirely set around the base of operations American General Eisenhower established in England. We follow half a dozen characters, with three of them being principle characters; Eisenhower (Fraser) Stagg (Scott) and lieutenant Kay Summersby (Condon).
There is a very strong sense that this is a movie adapted from a stage play, there are three main rooms, and these rooms are very distinctly decorated. The production value is very good. Spaces feel lived in and covered in equipment, charts, and diagrams. The performances are also good across the board; no one feels out of place. Andrew Scott gives it his all as a quiet, but passionate professional. The film gains a lot more traction in the second and third acts.

I am no historian; unfortunately I tend to take these films at face value unless there is something truly absurd. I’m looking at you The Darkest Hour (there’s no way Churchill rode the London underground, unescorted, to talk to the public before D-Day) There were no apparent ficticious elements like that, to my untrained eye. But there certainly will be.
Andrew Scott’s Stagg has a rivalry with an American meteorologist named Krick (Chris Messina, Juror #2) which is unbelievable. Perhaps belieavable for the time, which makes it more fascinating.

But performances don’t always elevate movies enough, though. While Pressure has good moments, especially a particular one in the war room, there isn’t much happening. For every intense exchange of method and ideals, the first act is quite tedious. Stagg finds his new colleagues dancing around and playing piano just after a scene in which he was broiled for how little time remained. There was a general sense of total irreverence, despite everything at stake. While this puts us on Stagg’s side, he is also not confirmed as “right” until later on. Plus, the dialogue is quite circular in act one. “Your weather model is bad”, “No it isn’t”, and repeat. The movie takes a while to get out of this padding.

Then there’s the fact that, well… the Normandy landing did, in fact, succeed. The premise isn’t granular enough to be fraught; like a single soldier’s life. Nor is it quite important enough; its the weather, there was a big chance they would attack regardless. So the experience doesn’t have the emotional weight a war movie tends to evoke. The pregnant wife has some shreds of story agency, but it is largely predictable. This is a mechanical flaw with the film, rising up because the screenplay isn’t compelling enough for the audience to see beyond it.

I suspect if you know your history, this film would be, by-and-large, meaningless. For the rest of us, it is alright. It has a couple of big character clashes, and the more nuanced perspective of the war is welcome. As someone living in the UK, it is quite amusing too that the “villain” is the changeable weather. Ain’t that the truth?