Pressed

This is the film analysis for the film Pressed (2011).

PLOT SUMMARY

Pressed (2011) centers on Brian Parker (Luke Goss, Blade II, Hellboy II, Death Race 2, One Night With the King), who seeks a quick fix out of his current financial situation, having been laid off from his job as Director of Sales.

To hedge against losing everything, including his family, and using flashbacks that reveal some of his own psychological trauma dealing with financial bankruptcy, Brian engages in an “investment scheme,” investing all his savings into a short-term drug deal that would allow him to maintain his high-end lifestyle.

Pressed also explores two teenagers who are skilled at stealing cars and who also intercept the drug deal, finding “Brian’s investment” in the back of the car they have jacked. The deal is botched, and Brian finds himself in a desperate situation to recover the missing money.

The narrative shifts back and forth between Brian and the teenagers, who later discover that they have stolen money from the wrong people. All their lives are at stake, feeling pressed because of parallel decisions, and what follows reveals multiple character levels as well as greed, deceit, murder, and wealth.

At the end of Pressed, Brian is forced to make a life-changing decision that affects him, the teenagers, and his family.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

General Learning Objectives

By the end of this discussion, you will be able to do the following:

Summarize the plot.

Recall how the narrative shifts between characters.

Analyze the major characters.

Create a film analysis.

Define how the theme of setback is explored within the analysis.

Apply the theme of setback to one or more frame analyses.

Applied Learning Objectives

By the end of this discussion, you will be able to apply the Seven Stages of Setback, as explored in Overcoming Setback: Five Keys for Entering & Exiting Correction (Favors, 2021).

Missed Opportunity

Punishment

Pain

Correction

Recovery

Restoration

Advance

NARRATIVE PLOTS

There are three main plots:

Brian’s setback

Two teens’ setbacks

PURPOSE & GOALS

The purpose of this film analysis is the following:

Explore how setback affects a character development.

Apply the concept of setback as a theme.

The goal of the film analysis is the following:

Interpret writer/director plot decisions based on the attitudes, belief system, and actions of the central character.

APPLICATION

Analyzing Pressed: Using Setback as a Theme

Introduction to Film Analysis

This audio lecture introduces the film analysis of Pressed (2011), focusing on the learning objectives, plot summary, and the suggestion of three narrative plots. These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

Introduction to Brian’s Setbacks

This audio lecture explores Brian’s setbacks, beginning with his initial job layoff to the decision to not tell his wife and resolve his financial difficulties on his own. The film introduces Brian as a character standing before a burning car and flashes back to his childhood and family drama when money struggles led to bankruptcy. Brian’s setback begins with a decision from a box. Secondary characters are briefly explored. These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

Jessie’s Decisions

This audio lecture explores Jessie, his relationship to Sammy, his friend, and his family background and economic station. Jessie makes decisions from an economic box, jacking cars with his friend and discarding them at whim. Jessie feels trapped in his environment. Although he has the opportunity to attend college, albeit community college, he decides to burn the college brochure and attempt to leave his trappings. In this audio lecture, Brian’s perspective is secondary to Jessie’s narrative. These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

Brian’s Ignorance

This audio lecture explores Brian’s ignorance about his decisions, current condition, and plans to make himself whole financially through gambling and pseudo-drug dealing. Brian is ignorant about the system for which he is engaging, naively believing that just because he was able to navigate the workforce system that he can also navigate the drug dealing systems. Brian forks over substantial funds, hoping for a return on his “investment.” These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

Brian’s Final Decisions

This audio lecture explores Brian’s final decisions, beginning with trapping Jessie in his child’s room while waiting for Sammy to return the money they stole from the car. Brian discusses life with Jessie. They both mirror each other, as Brian is an older Jessie and Jessie is a younger Brian. Brian doles out wisdom to a young man who will not be able to accept it because he, too, will make a final decision about his own life. These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

Applying the Seven Stages of Setback & Conclusion

This audio lecture introduces and applies the seven stages of setback to the film, beginning with missed opportunity and following up with the six remaining stages: punishment, pain, correction, recovery, restoration, and advance. The lecture applies the stages to Brian, Jessie and Sammy, and the drug dealers’ setbacks. These are select frames of the original full film analysis, which is available on the YouTube Channel Favors Film Analysis.

FULL FILM ANALYSIS

Pressed (2012) Full

This is the full film analysis of Pressed (2012).

TOPIC HIGHLIGHT

REFERENCES