Pressure: Trusting God When the Forecast Is Uncertain

Lisa M. Hendey reviews PRESSURE, the compelling true story about the inconceivable decision that had to be made 72 hours before D-Day.

Typically, war-related films are not high on my list of “must-see” entertainment. But thanks to the new film Pressure, I am rethinking my attitude about this genre entirely. 

Synopsis:

In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, and with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, PRESSURE follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg as they face an impossible choice — launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.

Pressure tells the story of the seventy-two hours leading up to D-Day. Yet rather than focusing on battle scenes or military strategy, the film centers on a quieter drama: weather forecasts, competing opinions, and the enormous responsibility of making decisions when the stakes could not be higher. 

Based on a 2014 stage play written by David Haig, directed by Anthony Maras, and co-written by Haig and Maras, the film tells the true story of Captain James Stagg, a Scottish Meteorological Office meteorologist who was called in to consult on the date of the Allied invasion of Europe. 

Brendan Fraser is outstanding as General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who bears the weight of a decision that could cost thousands of lives. Andrew Scott is masterful as Stagg, who, even in the face of incredible resistance, renders advice that ultimately changes the date of what we now call “D-Day.”

But my favorite performance in the film was offered by Kerry Condon, who portrayed Kathleen “Kay” Helen Summersby, an Irish member of the British Mechanized Transport Corps during World War II, who served as a chauffeur and later as personal secretary to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Surrounded almost entirely by males, Summersby offered a nurturing, almost motherly perspective amidst the mounting stress and anxiety. In a pressure-cooker environment, Summersby’s tenderness and humanity have a way of turning our consciousness back to the sons, husbands, and fathers whose lives were at stake that day in Normandy. Our recent pause for Memorial Day reminds us that we must never forget those who paid the highest price for our country, freedom, and safety.

While Pressure is not a faith-based film, I found viewing it to be a deeply spiritual experience. First, its focus on the atmospheric conditions that ultimately determined history reminded me of the magnitude of God’s creation. Several scenes in the film highlight the sheer force of the weather. Additionally, I found Captain Stagg’s role to be a story of both vocation and humility. Most of us probably don’t show the appreciation we should to meteorologists, who are, quite literally, lifesavers. In Pressure, Scott plays Stagg with an emphasis on humility. Stagg is quite convinced about the data and his findings. He is willing to put himself on the line against heated detractors. When, in the end, he is proven right, he does not gloat.

Stagg, Eisenhower, Summersby, and every soldier who has ever served their country in battle are heroes. Films like Pressure remind us that we must listen to, learn from, and share their stories if we desire lasting peace in our world.

Epic in scope yet intimate in storytelling, Pressure reframes the historic events of D-Day in an altogether new fashion. Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, and Kay Condon turn in masterful performances. You'll never look at the forces of nature and their impact on our world in quite the same way after seeing this film!

This film is rated PG-13 for war violence, bloody images, some strong language, and smoking.

A question for you:

Do you have a favorite war movie? What did you learn from it? And, just for fun, do you have a favorite meteorologist? 

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Copyright 2026 Lisa M. Hendey
Images: Copyright Alex Bailey/Focus Features/STUDIOCANAL © 2026 All Rights Reserved