Fans have been blown away by this fim’s unique take on the Western genre.
Concrete Cowboys is based on the Black Philadelphia Cowboys during a time when redevelopment was putting their lifestyle at risk.
Award-winning actor Idris Elba stars alongside Stranger Things’ Caleb McLaughlin as a father-son horse-riding duo in the film. The gritty drama tells the tale of the Fletcher Street Stables, one of the first stables in the city of Philadelphia and, unfortunately, one of the last.
At the time of its release, Idris Elba told Variety: “For a long time, there’s been a real sort of mistelling of history around Black people and horses and cowboys and whatnot. It feels really apt to be able to tell a part of history that’s been definitely buried, and in the case of Concrete Cowboy, that history is right now.”
After being expelled from school, Cole, played by McClaughlin, is sent to live with his father, Harp, played by Elba, and begins a journey of self-discovery as he helps to rehabilitate horses. At the heart of the story is a boy’s relationship with a horse and how this close connection can help to give young people a purpose.
A Rotten Tomatoes reviewer wrote: “This touches base on the shattering realities of the street life versus the perception of it from a suburban life. A coming-of-age story that shows a boy get humbled.”
While another added: “It’s strange to me there are not more people talking about this movie. It was so powerful. I had no idea what it was about and was surprised at how taken in I was right away.
“Wonderfully written and superb acting performances. I keep suggesting it to friends, and no one seems to have heard of it, either. Which is a shame because the history alone is worth learning.”
Based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri, the film uses the real-life experiences of the African-American horse-riding culture in Philadelphia. In an attempt to stay true to the culture, the film includes Ivannah-Mercedes, a real-life member of the Black horse-riding community in the city, who goes on to make her acting debut alongside the stellar cast.
Many viewers have praised the 2020 film for its “tremendous” acting performances from both main leads, with one person claiming that “Elba never disappoints” and another saying Idris Elba is “fantastic as always”.
A review states: “ \While it suffers from a slow second act, Concrete Cowboy is a unique, engrossing, and ultimately feel-good movie that gives its source material the respect it deserves with tremendous acting and rewarding character development.
The release of the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and after Netflix acquired the distribution rights, it made its way onto our screens in 2021. With a one hour, 51 minute run time, the film has since acquired a high overall score of 80% on the review site Rotten Tomatoes.
Concrete Cowboy is available to watch now exclusively on Netflix.