Concrete Cowboy (2020) Poster

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7/10
Nice horsey
ian-dodkins11 April 2021
Good film. I wouldn't say excellent or a classic. It is an interesting story, drawing attention to the stables in Philadelphia as well as the dominance of black cowboys. Yeh, no surprises, but it isn't a film for surprises, it's just a sweet tale. It is true, people that know horses may find some parts unrealistic, but what is real, and is shown well in the film, is the bond between horses and people. Anyway, don't go out of your way to find this film, but watch it if you can. PS, I never found it slow or boring. It was well paced and story developed nicely.
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7/10
A little predictable, but very entertaining nonetheless
joostkale2 April 2021
I think that this movie will never be fully appreciated by the casual viewer, because we can't even imagine how these people are living. I really needed to get used to this way of living, just as much as are protagonist. That makes the movie so odd and strange in the beginning, but after we get to see how much these characters care about their horses, I was fully on board. On a technical level, it's fantastic. The score and soundtrack fit really well to the story and the cinematography makes the movie at times look stunning. On an exceptional level however it lacks focus. The concept as a whole is really interesting, but I think the movie focuses too much on the troubling son negative. That storyline has been done so many times now, that it makes it so predictable. The movie is at his best, when the actual cowboys and stables are one screen. They are just so interesting and entertaining. Their way of living and seeing the rest of the world just intrigues me. It's just a waste that it focuses a lot on predictable storylines. But if you can look past the predictability of the movie, there is still a lot to enjoy.
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7/10
7/10
qdharris3 April 2021
As an African American who grew up in rural adjacent Mississippi (Memphis Metro), went to graduate school in Philly, and currently lives in DC, I appreciated the mash up of so many different worlds in this film, despite the clumsiness of the overall storyline.

Also, Philadelphia is such an interesting and diverse city! I enjoyed learning about the Fletcher Street cowboys, but viewers aren't really given a snapshot into much else in the city except for drugs and violence. That's really a shame considering Philly's amazing food scene, mural arts, rich music tradition, etc.
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7/10
Beautiful...
RosanaBotafogo20 April 2021
Enjoy movies like this, cute, rebellious teenagers, drugs, separated parents, who are "returned" to the other parent and learn great life lessons, but cute if that goes to the sound of blues and rap, with little animals, in the country ghetto , but a lot of love involved ... It is important to know that more than a tribute was made to the real Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club and in the end the members give their testimonies, beautiful...
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7/10
Nice movie...
Thanos_Alfie16 April 2021
"Concrete Cowboy" is a Drama movie in which we watch a teenager going to live with his father for the summer. There he will come in front of different Philadelphia community than what he expected, cowboys and horses.

I liked this movie because it was a big surprise for me since I did not expect a plot like this. The direction which was made by Ricky Staub, it was good and he used very well some nice and true references in his movie. The interpretations of both Idris Elba who played as Harp and Caleb McLaughlin who played as Cole were very good and the combination of both worked very well while the connection of their characters were obvious through the whole duration of the film. Other interpretations that have to be mentioned were Jharrel Jerome's who played as Smush, Ivannah-Mercedes' who played as Esha and Jamil Prattis' who played as Paris. All in all, I have to say that "Concrete Cowboy" is a nice movie to spend your time and I am sure that you will also learn something new.
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7/10
The past is not the present....hard things come before good things...
faithless47346 April 2021
What a fantastic show. Good music. There are some things that should have been done differently. It could have been even better. Overall it was a great story of an estranged father and son. There are some sad truths in this film about the government and controlling/ruining peoples lives and happiness. There are other sad truths about life and choices and the consequences of those choices. Then there is the hope or at least for me there was hope, each time he went from the streets to the stables I had hope only for him to return to the streets. Hope, well it is all that we have sometimes and this story is full of hope.
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7/10
Deserves a look
pbschaeffer3 April 2021
Some outlandish elements, but otherwise a worthy film which is based on real life chatacterd. We'll acted, even by the amateurs.
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8/10
Excellent
MelliDan3 April 2021
I went into this film with absolutely no expectations, knowing next to nothing about it. Man, am I glad I watched it - "Concrete Cowboy" is an inspiring film. While it is about horseback riding, this film is really about personal growth at its core. The central protagonist, Cole, goes through a journey of coming to terms with family, friendship and his own identity. The lifestyle of Philadelphia cowboys and the bonds they share with each other, as well as with their horses, ties everything together nicely. I was intrigued the whole time, especially by the strong performances the whole cast delivered.
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6/10
Good acting. Bad directing
hikarohiro5 April 2021
I love it, when a movie is almost 2 hours long, bc the director can't get enough of time lapsed party shots.
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5/10
Missed opportunity to really tell a story.
kay-453005 April 2021
The film was too long, too predictable and the interaction with the horses was poor - when will directors realise that horses do not make so much noise all the time? Really poor scenes with the boy and the 'wild' horse, terrible continuity- lead rein attached then not attached etc. As an equestrian I was uncomfortable with how the horses were kept, which was not good for the story. The two boys were good, the father's character barely drawn and strange and the ending flimsy.

Urban cowboys deserved a better film.
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8/10
Rise Of The Caleb Mclaughlin
yusufpiskin2 April 2021
"There's a horse in your house." hidden gem of the first half of 2021. A film about a young man reconnecting with his father in Philadelphia sounds like it can be a cliched drama. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It tackles a subject not seen much in film, the urban cowboy. On the surface it felt like watching a film about a man learning the cowboy ways but in a ghetto environment.

Caleb McLaughlin shows that he's a talented actor. He gives a fantastic performance as Cole. If he wanted to move away from Stranger Things, I think this performance shows that he has the talent to tackle adult roles. I also like his bond with Idris Elba. At first I wasn't sure if his character had much going on under the surface, but he shines in the second half. He seems like the father figure that can be a good father in the toughest circumstance.

I do wish that the screenplay could've developed Cole's relationship with Smush alot better. I felt like when we get to those scenes, they felt like typical black drama that I've seen before. When we get to Smush's gang life, I felt like the screenplay didn't have enough to develop. Anyway, it doesn't take away too much since the best parts are when Cole is on this self-discovery journey.

If you have Netflix and want to see a cowboy drama from the black perspective, this is worth checking out.
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7/10
Very Good
atractiveeyes3 April 2021
This movie has a beautiful story with some cultural implications and some social topics. It also has nice cinematography and beautiful locations. Performances are all very good. But it's a bit longer than it should be and so slow which makes it boring sometimes. All in all it's a very good watch.
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Unusual and satisfying Netflix drama about Black urban cowboys.
JohnDeSando7 April 2021
Who would have thought cowboys in Philly and Black no less? Concrete Cowboy is a small Netflix drama about 15-year-old Cole (Caleb McLaughlin) reconnecting with his estranged cowboy dad, Harp (Idris Elba, also producer), in aging stables of Philadelphia, where a group of cowboys have their horses and their identities. Anyone who loved The Rider will find Concrete Cowboy just as interesting about horses and humans, although Cole is much too underdeveloped in this film to compete with Rider's Brady.

Although the film, based on G. Neri's Ghetto Cowboy (2011), has a generous supply of formula for a coming-of- age melodrama, the film infuses enough reality, including real cowboys to play parts, to make an enjoyable introduction to a culture most of us would never have known. Lenser Minka Farthing-Kohl finds beauty photographing the beautiful animals in the blighted 'hood, especially in sol-mo.

The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is like no other, a Philadelphia organization for which the film makes no apology for its preaching about a slice of society ignored by pols and the public in general.

The film travels in formula with Cole initially rebellious and then transformed by the horse experience, Harp going soft on the Cole, ignoramuses threatening the cowboy life, etc., well, you get the idea. What keeps it above average is the measured development overseen by director Ricky Staub, whereby incrementally the story reveals good guys and bad, and the cowboys will ride on.

Like Cole and Harp, the story is about finding peace with loved ones and the world, both of which may guide us to a place called home. Even though the characters are outside the normal pale, they are worthwhile, sometimes talented folk who deserve a break. The fact that they are Black, urban cowboys is fascinating and itself a metaphor for repressed minorities everywhere.
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7/10
Worth getting into the saddle
joker-46 May 2021
Idris Elba can do the Philly cowboy jawn. He stars as Harp in Concrete Cowboy, a drama streaming on Netflix. Harp is a Black urban cowboy who must learn to be a father to his estranged son while trying to prevent his West Philly riding club from moseying into the sunset.

Idris proves his chops here. The accent. The swagger. John Luther stoicism meets Will Smith nonchalance. And he might get the top billing but Caleb McLaughlin is the star. Here, McLaughlin is a full-on young man with pride and anger and confusion and stubble and thick hair nearly presenting him as the Upside-Down version of Stranger Things' Lucas.

Concrete Cowboy, directed by Ricky Staub, rambles on for a time before it gets the chance to break into a gallop. Cole succumbs on the well-worn role of Daniel-san to Paris' (real-life Philly cowboy Jamil Prattis) Mr. Miyagi with scooping manure and raking sawdust becoming the daily exercise. Idris contently watches from above like some Asgardian god.

Staub, who adapts the movie with Dan Walser, takes his time with the family drama. Perhaps too much. The focus on Cole's inner conflict, the old fish-outta-water angle that is too waterlogged, drains away at the external. The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is almost presented as a cinematic fantasy so that the eventual bureaucratic threat is entirely too comical.

Concrete Cowboy displays that kinship while presenting a strong moral tale. Cole learns to be a cowboy; Harp a father. The movie shows a somewhat hidden life and celebrates that uniqueness. The soundtrack is hip. The horses are beautiful. But this is also a ride many have taken. After a while, any of that blend of uniqueness simply becomes a worn path. Concrete Cowboy is still worth getting into that saddle.
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7/10
SEEN IT BEFORE BUT STILL GOOD TO SEE...!
masonfisk15 April 2021
A recent Netflix original starring Idris Elba & Caleb McLaughlin (from Stranger Things). In the city of Philadelphia, McLaughlin gets dumps there by his exasperated mother who has it up to here w/his antics & decides to let Elba, his dad, take the reins for a bit. What McLaughlin doesn't realize is Elba & his neighbors are a dying breed of urban cowboy, renting stable space for their animals (although Elba has taken it a step further by having his horse dorm w/him in his apartment) & raising them as if they were still living in the past. McLaughlin has hooked up w/an old friend from the hood, played by Jharrel Jerome (from When They See Us), who's striving to start his own drug thing but Elba lays down the law, either McLaughlin will follow the rules of his house or he'll need to hit the skids which plays into the tried & true formula of the wayward youth having to make a decision whether to continue along his dangerous path (especially when the law, in the form of Method Man (?), has taken an interest in his case) or straighten up & fly right. Which may be this film's Achilles' Heel, since this bit of narrative is an all too familiar one (when speaking about it to a friend of mine I called this film Cowboyz in the Hood) which really took away from the meat of the story, these modern day cowpokes trying to hold on to their piece of history. Much like Charm City Kings (a film inspired by a documentary on dirt bike culture in Baltimore), this film probably would've worked better as a doc or if it had to be something 'inspired by' then all the usual crime tropes should've fallen by the wayside since there is more than enough (especially since some of the concrete cowboys play themselves) to keep an audience invested. Also starring Lorraine Toussaint (Shambala Green from the original Law & Order) as one of the few female cowgirls still riding those concrete streets.
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7/10
Nice story!
AvionPrince1611 May 2021
The movie tell the story of real people who like to ride horses. We live with them trought the hero of the movie. We discover the way they live, the way they fight each day to keep their possession and horses. A very emotional movie too with idris elba and calleb (strangers things). A story also about the relation of a son and his father too. I enjoyed each moment of the movie.
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6/10
Doesn't Deserve the Hate
laurenjfree3 April 2021
The flawed editing and muddled story structure could have been improved with a little more refining, but over all this was a satisfactory movie and a nice edition to the casts filmography. There was some really beautiful cinematography and I loved seeing Caleb McLaughlin in a new role since Stranger Things. Concrete Cowboy isn't Oscar winning, nevertheless it held my attention and I learnt a lot about the community.
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8/10
A good modern western movie with great acting
kjeltprent2 April 2021
At some points the film it is a bit slow but that is part of a modern western so its oké. The film lasted just a bit too long, it could be 10 minutes shorter. Caleb Mclaughlin gives a great performance and he can play drama very well. Idris Elba is not that much in the movie but when he is there he is very good. At a few moments in the film it is very emotional and its inpressive How they handled it. There are a lot of beautiful shots in the movie. Overall its a good movie with tons of great acting but a little to slow and long.

I give the movie a 8/10.
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6/10
Horses in the City
jeroduptown22 June 2021
The premise: a community of black cowboys taking in a troubled teen. The problem: to be such a unique (and well shot) setting, you couldn't feel the boys pain in the beginning or feel anything deeply rewarding at the end. Idris is great - but this was a little snoozy.
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8/10
These are real Urban Cowboys
fmatt-889804 April 2021
It is hard not to like or respect the work of Lee Daniels. This coming of age story coupled with the reality of urban blight facing the coming gentrification has all the elements of great filmmaking. It's good to see Idris Elba taking roles that allow the world to see him light years away from his London accent and roots. New star Caleb Mclaughlin gives us more than just a troubled young man coming into maturity and gaining respect for his father and a new perspective on life.. The fact that this is based on real characters in a little known tale about Cowboys in modern day Philadelphia is even more amazing. . If you're looking for a happy ending this may not be for you. But if you're looking for a well produced, directed, written, and edited film don't pass this by.
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6/10
Different and Done at the Same Time
Tri-State_Skater3 April 2021
I wasn't aware of the urban cowboy community in Philadelphia before this film. I'd only been to Philly once ten years ago, on a high school youth group trip. It was cool being exposed to something that's seen as different, since their black horse riders.

The movie isn't without it's stereotypes though. I'm white, and I've definitely noticed black teenagers are treated harsher than their white counterparts. I'm 28, but not much has changed since I was 15, like the character. I know Cole is messing up, but the Dad acts like this is shocking when he didn't raise him. A boy needs a man to properly guide him, not step in at the last minute and use tough love, as if they were ever there before. The Mom is clearly the better parent, but at the same time she discusses a long past with Cole getting in trouble. She's a nurse in the film, so she could have gotten Cole into therapy, or a sport, or into something artistic to help with his feelings.

I have no sympathy for people like the Dad. Idris Elba gave a great performance, but I'm also someone with a Dad that makes excuses and thinks he did more than he did. I can't help but feel bad for the kid.

It's cool that Cole and Harp start bonding, but both his parents could have done something sooner. Cole should have been spending summers doing something productive way before this.
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5/10
Concrete Cowboy holds a formulaic, unsurprising coming-of-age story that could have been more captivating had it focused on the main narrative.
msbreviews2 April 2021
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I lost count of the number of movies I've watched completely blind to any prior information. Concrete Cowboy is the most recent addition to that list. Ricky Staub and Dan Walser make their debuts as director and screenwriter of a feature film, respectively. From the synopsis alone, I expected some sort of variation of the formulaic coming-of-age story, which in this case takes a rebellious kid back to his father who lives far, far away from the everyday city lifestyle. Not even twenty minutes into the narrative, and it's quite easy to anticipate everything that's going to happen. From character development to specific plot points, it's a generic screenplay that holds no surprises.

However, Staub offers a solid directorial debut that elevates the entire movie, demonstrating talent behind the camera. Most importantly, Staub shows a remarkable commitment to a project that never lost the director's clear vision of the story he wanted to tell. This leads me to the only production element that actually made me open my eyes a little bit more upon its revelation. I knew that this film was based on a novel, but I didn't realize that real-life Philadelphia cowboys starred in the movie - information stamped wide and clear in the trailers. The end credits - don't forget to watch these after the film finishes - offer short interviews with the non-actors, which feel heartwarming and genuine.

Listening to these people talk about their love for horses and the continuous fight to keep the stables for themselves gives a whole other layer to previous interactions in the movie with the actual actors/characters. Besides, I now understand and forgive the fact that some scenes featuring non-actors feel a bit bland. Idris Elba plays the father role extremely well, but Caleb McLaughlin - 19-years-old already - steals the spotlight with an emotionally powerful performance that demanded more from him physically than expected. His character follows the usual arc of a young teen who needs to learn important life lessons through hard work and tough love. Everyone else offers decent displays, but the cast doesn't overcome the real issues with the film.

An uninteresting, cliche drug business subplot drags the entire movie, gradually and negatively affecting the film's already slow pacing. Throughout the runtime, the viewers are constantly moved from the main storyline to this side narrative that doesn't even impact the outcome of the movie, partially removing impact from subsequent plot points. Walser's screenplay follows a generic storytelling method, relying heavily on the cast's ability to give more energy to each scene, which doesn't occur often. Technically, Minka Farthing-Kohl's cinematography adds to the murky aesthetic, but the camera work is a tad too shaky for my taste. Luke Ciarrocchi's editing could be better - many choppy transitions from scene to scene. Sweet score from Kevin Matley.

Concrete Cowboy holds a formulaic, unsurprising coming-of-age story that could have been more captivating had it focused on the main narrative. For the millionth time, a cliche subplot involving a drug business negatively impacts the film's purposefully steady pacing, as well as the overall interest in the primary storyline. Nevertheless, Ricky Staub proves to be a committed director with a clear vision, bringing real-life Philadelphia cowboys to the movie, who added much-needed authenticity. Caleb McLaughlin is outstanding as a generic yet compelling young protagonist, while Idris Elba plays the demanding father role well. Despite some issues with some choppy editing and shaky camera work, it's an overall well-produced Netflix flick to watch during the weekend.

Rating: C+
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Not any good & full of cliches.
dgeo-661454 April 2021
The same tired story with the cowboy theme as a cover. At one point the main character gets a new pair of sneakers & wears them all day to shovel the stables. He also walks back & forth a shovel at a time until someone tells him a better way. At least it is historically inaccurate as they claim most cowboys in America were black, when most were Mexican & Hispanic until the frontier opened up. Anything to talk about Hollywood "whitewashing", which is literally stated in the movie. The acting is fine enough, but the story is nothing new.
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7/10
A good reality based story. Simple yet insightful
jaimeroopnarine27 April 2021
I purposely didn't read any reviews and it was not the typical suburban strife drama with the usual stereotypes. The ending was quite pleasant not directly via the story Give it a go, worth it.
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7/10
These reviews of streaming movies
pjbuck-3272211 April 2021
Very Typical Netflix film here. Getting better actors now, showcasing one of their own young talents, moving up Netflix. Feelgood yet sloppy direction, Netflix par here. My thoughts are for the other reviews, Learn to take the good with the bad, and actually judge the movie, trust this wasnt the Godfather, nor was it the hottie or the nottie, solid 6.8 or so in my book. Reviews of these recent movies/shows are laughable, including this one:)
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