Released: April 2nd 2021 (Netflix)
Length: 111 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Ricky Staub
Starring: Caleb Mclaughlin, Idris Elba, Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint and Clifford "Method Man" Smith
Niche culture points have often had to wait years to receive their own representation. Our modern societies are filled with countless perspectives with their own unique heritage and mannerisms. Delving into the lives of modern horse wranglers within the black community, Concrete Cowboy makes for a competent if forgettable attempt.
The teenager Cole (Caleb Mclaughlin) is getting into a lot of trouble in Detroit; this prompts his mother to send him to Philadelphia to live with his father Harp (Idris Elba). Harp is the leader of closely knit band who cling to a way of life often overlooked by the masses. He resolves to teach his son through new experiences. Things are initially slow as Cole gets used to his new environment. Once the first act is out of the way, his choice between two paths is laid out, represented by two characters. First is his father Harp who takes a traditionalist approach towards reconnecting with his son. He aims to get him working while earning his keep among the group. Then there’s his cousin Smush (Jharrel Jerome) who is much more rebellious, aiming to make some money through unsavoury business. These two sides are played off each other, respectively influencing Cole as the film goes on. Mixed in with these contrasting points are the more heart-warming moments. When Cole starts to gel with the modern cowboy culture and tame his own horse, you feel the same sense of pride. Yet it falls short of its emotional ambitions.
The ties that bind the characters together aim to be a driving force for Concrete Cowboy. We get an admirable if unfocused effort in this field. Caleb Mclaughlin is best known for Stranger Things and while it’s good to see him branch out into new territory, his performance does leave a bit to be desired. At times Cole’s internal struggle can be lost on his somewhat blank facial expressions. Idris Elba is good as always, but I couldn’t help feeling his performance was fairly standard. For all his build-up, he sometimes sits in the background as the group takes over. The same is also true for Smush, whose scenes are very predictable at several moments. For the most part, there are some tentative bonds between the characters, but the film prefers to convey this from a generalised viewpoint. There needed to be more moments of introspection and individual connections being built up over time. Instead, the film focuses on more brief interactions before pivoting back to setting its tone and location.
Lower class Philadelphia serves a leading setting for Concrete Cowboy. Much of the place is run down and unkempt; yet the characters still view it as their home and something no one else can replicate. The sense of humanity peeking through the crumbling bricks is ever-present. A heavy use of ambient orange permeates the proceedings; it reflects the more run down nature of the district and the sense of warm community within. This is matched by a peaceful soundtrack that punctuates the production with a great sense of pathos. This is especially true of the final act, which lays on the tragedies that befall the characters. When the film enters the occasional action scene, things do feel a bit muddled. A shaky-cam chase from the local police force feels a little incoherent and sticks out from the otherwise calming cinematography.
At some points Concrete Cowboy does offer a poignant view of Philadelphian culture, but often this mostly stems from atmosphere and tone. While none of the performances are lacklustre, the film needed to build deeper connections between the characters to elicit a greater sympathy. It has its moments, but it could have gone much further towards engaging the audience.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)
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