Concrete Cowboy

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.

Well I guess maybe a little bit ... wordplay and jokes aside, this is quite the powerful coming of age story. With social message and issues on the forefront. And quite the performances to boost! And while you sort of expect that from the main man Idris Elba, you might be surprised by his son (in a positive way that is).

But there is another man who doesn't get enough credit for his acting: Method Man! While mostly in smaller roles, his charisma and his acting ability are on a high level and he always helps a movie he's a part of. Of course he is better known as rapper, but that doesn't mean he can't be known for both things. Some people are just gifted like that.

But as I said, this is more about the kid ... and his journey - no pun intended. Really well made drama, with a touch of Western mixed into it (as the title obviously suggests of course).

"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.

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.

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.