My wife and I opted for an Indie movie last night. We had two to choose from. Diablo Cody's new film, Tully or the latest release from A24 (which produces consistently good cinema), Lean on Pete. We opted for the latter. It received better ratings on IMDb (7.4) and also features one of my favorite actors, Steve Buscemi.
Sixteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) lives with his father, Ray (Travis Fimmel). His mother left them when he was young. When he was twelve, his father had a falling out with is aunt Margy (Alison Elliott). The only women in his wife appear to be a string of waitresses or secretary's that his father brings home. While the love of his father is evident, his home life is the definition of dysfunction. When there is food in the house, it is seldom nutritious. Charley is basically a free-range kid. He is befriended by a horse trainer, Del (Steve Buscemi) who shows him the ropes of racing quarter horses. Charley develops a bond with one of the horses who under performs. When tragedy strikes at home, it sets Charley out on an ill-conceived journey across the desert with a horse named "Lean on Pete."
Lean on Pete is not a feel-good story. It is a character study. It examines the instincts and decisions of a sixteen-year-old whose tether to reality becomes severed. Poor decisions lead to survival situations as he appears adrift without a clear path forward. Director Andrew Haigh adapted this screenplay from a novel by Willy Vlautin. I'm not sure how the film compares to the book, but I am guessing that quite a bit was glossed over. The film had a heartbeat, but some of the relationships felt like they were not fully developed. The dialogue was interesting and the characters strong enough to support a film that had feeble pacing and a narrow narrative arc. The film required patience but managed to deliver a rewarding conclusion.
Character driven films rely heavily on the casting. Lean on Pete delivered on this area, redeeming an otherwise tepid film. I thought Charlie Thompson delivered the necessary range required to carry this film. He is not my favorite actor. I only recall his minor role in All the Money in the World, which wasn't substantive enough to really judge. To see him in a lead role was to appreciate his talent. He was strong enough to carry this film with the help of a couple of veterans that I like. I watched the first several seasons of Vikings mostly on the strength of lead actor Travis Fimmel in that series. He and Steve Buscemi added a bit of flavor to a film that was sometimes bland. The casting elevated this film.
Lean on Pete earned a surprising R rating from the MPAA. The film had some underage drinking, violence, talk of death and contextual violence towards animals and language. The film was not overtly violent or sexual. Maybe the idea of a sixteen-year-old wandering aimlessly and exposed to dangerous situations may have affected the rating. But I don't see it. PG-13 seems more appropriate to me. I don't think there is anything in this film that would be too objectionable for a teenager to view. The film has a two hour, one minute run time. If anything, most teens might be bored silly by this film. It has a plodding pace and subject matter that may not hold the attention of younger viewers.
I was a little bit disappointed by Lean on Pete. I generally assume all films coming out of A24 are going to be awesome. Two of my favorite films from 2017 (Lady Bird and Florida Project) came from this small company. They consistently produce solid films. Lean on Pete is not a bad film by any means. It was just not as good as I expected. It was a bit too understated and some of the plot felt like it could have been developed a bit more. The film had strong actors, interesting characters, an engaging concept and a rewarding ending. Films that center on dysfunction seldom have happy endings, so Lean on Pete gets points from me for that. It was worth sticking it out for two hours. 7/10.
Trailer and images subject to copyright by A24.
