I’ll Be Your Friend

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By Tom Pacak

  If you think “Lean On Pete” is a film about a young boy named Charley (Charlie Plummer) who finds a beaten down racehorse and decides to keep the horse to train him, you got the wrong movie. “Lean On Pete” is a lot more human than one can expect. British director Andrew Haigh (45 Years), gives all of the characters in this film depth that makes them feel real. Whether it’s a grumpy horse owner Del (Steve Buscemi), Charley’s loser father Ray (Travis Fimmel), an empathetic waitress Ruby (Julia Prud’homme), or an alcoholic homeless man Silver (Steve Zahn), all of these characters drift in and out of Charley’s life but their struggles feel just as realistic as Charley’s.

Andrew Haigh explores the Pacific Northwest in “Lean on Pete.” The film follows our protagonist Charley; he’s 15 years old, a runner, and a kid searching for something in life. He lives with his father Ray, who disappears during the day but doesn’t have any job, which makes Charley the bread maker in the house. Charley really has nobody to turn to; he’s in this search for happiness by himself. One day, Charley comes across a barn that hosts racehorses. Ill-Tempered Del offers him work to take care of the horses. Along the way, Charley develops a deep relationship to a worn out horse Lean On Pete. Lean On Pete has had his fair share of races and can no longer do it so Del tells the kid it’s time for Pete to be slaughtered. Like all of the adults present in the film, Del is a man who has grown up to see the world as cynical. He knows the world is tough and that sometimes things will not go your way. Charley has not grown that way and has an emotional connection to the horse. He has no reason to explain his connection but must do everything he can to keep his connection. After hearing the news of Lean On Pete being potentially slaughtered, Charley decides to take the horse on an expedition to search for a family. 

 Charlie Plummer really digs into the role of the optimistic Charley. Plummer shows the struggle of being beaten down but never giving up. We believe his desire to be loved due to Plummer’s committed performance. “Lean On Pete” sounds like it may be sentimental but Andrew Haigh makes you work for the sad moments. Haigh doesn’t add a score to when something tragic happens to our protagonist or when something good happens. Haigh has deep respect for these characters and wants to make them feel real. Like the trip, Charley takes, “Lean On Pete” is a tough journey to follow but an ultimately rewarding one.

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Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars

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