Review Lean On Pete (2018)

[Doctor Omega]

New Trailer: “Lean on Pete”





Following his acclaimed successes with both “45 Years” and “Weekend,” filmmaker Andrew Haigh tries for a softer approach with a film adaptation of Willy Vlautin’s beloved novel “Lean On Pete”.

The new trailer for the film has dropped today and follows a teenager named Charley (Charlie Plummer) and his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel) who move to Portland for a fresh start. The boy finds a reprieve from his knockabout home life in a horse named Lean On Pete.

Steve Buscemi, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Thomas Mann, and Amy Seimetz, co-star in the film which opens in early 2018.

 

[Doctor Omega]

Lean on Pete
Director: Andrew Haigh (“45 Years,” “Weekend”)
Cast: Charlie Plummer, Chloe Sevigny, Travis Fimmel, Steve Buscemi
Details: Finally getting a theatrical release after a Fall film festival run last year, “Weekend” and “45 Years” helmer Andrew Haigh’s adaptation of the Willy Vlautin novel of the same name scored very good but not exceptional reviews at festivals with some critics notably soft on it. That nixed its awards chances, but it should still do well in a theatrical run on the arthouse circuit nonetheless.

Charlie Plummer stars as Charley Thompson, a 15-year-old who has no stability in his life and moves with his single father to Portland where Charley takes a summer job and becomes best friends with a failing racehorse named Lean on Pete. Haigh has shown a deft touch for conveying nuance and the emotional complexities of romance both gay and straight, so it’ll be curious to see how he handles the love of a boy and his horse.