Concrete Cowboy
NETFLIXThe legend of the American cowboy is one of the most well-known American legends, thanks in part to the popularity of westerns films decades ago. One facet seldom explored, even when the genre was popular, is that of black cowboys. Concrete Cowboy, based on the book Ghetto Cowboy, Netflix’s teen drama, shines a light not just on the black cowboy, but a particular subculture in the heart of Philadelphia through the lens of a coming-of-age story.
Starring Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin, the film follows McLaughlin’s Cole, who after getting in another fight at school is sent by his mom to live with his estranged father Harp (Elba) in Philadelphia for the summer. To Cole’s surprise, he discovers his dad keeps a horse in his house and works a local stable with others from the community. Clashing with his dad’s ways, Cole gets in with an old friend, Smush (Jharrel Jerome), who gets him caught up with the streets and in a situation that forces Cole to figure out who he is.
Growing out of his Stranger Things role like the rest of his young cast mates, Caleb McLaughlin gives a strong performance that shows he has a lot more to offer. Though mostly dealing with cliched coming-of-age drama, his performance helps push much of the film out of the realm of cliche and into something more innovative. Though he can deliver a speech like no other, as seen in a few scenes, Idris Elba gives a strong performance, but remains understated and laid back throughout most of the film, often allowing his co-stars to shine through, particularly community members.
The community shown in this film is mostly made up of actual members of the urban cowboys in Philly, giving the film a great deal of built-in detail that shines through smaller, intimate moments. Many of them provide some of the film’s most affecting performances and hold their own against the well known faces.
Serving as writer/director, Ricky Staub makes a strong debut with this film. Just as McLaughlin’s and Elba’s performances help push the film out the norms, Staub’s directing is strong and avoids some cliches, but the story still succumbs to the typical genre tendencies when focusing on Cole’s story. It’s when the film focuses on the community and shows the lifestyle of the inner city cowboys that it really shines and becomes not just another teen drama. Another point that helps push the film past its general genre trappings is the cinematography from up-and-coming cinematographer Minka Farthing-Kohl, making great use of wide shots and silhouettes to pay homage to classic westerns.
Despite falling into the tropes of the genre, Concrete Cowboy manages to rise above the typical coming-of-age drama with strong performances from its actors, particularly McLaughlin and Elba. The focus on an aspect of cowboy culture rarely explored, that marks a good debut for its writer/director, Ricky Staub.
