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Concrete Cowboy

  • 2020
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
9.3K
YOUR RATING
Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
While spending the summer in North Philadelphia, a troubled teen (Caleb McLaughlin) is caught between a life of crime and his estranged father’s (Idris Elba) vibrant urban-cowboy subculture. Inspired by the novel 'Ghetto Cowboy' by G. Neri, Concrete Cowboy is directed by Ricky Staub and co-stars Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint and Clifford "Method Man" Smith. On Netflix April 2.
Play trailer2:29
11 Videos
33 Photos
DramaWestern

Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.

  • Director
    • Ricky Staub
  • Writers
    • G. Neri
    • Ricky Staub
    • Dan Walser
  • Stars
    • Idris Elba
    • Caleb McLaughlin
    • Lorraine Toussaint
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    9.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ricky Staub
    • Writers
      • G. Neri
      • Ricky Staub
      • Dan Walser
    • Stars
      • Idris Elba
      • Caleb McLaughlin
      • Lorraine Toussaint
    • 128User reviews
    • 104Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations

    Videos11

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:29
    Watch Official Trailer
    Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin Answer Fan Questions
    Clip 3:31
    Watch Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin Answer Fan Questions
    Concrete Cowboy
    Clip 0:56
    Watch Concrete Cowboy
    Concrete Cowboy
    Clip 0:52
    Watch Concrete Cowboy
    Concrete Cowboy: Do I Know You?
    Clip 1:03
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Do I Know You?
    Concrete Cowboy: Loose Horse
    Clip 0:56
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Loose Horse
    Concrete Cowboy: Tough Love Harp
    Clip 0:51
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Tough Love Harp
    Concrete Cowboy: Horse In Your House
    Clip 0:59
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Horse In Your House
    Concrete Cowboy: Developers
    Clip 0:54
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Developers
    Concrete Cowboy: Cowhand
    Clip 0:56
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: Cowhand
    Concrete Cowboy: We're Alone Here
    Clip 0:45
    Watch Concrete Cowboy: We're Alone Here

    Photos33

    Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Lorraine Toussaint and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Lorraine Toussaint, Idris Elba, Method Man, Ivannah-Mercedes, Jamil Prattis, and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Caleb McLaughlin and Jharrel Jerome in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Idris Elba and Method Man in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Charles W Harris III in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Lorraine Toussaint, Idris Elba, Method Man, Ivannah-Mercedes, Byron Bowers, and Caleb McLaughlin in Concrete Cowboy (2020)
    Idris Elba and Method Man in Concrete Cowboy (2020)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Idris Elba
    Idris Elba
    • Harp
    Caleb McLaughlin
    Caleb McLaughlin
    • Cole
    Lorraine Toussaint
    Lorraine Toussaint
    • Nessi
    Jharrel Jerome
    Jharrel Jerome
    • Smush
    Ivannah-Mercedes
    Ivannah-Mercedes
    • Esha
    • (as Ivannah Mercedes)
    Jamil Prattis
    • Paris
    • (as Jamil 'Mil' Prattis)
    Method Man
    Method Man
    • Leroy
    • (as Cliff 'Method Man' Smith)
    Byron Bowers
    Byron Bowers
    • Rome
    Liz Priestley
    Liz Priestley
    • Amahle
    Michael Ta'Bon
    • Jalen
    • (as Michael 'OG Law' Ta'bon)
    Devenie Young
    • Trena
    Swen Temmel
    Swen Temmel
    • Security Guard
    Patrick McDade
    Patrick McDade
    • City Official
    • (as Patrick F. McDade)
    Danny Plaza
    Danny Plaza
    • Police Officer
    Andrew K. Stoltzfus
    • Amish Farmer
    Canyon Formato
    • Amish Kid
    Albert C. Lynch Jr.
    • Al
    Michael 'Miz' Upshur
    • Miz
    • Director
      • Ricky Staub
    • Writers
      • G. Neri
      • Ricky Staub
      • Dan Walser
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Several of the actors are real-life cowboys of North Philly.
    • Goofs
      When Amahle is in the car driving Cole and it cuts between close-ups of her and Cole; the speed of her driving indicated from watching the outside environment from the driver's window is different than the speed shown from the passenger side window.
    • Quotes

      Nessie: Hard things come before good things

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Carey Mulligan/Caleb McLaughlin/Kali Uchis (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      I Wish I Knew
      Performed by The John Coltrane Quartet

      Courtesy of The Verve Music Group

      Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews128

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Unusual and satisfying Netflix drama about Black urban cowboys.
    Who would have thought cowboys in Philly and Black no less? Concrete Cowboy is a small Netflix drama about 15-year-old Cole (Caleb McLaughlin) reconnecting with his estranged cowboy dad, Harp (Idris Elba, also producer), in aging stables of Philadelphia, where a group of cowboys have their horses and their identities. Anyone who loved The Rider will find Concrete Cowboy just as interesting about horses and humans, although Cole is much too underdeveloped in this film to compete with Rider's Brady.

    Although the film, based on G. Neri's Ghetto Cowboy (2011), has a generous supply of formula for a coming-of- age melodrama, the film infuses enough reality, including real cowboys to play parts, to make an enjoyable introduction to a culture most of us would never have known. Lenser Minka Farthing-Kohl finds beauty photographing the beautiful animals in the blighted 'hood, especially in sol-mo.

    The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club is like no other, a Philadelphia organization for which the film makes no apology for its preaching about a slice of society ignored by pols and the public in general.

    The film travels in formula with Cole initially rebellious and then transformed by the horse experience, Harp going soft on the Cole, ignoramuses threatening the cowboy life, etc., well, you get the idea. What keeps it above average is the measured development overseen by director Ricky Staub, whereby incrementally the story reveals good guys and bad, and the cowboys will ride on.

    Like Cole and Harp, the story is about finding peace with loved ones and the world, both of which may guide us to a place called home. Even though the characters are outside the normal pale, they are worthwhile, sometimes talented folk who deserve a break. The fact that they are Black, urban cowboys is fascinating and itself a metaphor for repressed minorities everywhere.
    helpful•6
    4
    • JohnDeSando
    • Apr 7, 2021

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    FAQ1

    • What is the name of the John Coltrane track that Elba's character plays on the gramophone to his son?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 2, 2021 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Netflix Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cao Bồi Đô Thị
    • Filming locations
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA(location)
    • Production companies
      • Green Door Pictures
      • Lee Daniels Entertainment
      • Neighborhood Film Co.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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