Concrete Cowboy

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2:28

Concrete Cowboy

R

2020

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

126 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

The film follows 15-year-old Cole, who's forced to live with his estranged father Harper in North Philadelphia, where, despite the surrounding poverty and violence, he discovers the redemptive world of urban horseback riding.

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Critics Consensus

Well-acted and solidly directed, Concrete Cowboy lassos old-fashioned uplift with its story of a father and son in a little-seen corner of American culture.

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Robert Levin

Newsday

Builds an entire world in the span of one corner of North Philadelphia, bringing to vivid life this culture of urban cowboys and those struggling to preserve it.

Rated: 4/4

Apr 26, 2021

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Thelma Adams

AARP Movies for Grownups

The film captures a fascinating urban subculture threatened with extinction -- and Elba's fans will follow the Golden-Globe-winning Luther star anywhere, including horseback.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 9, 2021

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Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (LAist)

Some incredible cinematography, but it's incredibly sleepy all the way through.

Apr 6, 2021

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Shakyl Lambert

CGMagazine

With solid performances across the whole cast, Concrete Cowboy is a grounded, authentic tribute to a subculture wrongfully ignored by history.

Rated: 7.5/10

Jul 12, 2024

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

Concrete Cowboy holds a formulaic, unsurprising coming-of-age story that could have been more captivating had it focused on the main narrative.

Rated: C+

Jul 24, 2023

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M.N. Miller

Music City Drive-In

This is a film with a unique slice of life that has an authentic look and feel while telling a timeless story of fathers and sons.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 4, 2023

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Joshua m

I am a little biased since this takes place in PA where I live in. It's a solid film without the cliches. It may not be for everyone.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/20/25

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Yohanna A

Idris Elba is superb!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/23/24

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Audience Member

I liked it a lot and the cinematography was super well done. The only thing is that the ending could have been more sentimental by prolonging it. But I bet people would probably disagree with me on that. This is just my opinion.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/05/24

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Ty W

Elba never disappoints of course. The pacing of the movie isn't the best but a very touching movie!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/04/23

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dan r

'Concrete Cowboy' dropped onto Netflix in 2020 and is actually a decent Netflix movie based around great character acting rather than fancy CGI. SYNOPSIS: 'Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.' Although this film is predictable at times with it's storyline, it looks incredible with some amazing photography. Director, Ricky Straub (making his debut here) clearly has an expert eye in capturing some incredibly lit scenes. The film also features standout performances from Caleb McLaughlin, in a breakout performance, and Idris Elba who quietly does his thing becoming the back bone to the film. A gorgeous coming of age movie. 7/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

I really enjoyed it especially after learning that it centers on real life "concrete cowboys" Who are still currently riding in North Philly. Apparently there have been urban based male & female riders there for over a century. The interview at the end with some of the real life riders, that are also in the movie was an added bonus.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

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Ricky Staub

Director

Idris Elba

Harp

Caleb McLaughlin

Cole

Jharrel Jerome

Smush

Lorraine Toussaint

Nessie

Byron Bowers

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Concrete Cowboy: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The film follows 15-year-old Cole, who's forced to live with his estranged father Harper in North Philadelphia, where, despite the surrounding poverty and violence, he discovers the redemptive world of urban horseback riding.

Director: Ricky Staub
Producer: Lee Daniels, Idris Elba, Jennifer Madeloff, Tucker Tooley, Dan Walser, Jeff G. Waxman
Screenwriter: Ricky Staub, Dan Walser
Production Co: Waxylu Films, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Green Door Pictures, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, Neighborhood Film Co.
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 2, 2021
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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