Synopsis
From acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh comes a deeply moving story told through the unique prism of one boy’s connection to a very special racehorse. 15-year-old Charley (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon, with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an ageing quarter horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence — until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life. Charley and Pete head out into the great unknown, embarking on an odyssey across the new American frontier in search of a loving aunt Charley hasn’t seen in years. They experience adventure and heartbreak in equal measure, but never lose their irrepressible hope and resiliency as they pursue their dream of finding a place they can call home. Featuring an award-winning performance by Plummer, Lean on Pete is a compassionate and heartrending look at the desire for love, family and acceptance.
Director
Andrew Haigh
Andrew Haigh has directed four features - including his latest, Lean on Pete. His previous film, 45 Years, premiered at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival where it won Silver Bears for the lead performances of Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay. It went on to win a number of international awards and received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for Charlotte Rampling.
His second feature, Weekend, premiered at SXSW in 2011 where it won the Emerging Visions Audience Award. Haigh was also the executive producer and lead writer/director on the HBO show Looking, including the finale television movie broadcast in 2015.
Cast
Steve Buscemi: Del Montgomery Charlie Plummer: Charley Thompson Chloe Sevigny: Bonnie Travis Fimmel: Ray
Crew
Andrew Haigh: Director / screenwriter Tristan Goligher: Producer
Details
Based on the novel by Willy Vlautin
Awards
Official selection, 2017 Venice Film Festival
Winner of the 2017 Venice Marcello Mastroianni Award - Charlie Plummer
Official selection, 2017 Toronto International Film Festival
Downloads
Coming soon
GENRE: Drama
DIRECTOR: Andrew Haigh
CAST:
Steve Buscemi: Del Montgomery
Charlie Plummer: Charley Thompson
Chloe Sevigny: Bonnie
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CREW:
Andrew Haigh: Director / screenwriter
Tristan Goligher: Producer
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COUNTRIES: France, UK
LANGUAGES: English
AWARDS:
Official selection, 2017 Venice Film Festival
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Videos
Reviews
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“Rivetingly beautiful”
Robbie Collin, The Telegraph
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“Plummer’s is one of the most striking breakthrough performances of the year”
Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair
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“Haigh is nothing if not a sensitive, compassionate director”
Dave Calhoun, Time Out
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“Heartfelt and affecting”
Xan Brooks, The Guardian
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“A star-making turn [from Plummer] that seems semi-miraculously to oscillate between childhood and adulthood”
Jessica Kiang, The Playlist
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“Beautifully crafted”
Ed Gibbs, Little White Lies
Discuss the film
Other films we recommend
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45 Years
Directed by Andrew Haigh
The Selfish Giant
Directed by Clio Barnard
Winter's Bone
Directed by Debra Granik
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45 Years
Directed by Andrew Haigh
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The Selfish Giant
Directed by Clio Barnard
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Winter's Bone
Directed by Debra Granik