Lean on Pete (2018)

Lean on Pete is somehow bleak yet beautiful.

I was taken aback by how brutal this film is to its protagonist. Charley’s life as shown in the film does not start too great, and when life begins to hit him with blow after blow, taking one thing he loves after another away from him, it begins to become almost depressing. By the end of the film, Charley has almost nothing to continue living for – and the fact that he is just fifteen years old and has seen more life than most middle-aged adults I know makes that all the more heartbreaking. He finds a companion in the titular Pete for a while, becoming attached to this aging racehorse; and when he takes Pete’s future into his own hands and runs away with him, it is done with such poeticism and such little dialogue that makes it resonate incredibly well.

As good as the film continues to be after that moment, Lean on Pete begins to show its flaws not long after. As events transpire on Charley and Pete’s journey, everything starts to feel incredibly drawn-out. Part of this stems from how much Charley is beaten down on this odyssey of sorts, but there is a natural endpoint for the film that it just breezes past and continues for almost another half hour, showing us a portrait of Charley that is even more bleak than one could possibly imagine. I understand why this last portion is part of the film, as it does show how he deals with some varying circumstances, but I wanted to stop watching it because I felt so much for Charley and became uncomfortable with how many times life hit him with a baseball bat in the gut. Lean on Pete shows very little empathy for him and does not attempt to make melodrama out of his circumstances, electing for the ethereal route instead. The cinematography is gorgeous, highlighting the bleakness of the American northwest through which Charley and Pete must traverse while also reflecting the reality of Charley’s life. The film’s structure also does its story justice, feeling more episodic in nature because of how it does not revisit characters after Charley moves on in his journey. There is just so little hope in this film, and that makes it very hard to watch.

Charlie Plummer, though, gives the performance of his life as Charley, showing so much depth that you can practically see the many layers of emotion on his worn, dirt-ridden face. I enjoyed him a lot in Ridley Scott’s latest film All the Money in the World, and seeing him get such a rich, emotional role like this one and doing so well with it makes me excited for how his career will pan out. Steve Buscemi delivers a surprisingly nuanced performance as Dell, Pete’s owner and Charley’s boss for most of the film; he paints a cynical yet sympathetic picture of his character. The rest of the performances augment Plummer quite well, all contributing different things to his character’s journey for purpose and identity in a harsh reality.

I wish I could universally recommend Lean on Pete, as it does tell a compelling and heart-ripping story and shows the true talent of Charlie Plummer. Despite all that, it does move slowly at times, and when combined with its bleak aesthetic and story that pacing can become draining, albeit for the right reasons. This is an incredibly depressing film, ethereal in how it tells its story and skillfully avoiding melodrama when other films might lean into causing empathy for the protagonist. For that reason, it might not be for everyone; but if you find yourself interested, you might be in for one rich journey.

My recommendation: If you can handle bleak, depressing films, then watch it.

My rating: 81/100