Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- grounded
- sincere
- hopeful
- reflective evening
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film well acted and solidly directed, praising its uplifting portrayal of an underrepresented urban cowboy culture while recognizing its conventional drama framework.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Cole's move to Philadelphia places his rebellious adolescence within the Fletcher Street horse-riding community, where responsibility and belonging reshape him.
The Fletcher Street Stables provide the film's defining social world, preserving horseback riding traditions amid poverty and neighborhood redevelopment.
Cole's estrangement from Harp gradually becomes the central emotional conflict as horses and stable life create opportunities for connection.
The stables and their riders face encroachment from gentrification, making displacement a persistent conflict alongside the family story.
Films like Concrete Cowboy, and why
The Pursuit of Happyness
coming-of-age drama centered on a troubled teenager, family conflict, and an emotionally restorative relationship
Moonlight
grounded father-son drama combining urban hardship, resilience, and hopeful emotional uplift
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
character-driven drama about marginalized community, identity, and finding belonging against social pressures
The Rider
modern western drama using a specific American subculture to explore family, masculinity, and redemption
Movie Details
- Director
- Ricky Staub
- Release Date
- 2020-09-13
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (215)
Cast
- Caleb McLaughlin
- Idris Elba
- Jharrel Jerome
- Byron Bowers
- Lorraine Toussaint
- Method Man
- Jamil Prattis
- Ivannah Mercedes
- Liz Priestley
- Michael Ta'Bon
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Concrete Cowboy about?
- A rebellious Philadelphia teenager finds belonging, responsibility, and a path toward his estranged father through a threatened Black urban cowboy community.
- What is Concrete Cowboy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Concrete Cowboy as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Concrete Cowboy violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Concrete Cowboy as moderate.
- What did critics think of Concrete Cowboy?
- Critics broadly found the film well acted and solidly directed, praising its uplifting portrayal of an underrepresented urban cowboy culture while recognizing its conventional drama framework.
- Which films are like Concrete Cowboy?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pursuit of Happyness, Moonlight, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and The Rider.
- How long is Concrete Cowboy?
- Concrete Cowboy runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Concrete Cowboy?
- In United States, Concrete Cowboy streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
