Lean on Pete (2018)

Overview
"Lean on Pete" is a 2018 drama movie directed by Andrew Haigh, based upon the novel by Willy Vlautin. The film stars Charlie Plummer ahead role, with supporting performances from Steve Buscemi and Chloë Sevigny. Set versus the background of the Pacific Northwest, the story follows a teenage boy named Charley who embarks on a heart-wrenching experience of survival, self-discovery, and friendship with a stopping working racehorse named Lean on Pete.

Plot
Charley (Charlie Plummer) is a 15-year-old boy enduring life with an erratic, single father in Portland, Oregon. To make ends fulfill, Charley finds work at a falling apart horse track where he fulfills a grizzled fitness instructor named Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi), and Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny), a jockey. He quickly develops an attachment to Lean on Pete, a five-year-old Quarter Horse who's past his prime but ends up being Charley's loyal buddy.

The film takes a turn when Charley's father suddenly dies, leaving him with no family. Afraid of being put in social services and of Lean on Pete's fate (as Del prepares to offer the horse to Mexican slaughters), Charley absconds with Lean on Pete, and hence starts their cross-country journey.

Journey and Survival
Much of the movie follows Charley and Lean on Pete as they journey through the American Northwest, challenging various situations and harsh challenges in their fight for survival. Together, they experience homelessness, hunger, poverty, and violence. Charley's agonizing odyssey is mainly a search for an aunt he hardly keeps in mind from his early youth, hoping she might supply him with some semblance of a house.

Performances
Charlie Plummer offers an effective performance as a desperate yet resilient boy struggling to discover a place in the world. Steve Buscemi matches as the rough-around-the-edges fitness instructor with his reasonable share of life's dissatisfactions. Chloe Sevigny likewise delivers a strong supporting function, highlighting the unvarnished truth of jockeying for living.

Conclusion
"Lean on Pete" embodies a tale of heart-rendering survival, belonging, and the human-animal bond. It's a coming-of-age story with stunning views of the American landscape and checks out the dark undercurrents of the society without filters.

Reception
The film premiered at the 74th Venice International Film Festival and was positively received by critics for fascinating storytelling and exceptional performances. Despite its grim subject, the movie pleased audiences for its humane portrayal of a young kid's endurance in the middle of the challenges of life.

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