You don't have to travel to the wild, wild west to find a community full of cowboys.
In fact, there are generations of urban horsemen who can be seen trotting around Philadelphia
right now, and the film Concrete Cowboy aims to shed light on that culture with a heartwarming
tale about the bonds of family.
The movie features Caleb McLaughlin as Cole, a troubled teen from Detroit who is sent to
Philadelphia to stay with the father he's never met before, Idris Elba's Harp.
And once he's there, he finds out that the city has an unexpected amount of equestrians
- which includes his dad.
"Yo, there's a horse in your house."
Even if Cole isn't used to traveling around the city on horseback, the charms of this
rustic lifestyle - yes, even including shoveling manure from the streets - might just be what
Cole needs to break away from the more dangerous temptations of inner-city life.
Concrete Cowboy builds upon a rich tradition of real-life riders and features an impressive
cast and crew who have developed an intensely personal connection to the story that shines
through in the film.
Here's what you should know about Concrete Cowboy before it gallops onto Netflix.
Concrete Cowboy marks the directorial and screenwriting debut of Ricky Staub, who co-wrote
the script alongside his longtime professional and writing partner Dan Walser.
Staub previously worked as an assistant on several notable films, including Snow White
and the Huntsman and The Last Airbender.
He walked away from the business in 2012 to start his Philadelphia-based Neighborhood
Film Company, which creates memorable advertisements and offers paid apprenticeships to former
non-violent offenders and homeless individuals who want a new chance at a professional life.
Though Staub had been mostly removed from the Hollywood scene over the last few years,
he did quietly work on several visual projects in Philadelphia, including the 2017 short
film The Cage.
He was inspired to make Concrete Cowboy after a couple of chance encounters with the city's
proud horsemen.
The first was when he saw a man riding on horseback through the city several years ago
and learned about the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club and G. Neri's 2011 novel Ghetto
Cowboy.
Then, after meeting a returning prisoner who spoke up about his plans to buy a horse, Staub
decided to engage him and other dedicated riders in creating this film, an adaptation
of Neri's book.
"Fifty percent of all cowboys were Black.
Even the Lone Ranger was Black."
"Who's the Lone Ranger?"
"Harp, you teaching this boy anything?"
Thanks to Staub's standout work in The Cage, he had already secured an agent who then got
him in touch with Idris Elba, and the two connected over the opportunity to lift up
the voices of the incredible African American community members who are featured in the
story.
After learning of the real-life urban cowboys of Philadelphia and the troubles the community
is facing as their beloved pastures are threatened by development, Staub set out to make a film
that might hopefully shed light on their lifestyle and help them protect their lands.
That mission was a critical part of why Idris Elba decided to sign on for the film after
speaking with Staub.
At the film's first premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020, the actor
told Variety:
"It feels really apt to be able to tell a part of history that's been definitely buried,
and in the case of Concrete Cowboy, that history is right now.
Those stables - they face being taken away forever."
Elba is, of course, one of the most revered actors of both film and television, thanks
to his indelible performances in films like Beasts of No Nation and Mandela: Long Walk
to Freedom and shows like his Golden Globe winning role in Luther.
"How many more were there?"
"None.
It wasn't me."
"Can you tell me how many more were there?"
And he's in good company with his talented co-stars in the film, including Stranger Things'
Caleb McLaughlin, Emmy-winning When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome, Orange Is the New
Black favorite Lorraine Toussaint, and Honey Boy's Byron Bowers.
In addition to featuring well-known actors who are at the top of their game, Concrete
Cowboy also incorporates some real-life riders into the picture to bring even more authenticity
to the film.
Meanwhile, the movie was also filmed on-site at Strawberry Mansion's Fletcher Street stables.
That's one of the very locations Staub hopes Concrete Cowboy might inspire audiences to
become aware of - and potentially help protect.
Don't miss out on this gripping story about a father and son bonding within a very real,
charming, and historic piece of Americana when Concrete Cowboy arrives later this year.
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