REVIEW: Lean on Pete

★★★★½

"I'm not homeless."

These are the words uttered by 15-year-old Charley Thompson, despite his inability to articulate exactly where home is. Lean on Pete is a coming-of-age story, but it most definitely doesn't follow the conventional archetype. Its blunt realism and its harrowing, often heartbreaking portrayal of lower-class America are not typically prominent in this genre, but here it finds itself at the centre of the story. Charley is just an innocent teenage boy who cares too much, and he finds himself having to face the harsh realities of life at far too young an age. It's hard not to feel his compassion and his heartbreak thanks to an astounding performance from Charlie Plummer (my heart still hurts), and it recalls the familiar idea that home is never really just a place. 

Based on the novel by Willy Vlautin, director Andrew Haigh brings to life the story of Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer), a teenage boy living with his single father who's barely making end's meet. Charley begins working for Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) as a caretaker for the horses in his stables. Charley begins to feel affection towards an aging racehorse named Lean On Pete, but who he soon learns is headed for slaughter. In an attempt to save both Pete and himself, Charley heads out on a cross-country journey with the horse to find a place where they belong. 

The film finds itself to be so devastating likely because it possesses a striking humanness. Its paralyzing tones register the daunting fact that Charley is just a boy who had to grow up too fast and must now find his own way in the world. Haigh's direction does this without distracting itself as a sob story because that's not quite what the film is trying to be. The way in which Charley is forced to address relationships with others is a prime example of this. The lack of family in his life is acknowledged often, but Charley more often than not doesn't even bat an eyelash - to him, that's just the way things are. 

This nuance is one that could of course not be achieved without Charlie Plummer's powerful performance. He performed with the mastery of a seasoned actor rather than a rising up-and-comer. The film solely follows his perspective of events, and he keeps the viewer enraptured and invested in his character's journey for 2 full hours. No other actor was in this film nearly as much as he was, making his successful performance all the more crucial. Plummer may not be widely known yet, but he is most definitely a name to look out for in the future. 

It becomes quite clear that all Charley truly desires is a sense of teenage normalcy: someone he can look up to and depend on, a school and social life, and a place to call home. While he finds a companion in Pete, it becomes clear that he desires much more, even if he does not himself realize it. But in spite of all this, Lean on Pete is still a story about a boy who comes of age - because all he ever really needs is the chance to.