Lean on Pete (2018)
84%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 11 wins & 18 nominations
Lean on Pete avoids mawkish melodrama, offering an empathetic yet clear-eyed portrayal of a young man at a crossroads that confirms Charley Plummer as a major talent
Lean on Pete is a film that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. With a central performance by Charlie Plummer that is both vulnerable and powerful, this coming-of-age journey tale is a must-see. Director Andrew Haigh has crafted a story that is both unvarnished and expansive, falling somewhere between The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Grapes of Wrath. While some may find the structure episodic, the film’s emotional heft and depth of feeling make it a true masterpiece. So grab some tissues and get ready for a wild ride with Lean on Pete.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, New Regency Productions, Pascal Pictures,
Distributor
A24
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Portland Meadows Race Track, Portland, Oregon, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and brief violence
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:2h 2m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 6, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2018
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Charlie Plummer, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Justin Rain, Lewis Pullman, Bob Olin, Travis Fimmel, Frank Gallegos, Ayanna Berkshire, Andrew Haigh, Tristan Goligher, written by Andrew Haigh, directed by Andrew Haigh, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jake Wilson, Robert Daniels, Philip Kemp, Mark Kermode, Kevin Maher, Tara Brady, Richard Crouse, Luke Gorham, Matt Cipolla, Steven Prokopy, Frank J Avella, Leslie Combemale, R rating, horse racing, coming of age, American frontier, slaughter, crossroads, empathy, Charley Plummer, single father, Bonnie, Silver, Mr Kendall, Mike, Dallas, flat aspect ratio, A24, limited release, English (United Kingdom), 2 hours 2 minutes
Worldwide gross: $2,443,584
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,875,546
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,326
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 313,582
US/Canada gross: $1,163,056
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,368,654
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,111
US/Canada opening weekend: $46,975
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $55,279
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,173
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Chloë Sevigny – Bonnie
Steve Zahn – Silver
Justin Rain – Mike
Lewis Pullman – Dallas
Bob Olin – Mr. Kendall
Director(s)
Andrew Haigh
Writer(s)
Andrew Haigh
Producer(s)
Tristan Goligher
Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Venice, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
11 wins & 18 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (188) | Top Critics (57) | Fresh (169) | Rotten (19)
This is a film that succeeds in holding all its elements in balance – and in doing so, arrives at a depth of feeling that isn’t commonplace at all.
December 3, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
And as the film enters into its final third, Plummer is steady and brilliant demonstrating not only Charley’s growth, but also how his naivety becomes mixed with darkness.
August 27, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
For all its sometimes over-episodic structure, Haigh has crafted a quietly affecting coming-of-age journey tale sustained by a central performance that never feels forced or contrived.
May 9, 2018
Philip Kemp
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
A performance of remarkable depth, candour and vulnerability by rising star Charlie Plummer lies at the heart of this terrifically moving fourth feature film from British writer-director Andrew Haigh.
May 7, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Haigh’s new film has the substance and emotional heft to be considered a masterpiece.
May 4, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
An unvarnished fable that falls somewhere between The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Grapes of Wrath.
May 3, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
An effective portrait of a lonely boy but ultimately simply becomes a laundry list of Charley’s bad decisions.
March 4, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
There is an expansiveness of story here that feels a bit mismatched for the director’s sensibilities, and the narrative beats reflect a hurried adaptation of the source novel.
August 13, 2020
Luke Gorham
In Review Online
Despite what one may expect, there’s no sentimentality, no sureness, no safety — but lots of soul.
July 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Matt Cipolla
Film Monthly
To have no expectations, no idea what’s coming next, and be completely captivated by something this achingly moving is a rare thing in an medium.
June 9, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
To put it plainly, Lean on Pete is writer-director Andrew Haigh’s best work.
April 26, 2020 | Rating: A-
Frank J. Avella
Edge Media Network
Heartbreaking it is, but the story of Lean on Pete never fails to deliver truth, both moment by moment, and in its ultimate conclusion.
October 17, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Leslie Combemale
Cinema Siren…
Plot
The film follows fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson. He wants a home, food on the table and a high school he can attend for more than part of the year. As the son of a single father working in warehouses across the Pacific Northwest, stability is hard to find. Hoping for a new start they move to Portland, Oregon where Charley takes a summer job, with a washed-up horse trainer, and befriends a failing racehorse named Lean on Pete.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Charlie Plummer’s performance in Lean on Pete, calling him a “major talent.”
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