‘Lean on Pete’
Lean on Pete by the British director, Andrew Haigh, is an independent film that tells the story of Charlie, a teenage boy, who struggles to find home.
Set in the United States’ western area, relationships dominate the film; those present and those missing. The deepest relationship is reflected between Charlie and the race horse, ‘Lean on Pete’. The various principle characters Charlie meets along his chaotic journey are quite sympathetic to his needs, but each one is trapped by his or her own circumstances. This entrapment hinders them from offering, much less creating any kind of meaningful home Charlie is desperately seeking. In a similar vein as Roma, the film is able to depict a very intimate portrait of the universal struggle and longing for home while at the same time demonstrating the harsh consequences of American capitalism and the loss of the American dream. Haigh seems to be creating this parallel of Charlie’s need for home to the many forgotten ones who have been left behind in America’s promise and pursuit of affluence.
The film is certainly worthy of the award it received at the 2017 Venice Film Festival and of your consideration.
Craig, Feb 2019
*Image & video posted for non commercial purposes
under 'fair use' of copyright material in recommendation of the film
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Thanks for your concise and appealing framing of the film, which moves me to put this on my short list of films I hope to see in the coming weeks. We all need all the inspiration we can get to live in a way that connects with our deepest longings, rather than be pulled off course by all the images and voices that make us superficial.
Great thoughts Craig. I adored Lean On Pete: it was one of those quietly powerful films that completely absorbed me. I also reflected on the nature of ‘home’ after the film – an evocative concept for all of us and one which Lean On Pete explores richly. Each of the characters on Charlie’s journey seem to be restless, ‘home’less, in one melancholy way or another. And so the longing for a home is what seems to fuel Charlie. Perhaps there is a universality to be found in Charlie’s quest.