Almost unbearably sad
- Lean on Pete review by JR
The protagonist, Charley, is a 16 year old boy who was abandoned as a baby by his mother, and has grown up in poverty and neglect with his feckless but occasionally affectionate father. Somehow he has avoided the brutalising effects of his upbringing and is a sensitive and withdrawn boy. The audience are rooting for Charley, but there is nothing but hardship and tragedy for him, and the film is very depressing. As shown in 'All the Money in the World', Charlie Plummer is a first-rate actor, but the film is 2 hours long and takes a long time to get going. The scenes of dodgy horse racing and training go on for too long and it is only about half way through that the film comes alive when the 'road movie' with the boy and horse begins.
4 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Painful teenage odyssey
- Lean on Pete review by AB
This is really a story about the journey of a sensitive teenage boy. After a tragedy leaves him a penniless, homeless orphan he sets out with a horse on a perilous journey to find safety. On the way more shocking events happen. The tale is a bit of tear-jerker, and is well acted, although the seriously mumbled dialogue I found irritating. I had hoped that the film was suitable for my young grandchildren, but the amount of swearing put paid to that idea.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Importent Message Lost in trying to make a Two Hour film
- Lean on Pete review by KW
The film had a very good concept for a very interesting film, but is length, and selected chapters being too long and detracting from the important message it was trying to put across. Visually good to look at and the acting from the cast was excellent with some very classy pastiche acting performances from well known actors.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Poignant, but no closure
- Lean on Pete review by Champ
I rented this film because of the very positive reviews, especially from Mark Kermode on Wittertainment. Usually I know MKs tastes well enough to judge what I'll like, but this one caught me out.
This is a beautifully shot and acted film, telling a very sad and believable story. But ultimately, it didn't get any real connection with the characters - I was just watching things happen to other people, in a "shit happens" sort of way. I kept waiting for a proper denouement which would put all of Charlie's suffering and experiences into context and tie it together, but at the end it just seemed to peter out, like they'd run out of time or film stock.
Overall, the film committed the unforgivable sin - it bored me a little. I know many others disagree, and now I worry that not liking it reflects poorly on me :-)
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Importent Message Lost in trying to make a Two Hour film
- Lean on Pete review by KW
The film had a very good concept for a very interesting film, but is length, and selected chapters being too long and detracting from the important message it was trying to put across. Visually good to look at and the acting from the cast was excellent with some very classy pastiche acting performances from well known actors.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Very well acted but overlong
- Lean on Pete review by IP
This was an interesting film with a strong story. The acting was first class. I liked the honesty of it, in the way the principal character was porttrayed. It was overlong however to the point of tedium in some places.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Dragged on a bit
- Lean on Pete review by RF
This film started off really promising and we were engaged for the first hour, but then really could have just tuned it off. Another film that just dragged on unnecessarily and could have finished much sooner.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Gritty drama
- Lean on Pete review by AW
Thought this was going to be a heart warming tale of a young lad and his horse but not quite that. Really gritty tale, brilliant performance by Charlie Plummer, film is a little long (as are most) but well worth a watch.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.