“In the Lean on Pete” The circumstances of the boy and his horse reflect modern-day America.

*Information at the time of article publication in April 2019.

“In the Lean on Pete” Synopsis

Charlie (Charlie Plummer) is a lonely 15-year-old. He moves to Portland with his father (Travis Fimmel), who changes jobs and lives from place to place, but while the father loves his son, he prioritizes his own enjoyment. Charlie's mother left when he was a baby, so of course he doesn't remember. Aunt Margie (Alison Elliott) used to take care of Charlie, but when Charlie was 12 years old, his father and aunt got into a big fight, and they have been completely estranged ever since. When Charlie felt lonely, he would look at a photo of himself and his aunt.One day, at a racetrack near his home, Charlie is asked by a stable owner named Del (Steve Buscemi) to take care of the racehorse Lean on Pete, and he takes it on to help his family, who can't afford enough food. Charlie, who is obedient, quick to learn, and loves horses, quickly took a liking to Del.That night, Charlie wakes up to the sound of a man yelling. ``You should sleep with your wife!'' the husband of the woman my father had previously let stay at his house yelled at me. The father was hit and smashed through the glass window, sustaining serious injuries. Charlie, frozen in fear and unable to do anything, apologizes to his father after the surgery, shocked by his own helplessness, and asks him to give him Aunt Margie's phone number. I asked him, but he rejected me and said, ``I don't need anyone else's help.''Charlie is scared to leave his father, who is his only family, and his condition is unpredictable, but he accompanies Pete on his expedition in order to earn money for his hospitalization. Pete is warned by jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny), ``Don't love horses. If a racehorse doesn't win, you'll be fired,'' but now Pete is the only person Charlie can trust. The next day, when I returned to the hospital from work, my father was gone. His condition suddenly deteriorated and he died. Concerned about Charlie, who has no one to take him in, he runs to Pete's stable, ignoring the doctor who tries to contact the nursing home.However, as an old man, Pete's life as a racehorse was coming to an end. Del decides to sell Pete after he loses the race. That meant culling. Determined to help his friend this time, Charlie steals the truck carrying Pete and flees to Wyoming, where Aunt Margie once lived.Eventually, the truck stalls, and Charlie heads into the wilderness with Pete in tow. Charlie continues to walk silently during the day, camping out at night, and continues to tell Pete about his mother, what he heard from his father, his fun school life, and his memories with Aunt Margie. However, reality was harsh and Charlie was too helpless. Another breakup cruelly hits Charlie. Charlie embraces his loneliness and continues to move forward in search of love and a place to belong.

Director Andrew Haigh gained attention for the British film `` Ripples '' (15), which depicts the misunderstandings and uncertainties in a relationship between a long-married couple. His film ``In the Lean on Pete'' is set in America and depicts the lonely circumstances of a teenage boy.

The film follows a boy who travels through the wilderness with an old racehorse, and at the same time depicts the beauty of nature in a remote part of America, as well as the ugly reality that dwells on the fringes of society. Here, I would like to consider the hidden aspects of America that ``In the Lean on Pete'' expresses through the ``innocent eyes'' of a young boy.

Charlie Plummer, whose popularity has skyrocketed with his work in `` The All the Money in the World '' (2017), won the ``Marcello Mastroianni Award'', which is the best new actor award at the 74th Venice International Film Festival. There is. The name of the 15-year-old boy he plays here is also ``Charlie.''

Index

• Escape from “masculinity”
• Similarities to “Aroma and Onna”
• Poverty issues in the land of Being There
• What is modern American society losing?

Escape from “masculinity”

The main character Charlie, who was abandoned by his mother before he could remember, has moved around the country with his father, who is like a delinquent brother who is close to his age and who has not yet fully grown up mentally, and now lives in Portland in the northwest of the United States. So, they are in a poor and harsh environment and do not even go to school. Charlie is used to his father bringing a woman into the house once in a while. Although he is such a random parent, it is true that he loves his son in his own way, such as teaching him how to woo waitresses, and Charlie tries to protect his son so that he can continue living with such a father. He lived his life away from the eyes of the authorities.

“In the Lean on Pete” preview

One day, while Charlie is wandering around the area, he is accosted by Del (Steve Buscemi), the owner of the stable. They don't have enough hands to look after the racehorses, so they want Charlie to take care of them. Afterwards, Charlie begins to raise horses and earn a living in place of her father, who is hospitalized after being injured by her husband after a trouble in his relationship with a married woman.

The way they engage in the work of "taking care of horses" seems very "American." Although it is slightly different from raising racehorses, cowboys who take care of cows and horses on ranches can be said to be a symbol of the ``good old America.'' Additionally, events such as horse and cattle races and rodeos are generally known as places where many people with conservative values ​​gather.

In the Lean on Pete(c) The Bureau Film Company Limited, Channel Four Television Corporation and The British Film Institute 2017

Charlie, who was attached to the racehorse Pete he cared for, is upset when he learns that Pete will be killed, and begs those around him to save his life. However, no one listens to Charlie's pleas. It would be a waste for business owners to spend more money on horses that are no longer profitable. A horse is just a horse...If you don't understand that, you won't be able to survive for many years in the industry.

I guess the key to living here is to acquire that kind of mental toughness or a certain kind of insensitivity. The person who embodies this macho attitude is Del, and the jockey Bonnie, played by Chloë Sevigny.

At the same time, the person most important to the boy takes his last breath. People and horses die due to the unreasonableness brought on by "reality." Charlie thought that if he took some action, he could resist such hopeless fate. He decides to escape from Portland with his horse.

Similarities to “Aroma and Onna”