Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin take center stage in the first trailer for Netflix's upcoming film, Concrete Cowboy. The film tells the story of a young man from north Philadelphia looking to connect to his father through horseback riding. Along the way, the two handle their own internal issues while also navigating pushback from the police and escaping the streets.
In the first trailer, viewers get a sneak peek of the tumultuous relationship that leads them to but heads often. Elba's character demands that McLaughlin stay out of the streets, but it is apparent that he only ventures into the element to protect his cousin. Along the way, Elba introduces McLaughlin to Black cowboy culture that exists in several cities across the country.
"When fifteen-year-old Cole is expelled from school in Detroit, he is sent to North Philadelphia to live with Harp, his estranged father. Harp finds solace in rehabilitating horses for inner-city cowboys at the Fletcher Street Stables, a real-life black urban horsemanship community that has provided a safe haven for the neighborhood residents for more than 100 years," the synopsis reads.
"Torn between his growing respect for his father's community and his reemerging friendship with troubled cousin Smush, Cole begins to reprioritize his life as the stables themselves are threatened by encroaching gentrification."
Alongside Elba and McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome and Cliff "Method Man" Smith play pivotal roles in the film. Byron Bowers, Louraine Toussaint, Swen Temmel, Kristoffe Brodeur and Rick Kelvin Branch also appear in Concrete Cowboy.
The trailer arrives with perfect timing for the lead actor, Elba. Yesterday, he signed a multi-year deal with HarperCollins to produce children's picture books and fiction works. The first book from the deal is expected to hit the shelves in 2022. In the meantime, he will shift his focus toward Concrete Cowboy. It will debut on Netflix on April 2.
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