In the sparse landscapes of the American Northwest, a lonely teenager named Charley, played with quiet resilience by Charlie Plummer, finds an unexpected connection in a worn-out racehorse named Lean on Pete. Struggling with a fractured home life and a drifting sense of belonging, Charley takes a job with the horse’s gruff, opportunistic owner, Del, brought to life by Steve Buscemi, and his seasoned jockey, Bonnie, portrayed by Chloe Sevigny. As Charley bonds with the aging quarter horse, he discovers a fragile sense of purpose and family within the gritty, transient world of low-stakes racing. Directed with poignant realism by Andrew Haigh, this deeply moving drama follows Charley’s desperate and perilous journey to protect his only friend, embarking on an odyssey across the harsh outskirts of society. Faced with hardship and the looming threat of Pete’s retirement, Charley must confront the brutal realities of survival and the fleeting nature of sanctuary in a film that captures the raw beauty and profound loneliness of the open road.