Idris Elba, left, as Harp and Caleb McLaughlin as Cole in “Concrete Cowboy.” (Aaron Ricketts/Netflix)
The horse riding community we see in “Concrete Cowboy” is set in Philadelphia, but some scenes will ring familiar with Chicagoans who have watched the antics of the Dreadhead Cowboy, whose most famous stunt was taking his horse for a jaunt on the Dan Ryan Expressway, which created a viral sensation and resulted in numerous criminal charges.
Not that Dreadhead Cowboy is the only Black rider out there, not by a long shot. Black riding clubs have existed for decades in cities such as Chicago, Baltimore, Houston and Oakland. Director Ricky Staub brings that world to life in “Concrete Cowboy,” which is a fictionalized and deeply sentimental story, but is based on the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in North Philadelphia. The film features a number of real-life riders in supporting roles, adding authenticity – surreal as it sometimes seems – to the story.