Lee Daniels’ horror movieThe Deliverancehas jumped to the number one spot on Netflix, with the film’s popularity serving as a great reminder to watch an underrated Western movie he produced back in 2020.Taking the acclaimedThe Butlerdirector into paranormal horror territory,The Deliveranceis loosely inspired by the true storyof the Ammons family haunting case. The family claimed to be possessed by demons and to be haunted by spirits in their Indiana home, leading to a series of terrifying events that culminated in exorcisms in 2011.
WhileThe Deliverance’s reviews haven’t fared as well as the movie’s viewership popularity, as it currently holds a 30% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the2024 horror moviegives Daniels a big streaming hit for the first time since 2021’sThe United States vs. Billie Holiday. However,The Deliveranceisn’t Daniels’ first big genre project for Netflix, as he previously produced a Western for the streamer that received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. WithThe Deliverancebeing a big viewership hit, it’s theperfect time to revisit Daniels’Concrete CowboyNetflix movie from 2020.
The Deliverance’s Lee Daniels & Caleb McLaughlin Also Worked On Netflix’s 2020 Western Movie Concrete Cowboy
The Deliverance & Concrete Cowboy Share Some Cast & Crew Overlap
While he wasn’t in the director’s chair for this outing, Lee Daniels also produced Netflix’s 2020 Western dramaConcrete CowboyalongsideThe Deliverance’s Tucker Tooley. The Idris Elba-starring Western was In addition to some crew overlap,Concrete Cowboyshares similarities withThe Deliverance’s castthroughCaleb McLaughlin, who plays Cole in the 2020 movie and Nate in the 2024 horror. Alongside the two films sharing some overlap with the creative teams that brought them to life, Netflix’sConcrete CowboyandThe Deliveranceshare some important themes in their stories.
Concrete Cowboy Cast & Character Guide
Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba, is now streaming on Netflix. Here’s a guide to the cast and characters who appear in the Western.
BothThe DeliveranceandConcrete Cowboyare inspired by true stories; the 2020 Western by Black horseriding culture and riding clubs in Philadelphia and the 2024 horror by the Ammons haunting case in Indiana.The two genre films are also poignant explorations of difficult family dynamics.Concrete Cowboy’s Western theme follows a troubled teenage son who stays with his estranged father and learns about their community’s struggles in Philadelphia, withThe Deliverance’s horror angle seeing a dysfunctional family overcome their painful pasts, wrongdoings, and resentments while facing paranormal terrors.
Concrete Cowboyis directed and written by Ricky Staub in his feature directorial debut.
How Concrete Cowboy’s Reviews & Netflix Success Compare To The Deliverance
Concrete Cowboy Fared Better With Critics Than The Deliverance
After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2020,Concrete Cowboywas finally released on Netflix in April 2021. The movie quickly became a streaming success and rose to the second spot in the top 10 trending films for Netflix, but had a relatively less strong hold on viewership numbers thanThe Deliverance, which has maintained the number one spot on Netflix the entire opening weekend. However,Concrete Cowboyboasts better reviews, holding an 80% critics scoreand 70% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes compared toThe Deliverance’s respective 30% and 56% scores.
80%
70%
#2
30%
56%
#1
The Deliverance
Cast
A woman returns to her childhood home to confront dark secrets from her past. As supernatural forces emerge and family tensions rise, she must uncover the truth behind her haunting visions and protect her loved ones from an ancient evil threatening their lives.
Concrete Cowboy
Inspired by the real the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, Concrete Cowboy follows a troubled teen sent to live with his estranged father in North Philadelphia, where he discovers Philadelphia’s urban cowboy subculture. Caleb McLaughlin and Idris Elba star in the 2020 adaptation of Greg Neri’s novel Ghetto Cowboy.
