Cowboys

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1:46

Cowboys

2021,

1h 23m,

Drama

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91%

64 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

50+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Steve Zahn stars as Troy, a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife Sally (Jillian Bell). Aghast at Sally's refusal to let their trans son Joe (Sasha Knight) live as his authentic self, Troy runs off with Joe into the Montana wilderness. Meanwhile, police detective (Ann Dowd) pursues them, but her resolve about the case is tested the more she learns about Joe's family. COWBOYS, a modern day Western from director Anna Kerrigan, is a tale of rescue, family betrayal and a father and son on the run.

Critics Consensus

Cowboys explores emotionally charged themes with a steady hand, highlighting the humanity of its characters in a story of fraught family dynamics and gender identity.

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Alex Davidson

Sight & Sound

May 28, 2026

Feels like two films uneasily blended into one – a thriller that over-eggs the peril, and a drama about a flawed, unusual and sympathetic family breaking down. Had the filmmakers focused on the latter, Cowboys could have been something very special.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

May 15, 2021

3/5

Gets by on goodwill and a passion for compromised Americana. Only a lowdown dirty heel would cuss it out.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

May 10, 2021

Low-key in all the ways it needed to be. But I laughed, I cried and I really enjoyed it.

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William Stottor

Loud and Clear Reviews

Jul 11, 2024

3/5

Well-intentioned and heartfelt, Cowboys ultimately takes on too many genres and tones, which leaves it feeling slightly misdirected.

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Sam Moore

Vague Visages

Jun 5, 2024

Joe’s backstory allows Cowboys to explore the difficulty of being young and trans, but never in a way that feels exploitative.

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Michael Cuby

them.

Sep 27, 2022

Cowboys can be heartbreaking, but it also feels fitting for the times.

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Anna Kerrigan

Director

Steve Zahn

Troy

Jillian Bell

Sally

Ann Dowd

Faith

Gary Farmer

Robert Spottedbird

Bob Stephenson

Sheriff George Jenkins

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Cowboys: Trailer 1

1:46

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Synopsis

Steve Zahn stars as Troy, a troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife Sally (Jillian Bell). Aghast at Sally's refusal to let their trans son Joe (Sasha Knight) live as his authentic self, Troy runs off with Joe into the Montana wilderness. Meanwhile, police detective (Ann Dowd) pursues them, but her resolve about the case is tested the more she learns about Joe's family. COWBOYS, a modern day Western from director Anna Kerrigan, is a tale of rescue, family betrayal and a father and son on the run.

Director: Anna Kerrigan
Producer: Gigi Graff, Anna Kerrigan, Chris Parker, Dylan Sellers
Screenwriter: Anna Kerrigan
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2021
Runtime: 1h 23m

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