SummaryDylan (Charlie Plummer), a soft-spoken 21-year-old construction worker, is the de facto father figure to his little brother and works odd jobs to help the family get by. After he finds himself with the opportunity to work at a ranch, he is welcomed by a vibrant community of rodeo performers who openly explore their identities and sexuality. He ... Read More
Directed By:Luke Gilford
Written By:Kevin Best, Luke Gilford, David Largman Murray
National Anthem
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
User score
Generally Favorable
7.8
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
71
89% Positive
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
11% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Mar 17, 2023
83
It’s exciting to see a debut so self-assured and comfortable in its own sun-baked skin.
Mar 17, 2023
80
From the impressive cinematography to its refreshingly non-pandering script, Gilford further proves himself to be a powerful voice in modern queer art.
Jul 16, 2024
75
National Anthem is high on mood and feeling rather than story. This very horny queer Western is a rush of sensory pleasures, from the reddened, rust-colored rocks of New Mexico as captured by cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi to a killer soundtrack featuring the likes of Angel Olsen, Perfume Genius, Susanne Sundfør, and Spiritualized.
Mar 17, 2023
70
The film is a little wispy, too often slapping another song on another dreamy sequence rather than giving us more intimate access to the main characters — let alone the secondary figures who make up the tight-knit queer family, most of whom don’t even get names. But the authenticity and distinctiveness of the milieu keep it involving.
Nov 21, 2024
63
Plummer, so good in Andrew Haigh’s Lean on Pete (another horse movie of a sort), shines here, especially in one of those final shots that holds on an actor’s face and asks them to seal the movie’s deal. Plummer does, with flying colors.
Jul 10, 2024
42
Though lushly lensed by cinematographer Katelin Arizmendi (Monica, Swallow), there isn’t much under the quietly glam veneer of National Anthem. Had Gilford hewed closer to the everyday folks that find freedom in queer rodeos, a more varied tapestry of this slice of subversive Americana would have shone through.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.8
80% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
20% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Jul 20, 2024
9
The recently released movie The Bikeriders was inspired by a photography monograph (my review) and this film by Luke Gilford was a result of his 2020 book on America's **** rodeo subculture. Charlie Plummer plays a young man living in New Mexico who's unhappy with his job and practically raising his young brother because of his mother's slapdash attitude. When he gets hired at a ranch, he discovers a new family of **** who farm the property and travel to the subculture rodeos. He's especially drawn to Sky, who helps him realize his own identity. This is a career-making role for Plummer. He creates a character full of confusion and contradictions, while navigating the journey with deep emotion. (He also does a mean drag number.) The rest of the cast is populated with wonderful actors and the scenes from the rodeo are especially empowering. The fact that I'm gay made me want to see this film, but the performances and Gilford's direction craft a truly moving story that's beautifully sweet and sometimes heartbreakingly tender.
Production Company:
- LD Entertainment
Release Date:Jul 12, 2024
Duration:1 h 36 m
Rating:R
Awards
Raindance Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Chlotrudis Awards
• 2 Nominations
Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
