Cowboys (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place primarily in the Montana wilderness, with the characters traveling remote backroads, forests, and rivers as they make their way toward the Canadian border. The harsh, isolated landscape underscores the themes of escape and the pursuit of a new life.

• montana
• wilderness
• setting
• canadian border
• remote frontier

Joe's evolving gender identity is central to the film. He navigates accepting himself while confronting his mother's expectations and seeking safety and acceptance from a parent who understands him. The tension highlights the pain of traditional gender norms and the longing to be seen as who he truly is.

• transgender
• identity
• gender
• joe
• acceptance

The film explores three interconnected themes: Identity (Joe's gender identity and self-acceptance), Family (complicated dynamics including conflict, separation, and potential reconciliation), and Journey (both a physical voyage across the wilderness and an emotional search for belonging and a better future).

• themes
• identity
• family
• journey
• acceptance

Joe and Troy share a deep bond driven by mutual love and understanding. Troy supports Joe's identity and shares his adventurous spirit, making the difficult choice to flee with his son to protect him. However, Troy struggles with addiction and impulsive behavior, which creates tension and threatens their safety throughout the journey.

• troy
• joe
• father
• son
• relationship
• addiction

Sally is Joe's mother who embodies traditional gender expectations, pushing Joe toward a prescribed path and resisting his expression of masculinity. Her rigid stance creates a rift between herself and Joe, eventually leading to family separation. Her character arc involves a painful journey toward eventual acceptance, though it comes at a significant cost.

• sally
• mother
• joe
• family conflict
• transphobia

Detective Erickson is the law enforcement officer investigating Joe's disappearance. She presses Sally for information and pursues Troy and Joe across the wilderness. Her pursuit escalates the stakes of the story and tests the characters' willingness to confront painful truths about their situation.

• detective
• erickson
• police
• pursuit
• law enforcement

The journey to Canada represents both escape from Joe's restrictive home environment and the pursuit of a safer, more accepting future. Canada is portrayed as a place where Joe might live more freely as his true self, away from the judgment and rejection he faces from his mother. The Canadian border serves as the symbolic edge between the old life and new beginnings.

• canada
• border
• escape
• freedom
• acceptance

Robert Spottedbird is a rehabilitation counselor who briefly shelters Troy and Joe during their journey. His cautious loyalty provides the pair with temporary safety and support. His character underscores themes of trust, secrecy, and the moral complexities of caregiving in difficult circumstances.

• robert
• spottedbird
• counselor
• trust
• shelter

The Montana wilderness functions as both a literal and metaphorical landscape. Physically, it presents harsh conditions, scarce resources, dangerous terrain, and isolation, that test the characters' survival. Metaphorically, the rugged landscape mirrors the characters' inner turmoil and the emotional challenges of their journey toward acceptance and belonging.

• wilderness
• montana
• nature
• isolation
• symbolism

The film examines complicated family dynamics where protective love clashes with rigid expectations. Troy's decision to flee with Joe creates conflict with Sally's views, driving the family apart. The narrative explores whether love can bridge deeply held beliefs, ultimately offering a bittersweet resolution where Joe finds acceptance, though it requires significant sacrifice.

• family
• reconciliation
• conflict
• forgiveness
• sacrifice