At their best, films can transport us to a place we’ve never been before and introduce us to people we probably would have never met. National Anthem, an otherwise sleight character study, succeeds in that regard.

A soulful Charlie Plummer plays Dylan, a soft-spoken 21-year-old construction worker in a rural New Mexico setting. Dylan is a caring father figure to his little brother and works odd jobs to help them and their undependable mother get by.  

Dylan heads to an isolated ranch, looking for work. He finds himself welcomed there on the ranch that is home to an LGBTQ+ community of skilled rodeo performers. Always a loner, he now somehow seems to fit in with the de facto family.

 He is instantly taken with Sky (Eve Lindley), a charismatic rider who returns the attraction and serves as his guide into this new world. Plummer’s performance, though somewhat sparse in dialog, is a showcase for his ability to make us empathize with his character, whose self-discovery provides, perhaps, revelations that he didn’t see coming. His interaction with Sky will lead to the joys and pains that only a crush can bring.

Writer/Director Luke Gilford sets his cast against stunning Western landscapes that seem like an incongruous pairing, but actually serve to take us to the aforementioned new place with new people.

The film was beloved at the festival level, particularly among viewers who had never felt seen in this way by a film. It’s very much an Indie in tone and pacing, so the viewer should know what to expect. If this sounds like your kind of thing, you are almost certain to enjoy National Anthem, in theaters now.