Genre: Documentary
Release Year: 2011
Runtime: 150
Language: English
Director: Cindy Meehl
Plot: “The Horse Whisperer” may be the stuff of Hollywood legend but the cowboy who inspired the novel and film is very real. Buck Brannaman – master horseman, raconteur and philosopher – is a no-excuses cowboy who travels the world sharing a hard-won wisdom that’s often more about human relationships than about horses.
BUCK, a richly textured and visually stunning feature documentary, follows Brannaman from a severely abusive and painful childhood to his inspiring work as a teacher. He possesses near magical abilities as he dramatically transforms horses – and people – with his understanding, compassion and respect. Plucked from a terrifying childhood, Buck found a safe haven when he was sent to a loving foster family. There he learned the life lessons that he would later apply to his teaching — rejecting the use of fear, cruelty and intimidation and instead creating bonds of trust, tolerance and empathy. He often compares redirecting the minds and energy of troubled horses with the trials of raising children.
The astonishing strength of character that helped Buck transcend the darkness of his past is poignantly reflected in his loving relationship with his daughter Reata, who has clearly inherited the riding and roping talents of her dad. But Buck is often away from his family and travels alone in his horse trailer from clinic to sold-out clinic all across the country, dealing with fractious horses and, frequently, fractious humans. As Buck says, “Often instead of helping people with horse problems, I’m helping horses with people problems.”