The highly acclaimed documentary Buck is nothing short of an all-American portrait of Buck Brannaman, the heroic force leading the culture of “horse whispering.” I’m sure when you read that sentence, your mind goes straight to the Golden Globe nominated Robert Redford film, The Horse Whisperer. Correct, but keep reading!
I’m in no way well-versed in the culture of ranch life or what‘s currently going on today in the world of documentaries. However, in watching a copy of the DVD for Buck, I was privileged to learn the history of a man, who the Los Angeles Times rightfully declares “an unsung hero.”
The cinematic approach of Cindy Meehl’s directorial vision showcases an atypical setting of where a man has looked adversity straight in the eye, starting from his childhood. Coming from an abusive, broken home, Brannamen translates the pain from his father’s mistreatment during childhood into a triumphant career of helping people understand how to communicate with animals and ultimately with each other. His experiences as an orphan growing up in a foster home offers a mutual understanding with the very special creatures that so many people love.
Brannaman’s inspirational story defends the tagline: “No wisdom worth having isn’t hard won.” The overall message for both the film and documentary speaks volumes about the treatment of animals, how man communicates with them, as well as human-to-human relationships, not something so easily achieved in the most popular feature films today.
As for the 1998 film The Horse Whisperer, the film and real-life man are very closely linked. Brannaman worked with Redford, as well as the film’s screenwriter Evan Roth in detailing his experiences to help shape the story and Redford‘s character, Tom Booker.
One of the most pivotal scenes in the movie is when a young, traumatized Scarlett Johansson as Grace must confront her horse after a tragic accident that has left her injured for life. Because of Brannaman’s knowledge of how to communicate with horses, he was able to outsmart the Hollywood pros who were vowing that the “talent horses” could “act” and complete the very emotional scene of when the two reunite so that Grace‘s road to recovery may begin.
If you check out the official website for Buck, you’ll see how many awards have decorated and celebrated the 88 minute documentary, including the Audience Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The DVD is due out October 4th thanks to IFC Films! Take a look at the trailer below to see first-hand the truth behind the very brave, fearless horse whisperer.
Rating: 7/10
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