DVD
Buck (PG)
Director: Cindy Meehl
THIS documentary on America’s famed horse whisperer offers plenty of reasons not to watch it.
There’s way too much cowboy clothing, it’s all about horses and it’s full of folksy wisdom that has the potential to be more than a little cringe-worthy.
Instead, it turns out to be one of the most compelling and uplifting films that this reviewer has seen in many a day.
Buck is Buck Brannaman, a horse expert who teaches his thousands of disciples how to train their horses in a non-violent manner.
His mantra is that the way people treat their horses is a reflection of how they live their lives. The problems they see in their animals are the same problems they will have in their human relationships.
It sounds simplistic and a little trite, but the two hours spent with Buck wash away the cynicism and leave you believing in the man and his methods.
Buck’s tragic backstory of childhood beatings at the hands of a violent father lends his teachings depth and credibility.
He understands the effect of violence and abuse and knows the damage they inflict on everyone involved. When he talks, it’s not hard to believe that there is method in his mildness.
Robert Redford played a character based on the trainer in the 1990s film The Horse Whisperer, but Buck, both the documentary and man, is no Hollywood confection and the experience is so much more satisfying for it.
– Danny Buttler
