Buck

"God had him in mind when he made the cowboy." A documentary following the real life "Horse Whisperer" Buck Brannaman. Talking a little about the movie, but mainly focused on how he starts the horses and how and why he does what he does. I've ridden a horse once in my life, and it was on a Yellowstone led ride so I don't think that counts, so I was watching this just because I saw Buck on Letterman and because he lives out here. This is one of the most fascinating documentaries I have ever seen, and this is a movie that appeals to all people, not just horse people. It's hard not to like Buck after hearing his story and listening to him talk. This is a definite must see. Overall, there is a line in the movie that sums it up best..."I went in convinced I wasn't gonna appreciate anything I saw." We were both wrong. Very good film. I give this an A.

Would I watch again? - I think I would *Also try - Horse Whisperer

"I'm helping horses with people problems." Buck Brannaman

If you love horses, Buck will not buck you. If you don't love them, this documentary will make you love Buck Brannaman, the inspiration for the novel The Horse Whisperer and technical adviser to Robert Redford on the film of the same name.

Interestingly enough, you don't see him whisper; he just snaps and waves a couple of red flags to convince the animal he cares about them. His results, even with the feistiest and most deadly horses, are remarkably successful. Buck is a soft song of praise to a wrangler psychologist whose gift with horses defies analysis, so unassuming is he, so gentle that he appears not to be working at all.

His interaction with humans is just as successful with clinics all over the West to show owners and trainers how to tame the liveliest colts. His loving relationship with his wife and daughter, who performs at rodeos with him, is a testimony to his belief that humans are key to the happiness of the animals.

His no nonsense advice is nowhere more effective than when he tells a rancher about the effect of her neuroses on the troubled horse he is attending to. Tough love.

When Buck asks, "Why let an animal live in fear?" it is apparent Buck has a connection with horses that goes beyond breaking them for riding. When he describes how a horse naturally fears a human on his back in the same way one jumped by a lion does, the lesson about empathy is clear.

Buck is a cowboy with a remarkably wry sense of humor and self-effacing pride. His tough love melts into a universal love that straddles the beast and human worlds.

The back story about his abuse by his father adds to his credibility and mitigates the otherwise thin deconstruiction of his persona. While I am frustrated because of the film's unwillingness to probe deeper into his talent and his psyche, what you get is what you get: a man gifted with horses—and humans.

The documentary "Buck" follows Buck Brannaman, the man most known for being a "horse whisperer" and working with Robert Redford on a movie with the same title. He runs four day training camps across the country 40 weeks out of the year in order to help people and their horses get along. The thing that really struck me with this movie was the look into another world. Now, I say another world, but what I really mean is a different kind of culture, the one you might think of when you think about old western movies. Cowboys, cowgirls, horses, and cows. Well, its not exactly the wild west, but it's as close as you're gonna get nowadays.Buck Brannaman is sort of an icon in this world. The film delves deep in to his life, the struggle he had as an adolescent, and how he conquered his life and himself. "Buck" really drives home a message of moving past the events that previously happened in your life. Through interviews of loved ones and filmed demonstrations of his, it really shows the affect he had on other peoples and their horses lives because of his own struggles. Many things from the films such as the music and the way it followed him and his family, showing his love for people and horses made the movie both interesting and heartwarming. "Buck" is an inspiring tale about a man who loves horses. It is a wonderful film experience for people who do and do not know about Buck Brannaman and his world.

Honestly, I was not expecting Buck to be a movie which I would thoroughly enjoy, but I was presently surprised by this documentary. I believe this movie is well composed and in some cases a step above a lot of other documentaries. Throughout the film there are emotional transitions that seem rough, but are placed well to give the movie a good cadence. To add to the cadence of the film personal stories from people who have had their horse tamed by Buck Brannaman are added and give insight to how Buck is so inspirational to them. Humor is sprinkled throughout the film, by Buck, to emphasize how such a scared soul can heal and overcome the hardships he endured in his younger years. He does this with his hard work and dedication to better himself and save an animal he understands so well.

As Buck Brannnaman puts it, he doesn't help people with horse problems, but instead horses with people problems, and throughout the movie this statement becomes more and more believable. Classic movie clips are given to show how horses used to be treated by humans and the physical and emotional pain we put them through. In one extreme case presented in the movie we see the more stern side of Buck when he confronts a woman who has let her horse become dangerous and in turn now endangers the horse, and as Buck puts it "the human has failed the horse". A relationship between a horse and its owner is that of up-most respect and this is what Buck instills in people he teaches so the horse no longer feels it has a people problem.

Overall this was a successful documentary that didn't have the big Hollywood feel to it. Cindy Meehl's first shot at directing is one that punches above the waistline and should be watched by anyone who has been searching for an off-the-beaten track film.

"You can discipline and discourage, or you can discipline and encourage." Buck Brannaman, better known as the Horse Whisperer, is really good at the second half of that quote.

Buck Brannaman has had to go through a lot in order to become the person who he is today. This spellbinding documentary follows the life of the Horse Whisperer and the awe he carries with him wherever he goes. He is the psychiatrist that works on the relationship between the horse and the human. It's Buck's story, though, that really sets him apart from others that might be like him. He has had to overcome numerous mountains in order to be the person people know him as.

Every interview that was shown in the documentary was emotional and truly heartfelt. The people that truly know Buck really understand the difficulties that he had to go through.

Switching gears, the music and camera work were on point. The shots that were captured and the music that was played with every interview, every story, every moment made the documentary what it is, outstanding!