Buck (2011) Reviews

• Horse Sense

  jdesando2011-06-24

  "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.

• Buck's candor and wit get under your skin and stick like a burr...

  Rocking DH2011-07-04

  Saw "Buck" today. Most memorable lines: "A horse can feel a mosquito land on its butt..." "You can move a horse with your energy. It's a dance." "I live in the moment." "I haven't grown up yet." In the film, Robert Redford says that Buck is the "real deal" and he is. Of the three men that Nicholas Evans based his popular novel, "The Horse Whisperer" on, Buck Brannaman is the sole surviving one. This biopic shows Buck's "day at the office" as he travels from ranch to farm, teaching groundwork, horsemanship, colt starting, ranch roping and cattle work. He misses his family but when together, it is obvious that it is quality time for all. It may seem heavy-handed in our politically correct society to take someone's money for a service and then tell them something they may not want to hear. It may not seem like good customer service, but is it better to placate--the easier path--or to help? As someone with a lot of his own baggage, Buck recognizes it in his clients and knows it builds braces, hardness and even shut-down in their horses. He calls it as he sees it. Some can take it and learn. Others pack and leave. Buck's candor and dry wit are reminiscent of another cowboy, Will Rogers. It gets under your skin and sticks like a burr in a blanket. It has a sense of timelessness, ancient wisdom, mystical, yet somehow, something that is known telepathically to herd creatures. He translates for the human. "Buck" is a movie about a genuine human being who cares about others and--yes, more importantly--the horses who need an advocate to express their feelings. It shows that instead of letting a hard start in life be a stumbling block, it can be a challenge to a more elevated spiritual level. A win/win for all. If some get the feeling that Buck prefers horses to humans, understand that horses speak truth. Their reactions reflect the treatment they have received and it can be read like a book. He says, "Your horse is a mirror of you. Some may not like what they see." Some might. "Buck" barely flips the pages of Buck's life experience in the 88-minute final cut of the 300 minutes filmed, but that 88 minutes is intriguing to many--even those who have never touched nor owned a horse.

• Taking the Reins

  bmmellen2015-09-11

  Remarkably raw, thought-provoking, and engaging, Buck sheds a new light on the long-standing relationship between man and horse. Never before, have I seen any fault in the ignorant and generalized view of horses. For most of my life horses have just been animals that are utilized for transportation and sport. But I've never considered how wrong I have been. Buck Brannanam, "the Horse Whisperer", brings a new perspective to the table. Rather than continuing the tradition of beating horses into compliance, he recognized at a young age that horses must be treated with more respect and empathy. Unfortunately, the idea was to "break down the horse" (Brannanam). However, Buck inquires, "why let an animal live in fear?" (Brannanam). He understands that there needs to be mutual understanding between horse and man, since they are also sensitive creatures. This genuine empathy that Buck has for horses almost appears to be a reflection of Buck's escape from his traumatic childhood of horrific abuse. He suggests that how one handles their horse reflects how they handle their loved ones. He further ads that, "People's horses are a mirror into their soul" (Brannanam). Similar to how one must have control over their temper with a child, one must also control their emotions when training their horse. Likewise, this philosophy reflects how Buck interacts with the horse owners at the clinics. As much as his job is to train the seemingly difficult horses, it's also to train the people how to respect the horse. He believes that when horses seem to fail at learning and becoming compliant, the human is generally the one at fault, failing the horse. All in all, I found this documentary entertaining and enlightening, and would most certainly recommend this movie.

• Cowboy Zen

  ferguson-62011-06-25

  Greetings again from the darkness. I made a point to attend the opening night of the film as its subject, Buck Brannaman, was slated to hold an audience Q&A after the film. Unfortunately, he was running a bit late, so we only got about 8 minutes of his time. Still, this remarkable man made an impression ... an impression of authenticity and realism. He may perform a "show", but his is no "act". The inspiration for, and technical adviser on, the film "Horse Whisperer", Buck Brannaman explains early in the film that a horse views a human tossing a saddle on his back much the way he would view a lion attack. Such is the manner in which this man makes his points to the eager and often doubting horse owners who attend his clinics. Buck then proceeds to win over horse and human alike with wit, strength, character, kindness and toughness. First time documentarian Cindy Meehl does a decent job of presenting the similarities of horse training and child-rearing. Buck's philosophy stems from the earlier work of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt, but is further influenced by the less-than-stellar parenting tactics of his father. Buck and his brother Bill (stage name Smokie) were child rodeo stars who performed rope tricks under the firm hand of their dad. It is clear from the footage that they feared their father. In an unlikely twist of fate, the boys are rescued from the abusive environment thanks to the actions of a football coach and deputy sheriff. To fully understand the brave actions of these two men, one must take into account the normal custom in rural America of minding one's own business. These men didn't do that and Buck was given a new life. Watching a quick clip of the "old" horse training techniques really brings home Buck's more gentle and understanding style. He stresses the importance of understanding the horse and being clear with one's affection and intentions. His flag waving and lead rope actions can win over a horse in a short time. The surprising part is that the horse's owner learns every bit as much as their horse. Buck is clear in that the issue with most "problem" horses can be tracked right back to the owner. The same can be said for most kids. Just as he says trying to bribe a horse with carrots and sugar leads to a spoiled, unresponsive horse, the same argument can be made for that type of parenting approach. The frustrating part of the film is that it doesn't really climb inside the head of Buck. We see a glimpse of a man who has overcome childhood atrocities, but we also see a man who loves his family ... yet spends months at a time away from them. We see fire in his eyes as he addresses a horse owner who has the gall to keep 17 studs in her pasture. It's obvious he fights his own demons towards those who mistreat animals, yet as he lectures we wonder if his care is really for the horse more than the person. It was also strange that no real mention of his brother was provided in the film. We could say it's none of our business, but the film brings up the issue of childhood and then leaves us hanging on the brother. Truly the inspiration to Buck's turnaround is his foster mother. She lights up the screen as she talks about Buck as a child and cracks wise with her observations and the telling of a joke. Her love for Buck is obvious and we hope he realizes just how fortunate he is to have had her in his life. This is an inspirational man who is making a difference in the lives of people and horses. He has overcome childhood obstacles to make the world a better place. His cowboy philosophy is pretty simple. Everyone carries some darkness and baggage, and we can all make our own choices on whether to let that affect our value and enjoyment in life.

• When life gives you lemons, become the Horse Whisperer

  wasabisasaki2015-09-10

  "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!