Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Teddie Blake The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

l_rawjalaurence Set in various parts of the United States in the wake of the release of the film THE HORSE WHISPERER (1998), Cindy Meehl's documentary profiles Bob Brannaman, a real-life "horse whisperer" who makes his living during each summer by giving "clinics" designed to help owners real with recalcitrant horses - not through whispering to the animals, as the title implies, but by training them carefully and treating them as one might one's own child.This is the main thrust of the documentary: through a series of interviews Brannaman makes a convincing case for rethinking the relationships between human beings and animals. Whatever the person might be in terms of character, this will invariably rub off on the animal. A stressful person will lead to a stressful horse. Conversely someone who keeps their emotions under control, and trains by using discipline fairly, combined with lots of praise, will end up having responsive horses.BUCK: THE REAL HORSE WHISPERER contains a coherent moral message for every viewer about the importance of reflecting on one's actions and learning from one's mistakes. Even if we are not dealing with animals, we could do worse than follow Brannaman's example and take life not too seriously, focusing on the moment rather than the past. This has been especially important in Brannaman's own life; born into a performing family, who dealt with ropes and rope-tricks, he had an abusive father who regularly beat both Brannaman and his older brother for no apparent reason. The experience left both sons scarred; and one of the ways Brannaman came to terms with it was through his work with horses.The documentary is not just a celebratory piece; in one sequence we see Brannaman trying to deal with a particularly aggressive young horse. While he manages to establish some sort of control over it, the animal is so violent that she ends up kicking her owner in the head. The only solution is to put her down. While Brannaman is sorry for the decision, he makes it clear that the owners' negligence had a lot to do with the animal's aberrant behavior; if they had been more careful when she was young, then she might not have been so aggressive.Such advice not only applies to humankind's relationship with animals; it also applies to children as well. Brannaman has a happy relationship with his teenage daughter Reata; but makes it clear that he consciously made the effort to do so in light of his own abusive upbringing. There is a moral lesson for all of us in his experiences.

muthandiw "All your horses are a mirror to your soul. Sometimes you won't like what you see, sometimes you will"-BB. Through how we treat what we perceive to be a lesser creature reveals a lot about ourselves, that is the biggest lesson Buck portrays.This introspective documentary tells the tale of veteran horse trainer and equine fanatic Buck Brannaman. Born in an abusive household Buck and his brother lost their mother at an early age and were left at the mercy of their abusive father a drunk who beat buck and his brother senseless, Eventually Buck and his brother are rescued by the local community and put into the care of Forrest and Betsy Shirley who raised Buck.Through the movie we see glimpses of Bucks troubled past and also the source of his unparalleled horseman ship skills. His initial training with his father and later his mentorship with acclaimed horseman Ray hunt. The documentary itself lacks chronological order and through various time skips we see Buck both younger and older through anecdotes from his foster mother and quotes from Buck himself. Though we rarely see Buck and focus more on his work we are able to infer both his character from his brief statements and his documented interactions with both people his family and horses.A film that will be thoroughly enjoyed by both horse enthusiasts and simple movie watchers.

nickpinard96 This documentary tells the story of Buck Brannaman a cowboy who's understanding of horses seems to be unmatched. Buck tours the country for months of the year providing seminars for horse owners everywhere. This documentary follows him to many of his different seminars where they capture Buck doing what he does best. What makes this film unique, and worth watching is the unique way Buck treats the horses he works with. Along with that comes the ability for these horses to seem a lot smarter than most horses, and trained to another level than the average horse. The training seen in the opening minutes of the film leaves a certain wow factor on the viewer. These awesome events are the prologue to the inspiring story to come. As the film progresses it begins to describe Buck's childhood, which was a very troubled one and formed him into the man he is today. Buck's childhood is directly related to the work he does today. It was the events of his past that helped him form some of the techniques he uses in his demonstrations. Buck often describes horses like "children" he uses this analogy to describe the way they must be raised. Buck's respect for these animals is touching to say the least. This film combines Buck's love, with life lessons for all to learn. The lessons apply to more than just horses, this film teaches you how to live your life in such a way that you positively affect everyone you meet. Every interview in the film shares the same message about how wonderful Buck is, and through watching this film you too can share this awesome opinion. The director does a wonderful job at capturing the magic that is Buck Brennaman, and I would recommend this film to anyone and everyone.

hlee-07484 Life is not always perfect and Buck Brannaman shows how that does not and should not ruin the rest of your life. He lived a very difficult life, but he did not let that phase him and he did not let that ruin his future. He loved training horses from such a young age so he decided to follow his love of training horses to become a horse trainer. This documentary was great in showing how one man showed that difficulties in life doesn't mean success cannot arise in the future. Buck is a man that showed passion for what he does. He proves that even though life may throw obstacles in the way, overcoming those obstacles makes anyone and everyone stronger no matter what. I don't want to ruin the movie before anyone sees it so I will end by saying this documentary teaches that life is full of difficulties, but that doesn't make everything go wrong.